Bladder stones in Guinea Pigs

Pecco is a lovely little guinea pig who came to see us as he had blood in his wee. This is never good so we did some investigations and discovered that he likely had a bladder stone sometimes called a Urolith. Surgery was required with a procedure known as a cystotomy being carried out.

Bladder stones (uroliths) are a significant health concern in guinea pigs, and cystotomy—the surgical removal of these stones—is often necessary when medical management fails. Here's a detailed overview based on recent clinical findings and veterinary experience:

🪨 What Are Bladder Stones in Guinea Pigs?

•             Composition: Most guinea pig uroliths are calcium carbonate, though

calcium oxalate and struvite stones also occur.

•             Causes: High-calcium diets (e.g., alfalfa hay), inadequate water intake, genetics, age, sex, and chronic urinary tract infections are all contributing factors.

•             Symptoms: Painful urination, squeaking while peeing, blood in urine, straining, and reduced appetite.

There is always a risk with any surgery and anaesthesia especially with the smaller furries like guinea pigs and the cystotomy procedure itself has its own risks. These risks can be minimised with careful planning and monitoring but can still be dangerous.

Thankfully, surgery went well and the little chap had a non-eventful recovery and went home the same day. It is essential that guinea pigs start eating as soon as possible after surgery. You can see from the photos both the size of the stone that was removed and that most important first meal of some mini corn !

Post-operatively, there can still be complications and it is essential that patients are closely monitored and attend post-op checks so we can assess their progress.

Sometimes these stones will occur anyway but some tips for helping to prevent them are’

•             Avoid high-calcium foods or keep to a minimum (e.g., spinach, parsley, alfalfa).

•             Provide both water bottles and bowls to encourage drinking.

•             Wet vegetables before feeding to increase water intake.

•             Regular vet checkups and urine monitoring for at-risk individuals.