Guinea Pigs and Blood in Urine

Hi folks, Lola here. I've been having a rough couple of weeks. The humans noticed that I've been more lethargic than usual, so they took me to the vet this week. Turns out, I've lost quite a bit of weight over the last few months. During the exam, I peed on the vet's table (sorry, vet!), and the vet tested it for infection since it was tinged with blood. I have a UTI, and the vet wanted to do an X-ray just to be sure that I didn't have a bladder stone.

First, they sedated me, and then I went in the X-ray machine. The good news is I don't have a bladder stone, but the vet did notice some sandy sludge in my bladder, which mean I have to take some antibiotics to clear the infection. Also, I have to return in two weeks to be sedated again, so they can flush the painful sandy stuff out of my bladder.

On top of that, the X-rays showed I'm gassy, probably from swallowing air during the stressful car trip to the vet. Now I'm on 4 medications: Meloxicam to reduce inflammation, two oral liquid antibiotics, and an oral anti-gas liquid. Since I've been eating less, I also have to take Critical Care, which isn't bad tasting, but which I don't like eating since I'm so uncomfortable all the time.

I did get some pretty cool X-ray photos out of the experience though. Check them out:

The dark oval is the air I've swallowed.

Kind of hard to see, but the white line there is my bladder. Ouch,

The red arrow shows my tiny bladder.
The white color is due to the sandy sludge.

Not a fun time. 0/5 won't recommend getting a bladder infection.