response about blood in urine

Question
Hello Sandra,

You helped me back in June when my little Oreo was sick, she passed away. Now I have a problem with her companion rat named Cookie. Hopefully you can help as I am out of options.

I have taken her to an exotic pet Veterinarian. Cookie has blood coming out in her urine.

She is active, eats well, very social and drinks.
Like Oreo she is free ranging anywhere she wants in our house.

We have had her on baytril. And now baytil and cefadroxil. I have also been giving her vitamins provided by the vet.

She has had x-rays and even surgery. And nothing is helping. The vet is stumped.

I am very low income and after large vet bills she has not gotten any better! If there was some sure fire fix for her I would not hesitate. But all's i am getting is long shot maybes from them. And also they say if it is cancer there is nothing much they can do. Basically they are totally stumped.

I cried everyday for a month when my Oreo died and even emailed you privately.

Anyway back to Cookie

-she is 6 months old

-the blood is not every time she pees but about 40% of the time light pink to light red. Sometimes it is totally clear though.

- she squeeks about anything she doesnt like. but does not squeek when being held and doesnt seem to be in pain or sore.

-the vet thought it could be bacteria and she was on baytril

-then the xrays to check for bladder stone(s)

-then the surgery since they could not get a catheder in her to inflate the bladder (with air) and check (with an xray) for abnormal bladder
pockets.

I cannot remember the term but when the rat is baby sometimes where the bladder connects to the abilical cord doesnt heal right after birth and leaves a little pocket next to the bladder that can cause repeated infections.

so that is why she got the surgery is to check for that ...and nothing was abnormal.

So her i am now at the end of her antibiotic cycle and she peed blood again today.

So is there anything you can think of?

There is one more thing they shaved her and she seems to have only one nipple that i can see. I have allways noticed that she had one nipple bigger than the rest but now that she is shaved belly it is the only nipple...or am i missing them or something? Are they so tiny they can barely be seen or something..? Or on her sides and not on belly?

So after that i am just wondering if she has some kind of major defects inside too that are causing this blood in her pee.

Any help you have is much appreciated and thankyou in advance.

Daniel Degre

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Answer
Hi Daniel

I do remember Oreo and it stuck with me I think because I also had an Oreo myself, a little fat black hooded girl that tipped the scales at 900 grams and lived to be 3 years and 6 months old!!

Anyhow, your vet has done some extensive testing, from films to exploratory surgery.  However, I think perhaps, unless you just forgot to mention this, what he should have done is take some blood for starters. Also, has a urine culture been done?   

Please let me know and we will go from there.

Response:

They took a sample of urine with blood in it on her first visit, but i think they only looked at it/or tested it somehow and did not grow an actual culture off it.

They have not drawn any blood either that i know of.

They do have a piece of her bladder now that we are waiting to send off/ or not send for testing. Based on what happens in the next few days.

As I said i am low income about 1000 per month since i am disabled, and her second bill was over 800 until they lowered it some for me. I dont have any money to spare and when i ask them what will happen if we send the bladder piece off for testing they give no real answers.

I just dont know where to draw the line with all the testing and stuff ....I love this little girll like crazy but also have to draw a line at some point...I am in a moral delima....

like i said if they said yes for sure for 800 dollars more she will be better i would do it ...but all i get is well we can see if it is this or maybe that and I seriously dont know what to do anymore.

Cookie is also rescued as was Oreo. I still havent recovered financially from Oreos bills.

I know you have had alot of rats what would you do? Where do you  stop....

I mean its like i could spend so much and then she is only going to live another year...I dont know....

sorry I dont have more info...i am in a total daze of what to do right now or what can even be done.

Cookie is snuggling with me as I type this (and bruxxing like crazy)she is a great snuggler.

I will keep my fingers crossed and finish the antibiotics and see what to do then I guess. I dont expect you to have any answers on this one since i cannot provide any more info for you..

thanks a million anyway

Daniel Degre  

Answer

I answered you on the other message you sent.  However, you asked where to draw the line?

The way it looks to me anyhow is that I feel your rat is not getting the right antibiotic.  It may be a bacteria that is not responding to the medication being used now.  I suggested another drug which you will read about on the other message.  After that? Your rat will need a break in antibiotics in order to have the urine culture done and done right. Antibiotics can botch a urine culture and give false readings, again, I addressed this on the other message.

To be honest, if she doesnt respond to the new meds, providing the vet is willing to switch, I would wait and save up some extra money unless the urine culture is inexpensive, which I doubt.  Talk it over with the vet and see if you can break the bill down in three or four parts and make payments.   Alot has been done for her to diagnose her, but seems there are other things that should have been done FIRST. The urine culture should have been first so the right meds were used from the start.  Thats what gets me the most.  Wasting money on medications.

And....if there still is no resolution, you can find another vet or just let it be as long as she is not acting sick and being her usual self.  She is eating and drinking, not losing weight, active and friendly, has energy....I mean, what else can you want really? I would try the new meds first......go from there.