Urethral diverticulum and urolithiasis in a female guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

Abstract

CASE DESCRIPTION A 5-year-old sexually intact female guinea pig was evaluated because of mild dysuria and a subcutaneous mass located cranioventral to the urogenital openings. CLINICAL FINDINGS Non-contrast-enhanced CT and surgical exploration of the distal aspect of the urethra revealed a urethral diverticulum with an intraluminal urolith. Analysis revealed that the urolith was composed of calcium carbonate and struvite. TREATMENT AND OUTCOME The urolith was surgically removed and ablation of the urethral diverticulum was attempted. Approximately 3 months later, the guinea pig was reevaluated for masses in the perineal region, and positive-contrast urethrocystography revealed 2 uroliths present in the same diverticulum. Uroliths were manually expressed with the patient under general anesthesia. Approximately 2 weeks later, urethroplasty was performed to create an enlarged stoma with the diverticulum, thereby preventing urine from pooling in the diverticulum and potentially reducing the risk of future urolith formation. The urethroplasty site healed well with no reported complications or evidence of urolith recurrence 6 months after surgery. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Urolithiasis is common in guinea pigs, and urethral diverticulum and intraluminal urolith formation should be considered as a potential differential diagnosis for a subcutaneous mass along the distal aspect of the urethra. Creation of a urethral stoma from a urethral diverticulum via urethroplasty achieved a successful outcome in this patient.

CT findings of an incidental segmental aplasia of the caudal vena cava with azygos continuation in a guinea pig (Cavia porcellus)

“…While CT imaging is not as commonly employed in small mammals like guinea pigs compared to dogs and cats, its utility extends to various clinical scenarios due to its inherent cross-sectional nature, which mitigates the superimposition of anatomical structures. Indications include evaluation of dental disease and other bony structures of the head ( Krautwald-Junghanns et al , 2011 ) or assessment of the thoracic and abdominal cavities for anatomical and medical purposes ( Parkinson et al , 2017 ; Zehtabvar et al , 2023 ). Furthermore, the injection of intravenous contrast medium enhances the vascular structures of the body and allows the evaluation of potential vascular malformations.…”

Retrospective analysis of risk factors, clinical features, and prognostic indicators for urolithiasis in guinea pigs: 158 cases (2009–2019)

“…Carotenuto, DVM, and A.S.Edell, MLAS, DVM, unpublished data, 2021. 17 Encouraging water consumption by guinea pigs is often promoted to maintain diuresis to minimize calcium salt deposition and subsequent urolith formation. 18 In a previous study, 6 it was shown that guinea pigs prefer drinking from a bottle drinker.…”