question about white substance when urinating

[Shirley's Dad]

Hello-
I am writing on behalf of my little sweetheart Shirley; she is about seven and I feed her Harlan teklad + zupreem, organic apples, organic cherry tomatoes and carrots + mountain spring water-very rarely almonds and walnuts but lately she has not been eating good and now will only eat the walnuts passing up the almonds and washing it down w a cherry tomato-she has not been drinking good the last couple of weeks-I took her to the vet and she said that it could be a problem w her female organs or even cancer- a diagnosis w blood test and x-rays would cost $600-700- I went with the 10 day baytril treatment (finished treatment last week)hoping it was a urine/bladder infection- yesterday I noticed a white substance coming out when she urinates it looks like tiny pieces of curdled milk-I had noticed this material a few month ago near where she goes and discounted it thinking it was something else- now yesterday I actually saw it come out of her when urinating (is this possible or is it coming from her rectum?) the white substance is odorless and turns off white when dry not quite yellow but a dark beige color. Has anyone seen this? Or heard of it? The vet also said that if she had problems w her female organs and that it was a very recoverable operation- has anyone else had such an operation done- or know of someone who has? Of course I am concerned with quality of life having lost my mother recently after a year long battle w cancer. Shirley does not seem to be in pain but just very tired and not her usual playful self. I would never let her suffer. We are very close and I cannot stand the thought of losing her. I am not a wealthy man but would gladly sell what I have if there is a chance to give her a couple more years of life… Thank-you for your help -Shirley’s Dad

[Loopy Squirrel]

Did the vet actually do a urinalysis? What made her think female problems. I am concerned that the discharge could be coming from her vaginal area. I am wondering if the vet was thinking pyometra which is an infection of the uterus. Is this why she gave you the baytril? With the age of the squirrel I would be worried about a pyometra too. If they had actually done a urinalysis it would have shown bacteria in the urine if this was a bladder infection. Sometimes vets can try and treat a pyometra with antibiotics but unfortunately this usual doesn't work depending on how bad the infection is. It can help to keep it from getting worse, however, the blood & x-ray work up may be the only way of really telling if this is a pyometra. I do think that 600 to 700 hundred dollars is a lot for just the work up. If that were for the surgery I could possibly agree with that. Our clinic charges about half that for work ups.

[Shirley's Dad]

Ok that is making sense- the substance becomes dislodged while urinating-is “pyometra” treatable and how?- I will look for an appointment Monday to explore this. Could the treatment for pyometra be started before? Are there any topical solutions I could use to help? Of course later I will be reading all about pyometra myself. Thank you so much for your time.


Did the vet actually do a urinalysis? What made her think female problems. I am concerned that the discharge could be coming from her vaginal area. I am wondering if the vet was thinking pyometra which is an infection of the uterus. Is this why she gave you the baytril? With the age of the squirrel I would be worried about a pyometra too. If they had actually done a urinalysis it would have shown bacteria in the urine if this was a bladder infection. Sometimes vets can try and treat a pyometra with antibiotics but unfortunately this usual doesn't work depending on how bad the infection is. It can help to keep it from getting worse, however, the blood & x-ray work up may be the only way of really telling if this is a pyometra. I do think that 600 to 700 hundred dollars is a lot for just the work up. If that were for the surgery I could possibly agree with that. Our clinic charges about half that for work ups.

[Loopy Squirrel]

All a pyometra is is an infection of the uterus. Usually vets will determine how bad the infection is by doing a work up, i.e., blood work & x-rays. If it is very serious and could possibly rupture they will do surgery to remove the entire uterus. An animal can become very septic and very sick if it ruptures all of the infection into the abdomen. If it isn't quite an emergency they will prescribe antibiotics and schedule surgery with in a few days. I don't know if the infection can be cured by antibiotics alone. Most cases are a surgical fix. Did she have a temperature when she was at the vet? I would talk to the vet again and ask her why she thought female problems and ask if they did do a full urinalysis just to rule that out as a possibility. I do think that if she truly had a pyometra just a ten days course of antibiotics wouldn't be enough to cure it anyway. Maybe a longer course if the vet feels that antibiotics are the route to go. Ask the vet if she thinks it could be a fungal infection as well. May be they could get a sample of the discharge and look at it under the microscope. If it's a yeast infection, antibiotics won't help, it may make it worse. There are antifungals that they can prescribe to help with that. They need to rule out the simple things first before rushing work ups & surgery.

[Shirley's Dad]

First-let me thank you for your help and concern-it means the world to shirley and I.- I have a fresh urine sample this morning and will take to a vet as soon as I can get an appointment. in response to your questions: 1) no- no temperature was taken 2) no urinalysis 3) I believe she mentioned female problems because she said squirrels were meant to have lots of babies and short lives and not meant for no babies and long life also-I indicated to her that I thought the region looked swollen. I will bring the urine sample today. Please-can yeast infection be determined by urinalysis?-or fungal infection When I take her this morning I will be ready to do whatever it takes. Thank you


All a pyometra is is an infection of the uterus. Usually vets will determine how bad the infection is by doing a work up, i.e., blood work & x-rays. If it is very serious and could possibly rupture they will do surgery to remove the entire uterus. An animal can become very septic and very sick if it ruptures all of the infection into the abdomen. If it isn't quite an emergency they will prescribe antibiotics and schedule surgery with in a few days. I don't know if the infection can be cured by antibiotics alone. Most cases are a surgical fix. Did she have a temperature when she was at the vet? I would talk to the vet again and ask her why she thought female problems and ask if they did do a full urinalysis just to rule that out as a possibility. I do think that if she truly had a pyometra just a ten days course of antibiotics wouldn't be enough to cure it anyway. Maybe a longer course if the vet feels that antibiotics are the route to go. Ask the vet if she thinks it could be a fungal infection as well. May be they could get a sample of the discharge and look at it under the microscope. If it's a yeast infection, antibiotics won't help, it may make it worse. There are antifungals that they can prescribe to help with that. They need to rule out the simple things first before rushing work ups & surgery.

[Shirley's Dad]

found a good vet in santa monica-could not get in to see him till today (he was out of town) but i hear he has a lot of experience with fuzzers so i think it worth the wait. don't know if he will be able to operate today but i have withheld food just in case. thank you

[Shirley's Dad]

http://www.joecellular.com/shirleys_xray.htmOk- I took Shirley to a vet in Santa Monica Tuesday and gave him the symptoms and mentioned that pymetra was suspected- he put her under and gave her x-rays and took a urine sample which showed no bacteria-also the x-ray did not show signs of that infected uterus she was on the table with her belly shaved and ready to operate but he said he just did not want to open her up based on what he saw ( although he did not take a blood sample for reasons I do not know) instead he elected to thoroughly clean the area and prescribe another round of antibiotics (clavamox I believe) when I got her home she was energetic and ate and drank well. This morning while peeing another big chunk came out-
This stuff has absolutely no odor- I saved a specimen and will take to a lab ASAP this morning but I wanted to show you all and hear your opinion. The x-rays also revealed an interesting fact: my little angel was shot in the head by a bb! It is still lodged there and is no doubt why she is blind in her left eye-now it is clear how that gang of cats was able to advance on her and corner her in that yard the day 6 years ago when my friend chased off those cats, gathered up my little angel in a shoebox and brought her to me! Of course this makes her even more special to me although I did not think that was possible.

[MJS]

:grouphug SHIRLEY :grouphug GET WELL SOON!!!

[ques96]

No expert but it almost looks as if she has a yeast infection. In women sometimes with a strong antibiotic the natural flora is destroyed and thus they end up with a yeast infection. There is oral medication that can be given for it. Not sure if this can happen in a squirrel.:dono

[Shirley's Dad]

After examining the sample the vet determined it was Pasteurella and it was decided this time to open her up and once again my little baby was put on the operating table this time having her uterus removed however it was found not to be infected. The discharge is accumulating in the vaginal area until gaining enough mass to be ejected during urination. the doctor prescribed frequent irrigation/cleaning of this area with a solution of inject able baytril mixed with saline solution using a curved syringe- this is extremely difficult to do by my self but not impossible-if it is what it takes to save her than that’s what I will do-in between I am using plain saline solution. I am also giving her an oral antibiotic called TMS. 48 hours after surgery she is gaining her strength back and eating and drinking again! My little angel! I just rubbed antibiotic ointment on her belly where the stitches are- I pray that he used dissolving stitches.

[Rhapsody]

After examining the sample the vet determined it was Pasteurella (((HUGS))) - to you and your baby..... may recovery come fast and be gentle. :Love_Icon

[Monipenny]

Awww, you are such a good squirrel-daddy! Get well soon sweet Shirley! :grouphug