Bladder Stone study

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User avatar
Becky

Post   » Mon Jul 03, 2006 12:48 pm


Way too many of us are familiar with bladder stones. We have an opportunity now to participate in a study to finally begin figuring out the causes and prevention of, and treatment for stones.

Oxbow is sponsoring a multi-institutional case-control study. In order to do the study, however, they need stones. My vet said they need a minimum of 100 stones submitted.

If you have a stone removed from your guinea pig, I strongly urge you and your vet to send it to UC Davis for this study. There was no cost involved for me. I merely filled out a detailed questionnaire about diet, health issues and other stone/sludge guinea pigs in my care.

I also strongly urge you to pass this information along to your vet, whether you have a pig with stones or not. The more samples sent in, the more all vets will learn.

Here is the contact information:

For further information on how to participate, please contact
Michelle Hawkins, VMD Dipl. ABVP (Avian Practice)
Assistant Professor
Companion Avian and Exotic Pet Service
VM: Medicine and Epidemiology
2108 Tupper Hall
University of CA, Davis
Davis, CA 95616
(530) 752-1363
mghawkins@ucdavis.edu

Here is the link to Oxbow with a description of the study.

http://www.oxbowhay.com/link.sp?page=article&id=40649[b][/b]

User avatar
salana
GL is Just Peachy

Post   » Mon Jul 03, 2006 8:48 pm


Are passed stones okay, too? Do they have to be sent in right after they're removed/passed?

GP Lover
My home, ruled by pigs!

Post   » Mon Jul 03, 2006 10:02 pm


Becky, any idea what has come of the study at the University of Minnesota? I sent them a stone a few years ago for their study and I think Swannie has too.

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Tue Jul 04, 2006 3:53 am


I'm pretty sure Minnesota is where Sully and Gilbert's stones were sent off to, as well.

User avatar
TWP_2

Post   » Wed Jul 05, 2006 1:53 am


I wonder if UC Davis and Minnesota are sharing data. It would be nice.

Unless our vet filled out information for us, we didn't provide much info to the Minnesota study. I know she had some sort of form, but I have no idea what was on it, and she didn't ask for detailed diet information.

Jim

User avatar
Becky

Post   » Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:16 pm


Salana, yes, passed stones are fine. Considering their composition, I doubt that they have to be "fresh" or recent.

I forgot to ask my vet about the Minnesota study. I have no idea what has happened with that. This study is being overseen by two vets at UC Davis and Connie Orcutt of Boston’s Angell Memorial Hospital.

There is no way my vet or the vet tech could have filled out this form. It was way too detailed.

User avatar
mmeadow
Supporter 2004-2022

Post   » Wed Jul 05, 2006 4:21 pm


Please send in your stones! I have heard that the funding for the study is running out soon and that they have not received as many samples as they would like.

User avatar
cavyhaven13

Post   » Fri Jul 21, 2006 4:16 am


I've had two sent in for this study already. Different pigs, and from different families. Both came back as calcium oxylate. But my most recent one with Louise came back saying they were able to grow bacteria from it. I think it was strep.

Definitely send them in. At least the analysis is free because of the study and it will help their research.

TwoWhitePiggies

Post   » Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:06 am


I just wanted to post that we did have K-State send Gilbert's stone to the UC Davis study, along with a survey they had us fill out. Jim has been in touch with the UC Davis people, as well.

User avatar
Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Fri Aug 11, 2006 11:51 am


Ah, we just had an enormous stone removed from Muffin last week. I'll send it in when I get it from LAWomans.

User avatar
TWP_2

Post   » Fri Aug 11, 2006 7:32 pm


Perhaps we should all buy a lottery ticket once a month, and donate 90% of any winnings to the study.

Someone might hit the 20 million dollar jackpot and endow a Chair of Guinea Pig Bladder Stone Prevention Studies.

Jim

capybara
Supporter in '13

Post   » Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:03 pm


About a week ago, at Peppi's follow up appointment, we gave the vet the contact information for the stone study. A couple days ago, he called my husband and said that he was told they also wanted a sample of bladder tissue in addition to the stone, and the stone alone wasn't enough for the study. Obviously we can't get that now. So now our vet is going to analyze the stone for us to see its composition so we can take preventative measures against more stones.

Anyway, I was surprised and confused to hear that info on the bladder tissue sample, since it wasn't mentioned here. Did anyone else get that response?

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