advice for getting through digestive upset

[baleofhay]

I have a 3 yo sow who is currently going through a tummy upset.

Initially I thought she was in discomfort due to reproductive issues as she is intact and that was causing her to not eat but an ultrasound ruled that out. Her teeth are also okay. Her poos had become very small and hard. Since visiting vet on Fridat her poo output has improved and gotten bigger but also softer. She did some clumps overnight. This morning she actually did a nice looking poop. I think we are on the right track.

She's been on poop soup mixed with 3-4ml of critical care from healthy pig and protexin for twice a day for 2 days.

But her hay intake is still down. I have surrounded her with two dif types of oaten hay, timothy hay, timothy and rye hay and orchard hay.
Ii have seen her drinking today. Her weight is relatively stable.

She is very eager for veggies but goes quieter than usual when not asking for veggies. I don't want to offer too many veggies as that causes softer poops.

I want your collective advice to get her through this. I lost a pig to bloat from dental disease late last year so I am trying not to panic.

The poop soup is a fresh poo from healthy sow soaked in warm water and then mixed with a little bit of cc that is syringed in. She is willing to take it. I am considering giving her more cc outside of it at least for the next day or so.

I think this was caused by the stress of trying to bond her to a new pig. Prior to this she has always been a voracious eater.

Next vet appt is 21.3.26

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this

I would definitely syringe feed her more. She could need at least 60ml of critical care per day while her hay intake is reduced.
She needs critical care until she eats enough hay for herself.
Continue to weigh her every morning so you can ensure she remains stable.

Poop output is only an indicator of food from 1-2 ago so poops won’t normalise until 1-2 days after she has been eating properly again

Did the vet give her any medications?

I hope she is ok

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels
Wiebke's Guide to Tummy Trouble

 

[baleofhay]

No. I should have asked if cisapride or meloxicam were needed. While the vet she saw is very knowledgeable, I wasn't actually present. A family member took her and I was just on the phone. Also their clinic was dealing with emergencies and there seemed to be tension between staff so I cannot be sure my girl got the best look over that day.

I have given her more cc, but looks like it is in her best interests to ramp up even more. Little and often.

Thank you for reminding me about the poop delay - it is something that I always forget.

I will keep ccing her, but do notice she's nibbling on hay. She does seem tireder tho which concerns me. Right now she's having a drink so I know she's not dehydrated.

Would you keep or cut veggies?

 

[Piggies&buns]

If she is eating more veg than fibre then it is going to cause the soft poops So I would cut veg out, really concentrate on getting plenty of fibre into her and then see in a day or two whether poops have firmed up.

 

[baleofhay]

Through Sunday and into Monday there was hardly any poop even though I was given CC. Monday arvo I called regular vet and asked if I could give cisapride that I had on hand and they said yes. Monday night I panicked and took her to an emergency after hours vet. They were able to confirm gut sounds and didn't think there was much pain. She came home without anything being done. When she got home she started a lot of poop - I think combo of cisa and the car ride

I took her to regular vet this morning who did an ultrasound and didn't think there was blockage and could see lots poo in intestines as well as the gas.

She now has - Famotidine .06ml x2, tramadol .06ml x2, cisapride .05ml x2-3 and infacol .8ml x4.
still poop soup and probiotics. Continuing critical care

All administered a couple hours ago. She is very quiet and sitting hunched, I hope the tramadol kicks in soon. I am just leaving her alone. She has done more poo.

 

[Piggies&buns]

She needs at least 60ml of critical care per day, along with daily weight checks so you can monitor.
Hopefully the meds will kick in and with plenty of syringe feeding, everything will start moving again.

We can find Infacol is not the best thing to use. Infacol gathers gas into one big bubble. For human babies that’s fine but a guinea pigs gut is very different - it’s long let and thinner than a human - and having the gas collect into one big bubble makes things more painful. You may find you can’t use the Infacol.

Definitely cut veg out altogether and don’t reintroduce it until she is completely better

I hope she is ok

 

[baleofhay]

is there a specific way to massage?

 

[baleofhay]

Update: my girl is recovering.

She had a revisit with our vet and is definitely much better. Her belly has deflated a lot, her appetite is back and poops good form, frequency and is eating them. She has lost weight but not a catastrophic amount. Her belly is still a bit tender with a little more gas to go.

Plan going forward for next 5 days: meloxicam .35ml x2, cisa .02ml x2, infacol .8ml x2. Will only critical care a little bit.
I am adding in small amounts of grass, but am withholding veggies still

It has been a very stressful week and I am sleep deprived but to see my sweet little Heather come through on the other side makes it all worth it.
At points she became lethargic, stopped eating hay, in obvious pain. At one point the poop floodgates opened and the entire backlog of poops came out and then didn't poop again for 18 hours.....Syringe feeding and belly massaging around the clock.

I don't have a follow up appointment for her, but we discussed what progression and regression would look like. We are also unsure what triggered this, there is no clear cause.

I have had guinea pigs for like 17 years and this is only the second serious bloat case I have had. The first was last December as a complication of dental disease from arthritis in a senior boar. I would have felt lost without this forum and care guides as well as the videos from SkinnyPigs1 on youtube and how she tackled bloat. Thank you for all the quality information that is here.

 

[Wiebke]

Update: my girl is recovering.

She had a revisit with our vet and is definitely much better. Her belly has deflated a lot, her appetite is back and poops good form, frequency and is eating them. She has lost weight but not a catastrophic amount. Her belly is still a bit tender with a little more gas to go.

Plan going forward for next 5 days: meloxicam .35ml x2, cisa .02ml x2, infacol .8ml x2. Will only critical care a little bit.
I am adding in small amounts of grass, but am withholding veggies still

It has been a very stressful week and I am sleep deprived but to see my sweet little Heather come through on the other side makes it all worth it.
At points she became lethargic, stopped eating hay, in obvious pain. At one point the poop floodgates opened and the entire backlog of poops came out and then didn't poop again for 18 hours.....Syringe feeding and belly massaging around the clock.

I don't have a follow up appointment for her, but we discussed what progression and regression would look like. We are also unsure what triggered this, there is no clear cause.

I have had guinea pigs for like 17 years and this is only the second serious bloat case I have had. The first was last December as a complication of dental disease from arthritis in a senior boar. I would have felt lost without this forum and care guides as well as the videos from SkinnyPigs1 on youtube and how she tackled bloat. Thank you for all the quality information that is here.

I am so glad that she is better.

What triggers severe bloating and/or GI stasis or any mix thereof is often a mystery. Very often it happens right of the blue without an obvious cause.

When reintroduce veg, you need to start very slowly and carefully.
Ideally, you start with just a little fresh herb, like a sprig of cilantro/coriander herb or parsley; then a few more with the next meal. If that is going well, try a very little cucumber or lettuce in addition to the herbs - only one of them. See how that goes before you up the quantity and before you add a little bit of pepper after that is working, then half a slice and then the whole slice in order to allow the gut time to adjust to the veg again.
Use your scales in order to balance weight against a hopefully returning appetite and increasing hay intake when you start switching to using formula feed as top up rather than as main food.
This guide here explains the different levels of support feeding and how you best manage a transition: Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels

It is crucial that you give the disturbed gut microbiome time to adapt and the regrow the necessary disgestive microbiome. Go to fast too quickly, and you can easily end with another bloating episode. We have seen that on here sadly all to often.

You may also face the fact that there could be another wave of bloat. In our experience it can take several weeks for the digestive system to rebalance after a major event.

Stop feeding fresh food asap at any time you notice signs of bloating.

All the best for the coming weeks. It is great that your girl has made it through a severe bloating event. Your support has been crucial.

 

[baleofhay]

I am so glad that she is better.

What triggers severe bloating and/or GI stasis or any mix thereof is often a mystery. Very often it happens right of the blue without an obvious cause.

When reintroduce veg, you need to start very slowly and carefully.
Ideally, you start with just a little fresh herb, like a sprig of cilantro/coriander herb or parsley; then a few more with the next meal. If that is going well, try a very little cucumber or lettuce in addition to the herbs - only one of them. See how that goes before you up the quantity and before you add a little bit of pepper after that is working, then half a slice and then the whole slice in order to allow the gut time to adjust to the veg again.
Use your scales in order to balance weight against a hopefully returning appetite and increasing hay intake when you start switching to using formula feed as top up rather than as main food.
This guide here explains the different levels of support feeding and how you best manage a transition: Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels

It is crucial that you give the disturbed gut microbiome time to adapt and the regrow the necessary disgestive microbiome. Go to fast too quickly, and you can easily end with another bloating episode. We have seen that on here sadly all to often.

You may also face the fact that there could be another wave of bloat. In our experience it can take several weeks for the digestive system to rebalance after a major event.

Stop feeding fresh food asap at any time you notice signs of bloating.

All the best for the coming weeks. It is great that your girl has made it through a severe bloating event. Your support has been crucial.

I am truly grateful for your level of caution and detailed instructions. I feel a bit better with navigating the next steps with this info.

 

[Wiebke]

I am truly grateful for your level of caution and detailed instructions. I feel a bit better with navigating the next steps with this info.

That is why we make the best of not being part of social media because we can provide moral and practical ongoing support for however long it takes.

For longer ongoing support, it is worth to bookmark your support threat so you can always pick it up and keep the whole case together so we can refresh our memory by having a quick look and know what has already been recommended and tried or ruled out.

It also helps those who want to research a subject if they see a whole case and can come positive outcomes as well although we are always happy to give them personlised support on their own journey so we can add to the fundus of start to finish cases with their very own twists and turns on here, which is one of the widest and in depth.