Advice? - Wet Bum

[Perfectpets11]

Hi.
My guinea pig Chico is a 2 year old boar and I've recently noticed a few problems that I was wondering someone could help me with.
So, the other morning I went out to move the piggies from their hutch in our garage to the hutch outside and noticed that Chico's bum and lower belly was very wet. My first thought was that he had been sitting in the same spot for a long time and had been going to the bathroom multiple times. I put him outside and checked up on him late that evening and he was fine. Totally dry and eating perfectly fine. He seemed himself as well. Next morning the same thing happened again, he seemed himself but was wet again. He wasn't as wet as the previous day but he was still damp. This has kept on happening on and off for multiple days now and i was wondering what it could be? They are fed on meadow hay, a combination of burgess excel, pah and asda nuggets and they also get a few handfuls of grass each day too. They also get forage daily too. I'm really concerned as to what this could be and I don't want to leave it too long. I'm going to check on him tomorrow and if he's wet again I will probably end up taking him to the vets. I just think it's odd that he seems himself and is still eating but has a wet bum? I don't think he is squeezing when peeing either but I'll try and pay a close eye on him. Please, any advice but be appreciated! X

 

[Perfectpets11]

Oh and I think the first time I noticed there was two small crushed up poops on his bum which is why I thought he had been sitting in the same place for a while, thanks x

 

[Perfectpets11]

It's not as bad at night as it is in the morning. Oh forgot to mention that the pigs have a substrate of woodshaving and hay. Really concerned so advice/help would be appreciated x

 

[Perfectpets11]

Anyone got any advice? x

 

[GPTV]

hi there, sounds like he may have the start of a UTI urinary tract infection or other bladder issues developing (stones/sludge) usually a quick dose of antibiotics will do the trick if it's a UTI.
it might be worth just giving him a bum wipe/bath to get rid of the smell of urine on his rear, in this warmer weather urine can attract flies that will lay eggs & there is a risk of flystrike if he is left smelling of urine.
just make sure he is totally dry before being put outside or exposed to cooler temperatures as they don't like big temperature changes or draughts.

might also be worth checking his boy bits for debris lodged in or around his vitals (sorry i have only had girls so not the best to ask for boarbits cleaning )
maybe a change of bedding will help too- woodshavings can get caught in & around his penis, also shavings can be a problem with respiratory infections (URI's) the shavings stay wet / damp when urinated on & chemicals are released/react that affect the chest/breathing or some shavings may be fine & be more dusty.

have you thought about bedding them on fleece/ vetbed/ shredded paper/ fitch/ megazorb?
mine are on a thick layer of newspaper, covered in a thick layer of shredded paper & then big handfuls of hay added as it disappears throughout the day. its easy to clean out, just roll the the layers up like a big sausage & throw away

i would make it a vet visit to a cavy savvy vet though as soon as you're able.

fingers crossed for your little man

xx
the girls & i

 

[Perfectpets11]

hi there, sounds like he may have the start of a UTI urinary tract infection or other bladder issues developing (stones/sludge) usually a quick dose of antibiotics will do the trick if it's a UTI.
it might be worth just giving him a bum wipe/bath to get rid of the smell of urine on his rear, in this warmer weather urine can attract flies that will lay eggs & there is a risk of flystrike if he is left smelling of urine.
just make sure he is totally dry before being put outside or exposed to cooler temperatures as they don't like big temperature changes or draughts.

might also be worth checking his boy bits for debris lodged in or around his vitals (sorry i have only had girls so not the best to ask for boarbits cleaning )
maybe a change of bedding will help too- woodshavings can get caught in & around his penis, also shavings can be a problem with respiratory infections (URI's) the shavings stay wet / damp when urinated on & chemicals are released/react that affect the chest/breathing or some shavings may be fine & be more dusty.

have you thought about bedding them on fleece/ vetbed/ shredded paper/ fitch/ megazorb?
mine are on a thick layer of newspaper, covered in a thick layer of shredded paper & then big handfuls of hay added as it disappears throughout the day. its easy to clean out, just roll the the layers up like a big sausage & throw away

i would make it a vet visit to a cavy savvy vet though as soon as you're able.

fingers crossed for your little man

xx
the girls & i

Thanks for your reply!
Right, I'll check on him tomorrow and see how he is in the morning. I've been very cautious with him. I put him outside because the weather has been lovely and he would dry off in the sun instead of being indoors. I know all about about fly strike, horrible illness. The bedding is spot cleaned everyday and their "bedroom" is often changed just so they aren't lying in the wet hay. I have been very close to switching them to fleece but I never have, might have too. I did have them on newspaper and I've also tried them on puppy pads but they chew and eat them both so I ditched that idea. Okay thanks, will he be In pain? Is there anything I can do to prevent things getting worse? Could it be bladder stones? x

 

[Perfectpets11]

Your reply was really appreciated @GPTV

 

[GPTV]

Thanks for your reply!
Right, I'll check on him tomorrow and see how he is in the morning. I've been very cautious with him. I put him outside because the weather has been lovely and he would dry off in the sun instead of being indoors. I know all about about fly strike, horrible illness. The bedding is spot cleaned everyday and their "bedroom" is often changed just so they aren't lying in the wet hay. I have been very close to switching them to fleece but I never have, might have too. I did have them on newspaper and I've also tried them on puppy pads but they chew and eat them both so I ditched that idea. Okay thanks, will he be In pain? Is there anything I can do to prevent things getting worse? Could it be bladder stones? x

if he's in pain when he wee's he'll probably squeak when wee'ing, if he's generally in pain he'll be clever & hide it for a while as he's a prey animal- but if he's hunched up, his coat goes permanently puffy or he stops eating these are all possible signs of pain.
i would ask the vet for a painkiller just in case (usually Metacam) if you have ever had cistitus you'll know what i mean (fire'y-ouch!)

hopefully its just an infection, but if it doesnt clear up after a dose of antibiotics it could well be stones or sludge.

Oh & my two like to nibble at the corners of the newspaper- always have
poor little Chico... speedy recovery
xx

 

[Perfectpets11]

if he's in pain when he wee's he'll probably squeak when wee'ing, if he's generally in pain he'll be clever & hide it for a while as he's a prey animal- but if he's hunched up, his coat goes permanently puffy or he stops eating these are all possible signs of pain.
i would ask the vet for a painkiller just in case (usually Metacam) if you have ever had cistitus you'll know what i mean (fire'y-ouch!)

hopefully its just an infection, but if it doesnt clear up after a dose of antibiotics it could well be stones or sludge.

Oh & my two like to nibble at the corners of the newspaper- always have
poor little Chico... speedy recovery
xx

Thank you a lot! Really appreciate your advice!
I've never noticed him squealing whilst he goes to the toilet. The only thing I have noticed is the wet bum. Nope I've never had that lol, yeah I really hope it does clear up . Is it a good thing to get him to the vets ASAP? I understand they need an op for stones but what about sludge? Thank you! xxxxx

 

[GPTV]

Thank you a lot! Really appreciate your advice!
I've never noticed him squealing whilst he goes to the toilet. The only thing I have noticed is the wet bum. Nope I've never had that lol, yeah I really hope it does clear up . Is it a good thing to get him to the vets ASAP? I understand they need an op for stones but what about sludge? Thank you! xxxxx

as far as i'm aware the op for stones can be either very easy or complicated all according to where the stone is, how many stones & how big in size they are. sludge is a more chronic problem, that can be flushed out if needed by a very cavy savvy vet.
diet can also be a factor in the buildup of stones, have a look in the food & diet sections, as it helps with calcium & potassium levels.
not too many green leafy veg, such as Kale as this is high in calcium. @helen105281 is a good one to advise on diets.

hopefully its just an infection that can be cured with antibiotics, try this first before you let your vet loose on operations.

try & make sure he has plenty of water, to keep his waterworks flushing through nicely & try & weigh him daily at the same sort of time whilst he's not 100%

i would take him to the vets sooner rather than later, but i wouldn't class it as an out of hours emergency.
xx

 

[Perfectpets11]

as far as i'm aware the op for stones can be either very easy or complicated all according to where the stone is, how many stones & how big in size they are. sludge is a more chronic problem, that can be flushed out if needed by a very cavy savvy vet.
diet can also be a factor in the buildup of stones, have a look in the food & diet sections, as it helps with calcium & potassium levels.
not too many green leafy veg, such as Kale as this is high in calcium. @helen105281 is a good one to advise on diets.

hopefully its just an infection that can be cured with antibiotics, try this first before you let your vet loose on operations.

try & make sure he has plenty of water, to keep his waterworks flushing through nicely & try & weigh him daily at the same sort of time whilst he's not 100%

i would take him to the vets sooner rather than later, but i wouldn't class it as an out of hours emergency.
xx

Thank you so much for your advice as it has been very useful, I'm just going out now to check up on him so I'll let you know later on how he is. The most calcium will probably be through their grass. I also provide them with their 2 or 3 bottles of water on every hutch they are in. I hope he does just have an infection. I'll be taking him o Tuesday if I think it's necessary. Thank you again @GPTV. Your reply means a lot x

 

[Wiebke]

Please have him seen by a vet; it sounds like a urinary tract issue, either a urinary tract infection or a cystitis (inflammation of the bladder walls, often caused by irritation). The strong stale smell indicates an infection of some sort. If necessary, ask for an x-ray to exclude potential bladder stone/sludge issues. Also ask for metacam (painkiller/anti-inflammatory), as not all forms of UTI react equally well to an antibiotic, considering there is a range of issues with similar symptoms lumped together.

Please give your boy a regular bum bath to prevent urine scald and fly strike and change the bedding very frequently until the acute symptoms have died down. Make sure that your boy is drinking plenty to help flush out the bladder as much as possible; this helps to ease any symptoms.

 

[helen105281]

I agree with everything @GPTV has said above.

For diet, I follow a diet plan called the IC plan which was put together by my friend who has spent years researching diet and runs a monthly guinea pig clinic at a vets (she is not a vet). I think the basics are covered by the recommended daily veg in the diet sticky on here. To summarise I feed the following twice a day:

1 Sprig coriander
1 Green bean
1 slither of spring greens
1 piece of celery
1 piece of cucumber
1 piece of pepper - mainly green but colours can be rotated on a weekly basis

In addition I feed a grainless pellet - mainly either Bunny or Vitakraft Emotion, both are from Zooplus. They have about 5 pellets each daily as they are large. The majority of their diet is a wide variety of hay.

 

[Perfectpets11]

Thank you both @Wiebke and @helen105281 I think we are going to take him to the vet tomorrow. Is cystitis common? I really hope he is okay. Does this sort of problem cost a lot at the vets. Not that I am too bothered about cost as his health is priority and is all I care about.
The pigs always seem hungry, they get a lot of hay, gras and veggies but are always hungry. I don't like too feed much grass as I know there is a lot of calcium in it. Is there anything else I can feed them? Thanks you, your replies mean a lot xxxxx

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you both @Wiebke and @helen105281 I think we are going to take him to the vet tomorrow. Is cystitis common? I really hope he is okay. Does this sort of problem cost a lot at the vets. Not that I am too bothered about cost as his health is priority and is all I care about.
The pigs always seem hungry, they get a lot of hay, gras and veggies but are always hungry. I don't like too feed much grass as I know there is a lot of calcium in it. Is there anything else I can feed them? Thanks you, your replies mean a lot xxxxx

Bladder issues are very common in guinea pigs as their urine is alcaline, so calcium can build up more easily. Spring with its wide day/night temperature swings and lawn trips on a cold/damp ground is also high season for UTIs (urinary tract infections).

 

[Lady Kelly]

Bless, I hope your boy is ok and yes cystitis is very common and not always easy to detect. I remember when Jemima had a very persistent cystitis apparently full of blood (when the vet tested it but not visibly) it must have hurt because when the vet held her (one hand over her face) and poked her bladder, the vet got quite a bite! Still she never squeaked when weeing at all. I noticed a discoloured wee patch so made them all sit on a white towel until they wee'd to see who was behaving differently. Cystitis is also fairly easy to treat with antibiotics, if you are given antibiotics I would ask for a probiotic as well which you can make up and syringe him an hour or so after the anti b's as they can affect his tummy

 

[Perfectpets11]

Bless, I hope your boy is ok and yes cystitis is very common and not always easy to detect. I remember when Jemima had a very persistent cystitis apparently full of blood (when the vet tested it but not visibly) it must have hurt because when the vet held her (one hand over her face) and poked her bladder, the vet got quite a bite! Still she never squeaked when weeing at all. I noticed a discoloured wee patch so made them all sit on a white towel until they wee'd to see who was behaving differently. Cystitis is also fairly easy to treat with antibiotics, if you are given antibiotics I would ask for a probiotic as well which you can make up and syringe him an hour or so after the anti b's as they can affect his tummy

Thank you @Lady Kelly. Right, that's one new condition I've learnt about. However, I don't think he has that. He ascots completely normal and is eating fine. It's just the wet butt. I've lightly pressed his stomach and he was in no pain at all. He is also in no pain when peeing either. Hmm, anyone know what the wet butt could be off? x