• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Bloated Or Gassy? Worried...

Status
Not open for further replies.
Kelly Reed

Kelly Reed

New Born Pup
Joined
Mar 18, 2015
Messages
4
Reaction score
0
Points
20
Location
Us
The smallest of my three pigs has recently gotten a bigger belly. Her belly is rather round, I can still press it and she doesn't squeek at me. She's pooping, but her poops are pretty dry. She is still eating quite a bit of her food and veggies but I haven't seen her drinking water yet today (strictly watching for an hour so far today)

I've read so much about bloat in the past three hours that I can't tell if this is an emergency, or if she just got gasy over something... She's been on a diet of hay, pellets, dandelion leaves, cilantro, mixed greens, tomatos, and cucumbers. The other two pigs appear okay. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated.
 
Please see a vet if you are dealing with ongoing gassing issues or sudden acute bloat; in the second case as a matter of emergency as it can kill!
How old is your girl? Please ask your vet for anti-gassing meds as well as a gut stimulant and if necessary a painkiller.

Take any piggy that is gassy or bloaty off fresh veg and on a strictly fibrous diet to help settled down the guts. Also offer some rough, nutritionally brown cardboard and toilet roll inners. Only re-introduce any veg slowly one by one in small quantities at least 24-48 hours after the tummy as settled down.

Vibration/soft massaging can also help to shift/break the gas. A massaging car seat or a car journey can help, as can an electric tooth brush.

Could you please add your country or state to your details by clicking on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. As you are mentioning cilantro and not the English English coriander for the same herb, I assume that you care based in the US or Canada?
 
Thanks for the information. If it is just a little gas, should her plumpness go down in a few hours after she's gone to the bathroom a few times? I got all my pigs from shelters so her age is hard to say, but since her nails are still sharp I would put her around 1 year or one and a half.

Thanks again, and yes I'm from the states :)
 
Kelly Reed said:
Thanks for the information. If it is just a little gas, should her plumpness go down in a few hours after she's gone to the bathroom a few times? I got all my pigs from shelters so her age is hard to say, but since her nails are still sharp I would put her around 1 year or one and a half.

Thanks again, and yes I'm from the states :)
Click to expand...

It can take several days for the gas to go down and you may need medication. A scan may bring clarity what is going on.

Gassing issues can also flare up again, hence why you need to be so careful when re-introducing veg. Once the digestion is out of kilter, it can take a few weeks until it has settled down again. Please stay off broccoli and any cabbages with guinea pigs that have an iffy digestion. If problems continue or return, you will have to go through all veg one by one to find those that are causing problems

How long have you had her? I know of cases where a late stage of pregnancy has been mistaken for a build-up of gas.
 
I've had her for about two months. The shelter had her for three weeks before that.
 
I just double checked my dates and I've had her for less time than I thought. She's been with me for five and a half weeks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top