Chronic bloat

[Charadrii]

Hello, some advice please.

One of my guinea pigs has a tendency to a very large stomach, which is occasionally tender. He is male and two years old, and lives with a friend, we have had them two months. He has always loved his food, and comes out to great us and is generally very friendly. His hair stands on end when he is eating, but goes down after. He moves around, but when on floor time does not run like his friend does. I took him to a recommended vet who said he had chronic bloat. As he is still eating and otherwise generally happy no medication was prescribed, and we are going to try to initially manage it with diet. Cutting back on veg and cutting out all brassicas hasn't helped, so I am going to cut out all veg for a couple of days then try reintroducing to see if we can identify any triggers. I'm also going to get grain free pellets, and gradually switch over to see if that helps. Obviously if he stops eating or pooing or is otherwise unwell it will be straight back to the vets. Is there anything else I should be doing at this stage?

 

[Swissgreys]

It sounds like you are really on top of things and I hope your boy is feeling better soon.

There is a good guide to bloat here:
Bloat, GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

 

[VickiA]

Sounds like you are doing all the right things. It can take some time to find the trigger foods, so cutting out all veg and then just reintroducing one very small portion of one veg at a time is the best way to find the trigger. Hopefully in time you’ll find the culprit. One of my chronic bloaters was sensitive to grass, all root veg and all brassicas so had a very limited diet in the end. But she lived for several years once we got her diet right. And grain free pellets will definitely not harm, either.

 

[Charadrii]

Thank you, I will check that out that link, and see how we go.

Should I cut out all veg for both pigs, or sneak the other one veg when handled?

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, some advice please.

One of my guinea pigs has a tendency to a very large stomach, which is occasionally tender. He is male and two years old, and lives with a friend, we have had them two months. He has always loved his food, and comes out to great us and is generally very friendly. His hair stands on end when he is eating, but goes down after. He moves around, but when on floor time does not run like his friend does. I took him to a recommended vet who said he had chronic bloat. As he is still eating and otherwise generally happy no medication was prescribed, and we are going to try to initially manage it with diet. Cutting back on veg and cutting out all brassicas hasn't helped, so I am going to cut out all veg for a couple of days then try reintroducing to see if we can identify any triggers. I'm also going to get grain free pellets, and gradually switch over to see if that helps. Obviously if he stops eating or pooing or is otherwise unwell it will be straight back to the vets. Is there anything else I should be doing at this stage?

Please cut out all root veg and grain in pellets and sweet corn as they are all starchy and will be turned into sugar during the digestive process. I would also recommend to stay off fruit (including tomato), brassicas and any fresh grass (which can also cause bloating, especially if is slightly damp).
Feed only one veg or fresh herb at any time and see whether he has any other sensitivities. Keep in mind that the bloating won't go down inmmediately; it may take a few days to settle.
I would recommend to keep your boy for three days just on hay to help settle down the gut before you start any diet tweaking.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets (see chapter on long term digestive issues)

Has your vet considered whether something could be pushing on the gut? This can also cause non-digestive bloating.

Could you try freshly made 'poo soup', i.e. the transfer of healthy live gut microbiome from another guinea pig twice weekly for a week. It needs to be made from literally just dropped healthy poos to be really effective, but it mimics natural behaviour. This in case the issue is digestive.
This link here helps tells you exactly how you go about it: Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

 

[Charadrii]

Thank you, all veg and grass will be stopped for now, and will follow the guidelines on reintroducing them.

Vet did a general exam but no scans, but didn't pick up on anything else. If no improvement I will take him back for further investigation.

Do I syringe feed the poo soup? And is it worth getting fibreplex as well?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, all veg and grass will be stopped for now, and will follow the guidelines on reintroducing them.

Vet did a general exam but no scans, but didn't pick up on anything else. If no improvement I will take him back for further investigation.

Do I syringe feed the poo soup? And is it worth getting fibreplex as well?

You syringe the water the poos have been soaked in. Please follow the step by step 'recipe' at the bottom of the link I have given you.
You can also give fibreplex at the same time. Please be aware that not all piggies do like the taste or the large nozzle.