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Constipated?

Bigsize9fot

Bigsize9fot

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Oct 19, 2016
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Location
Lanarkshire
I’ve woken today to my guinea girls sqeekknf randomly like they are in pain. They both look a bit dishevelled. One is squeeking more than the other. She is tending and holding her back end up like she is going to poop (higher than usual) but nothing is coming. The poops in the cage look quite light.
Could the girls be constipated and how would I fix this? Nothing has changed in their diet recently.

Thanks
 
Bigsize9fot said:
I’ve woken today to my guinea girls sqeekknf randomly like they are in pain. They both look a bit dishevelled. One is squeeking more than the other. She is tending and holding her back end up like she is going to poop (higher than usual) but nothing is coming. The poops in the cage look quite light.
Could the girls be constipated and how would I fix this? Nothing has changed in their diet recently.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Please see a vet anf have them checked for a potential urinary tract infection (UTI), which requires an antibiotic. Guinea pigs don't suffer from constipation. UTI is making any peeing and pooing painful and is the most likely perpetrator if both of them are showing the same symptoms.

Shift from weighing once weekly to weighing daily at the same time in order to monitor their food intake. over 80% of the daily food intake is hay, which cannot be controlled any other way.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
 
Thank you. Currently in vet waiting room. The other guinea seems fine. Eating and running about quite happy. So I’ve just brought Yoshi who doesn’t seem right at all 😞
 
Bigsize9fot said:
Thank you. Currently in vet waiting room. The other guinea seems fine. Eating and running about quite happy. So I’ve just brought Yoshi who doesn’t seem right at all 😞
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All the best! make sure that the vet also checks the bladder and urethra for a potential stone.
 
Ok so the vet thinks its a gut issue? Certainly the whole time in the car to the vet (25 mins) Yoshi did no poops. I think she has peed though as her back end is damp. Her tummy is quite bloated. She weighed her (1.1k) and although I havent weighed her for some time, I recall she was only around 875g. The squeeking has stopped but she is quiet and subdued and a bit dishevelled.
Vet has given her an injection of fluids, a painkiller and a medicine to help try and get her guts working. She said the guts weren't making the noises it should be. She needs to go back tomorrow or earlier if she worsens. Next stage is an admission which I am really not keen on :-(
 
Wiebke said:
All the best! make sure that the vet also checks the bladder and urethra for a potential stone.
Click to expand...
Spot on Wiebke. Took Yoshi Home and while cleaning out the cage she passed a stone right in front of me. Phoned vet and they did an x Ray - no more stones. Said it was more chalky than a stone. But loads of poo to pass but she’s started doing loads of mushy poo now that the stone is out. She’s had another painkiller and I think she might be ok :-)
 
Bigsize9fot said:
Spot on Wiebke. Took Yoshi Home and while cleaning out the cage she passed a stone right in front of me. Phoned vet and they did an x Ray - no more stones. Said it was more chalky than a stone. But loads of poo to pass but she’s started doing loads of mushy poo now that the stone is out. She’s had another painkiller and I think she might be ok :-)
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Good news that there are no more stones, and that she has been able to pass it on her own.

Please take the time to read our diet advice on urinary tract issue piggies; they are just some minor tweaks on the general diet. Be aware that most calcium comes with the water and with pellets - and those are things most people aren't aware of.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
 
Wiebke said:
Good news that there are no more stones, and that she has been able to pass it on her own.

Please take the time to read our diet advice on urinary tract issue piggies; they are just some minor tweaks on the general diet. Be aware that most calcium comes with the water and with pellets - and those are things most people aren't aware of.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Click to expand...
Thanks- I’ll read this. I have noticed for a while that the Guineas pea is quite thick and white looking sometimes. Quite often actually. I never really thought anything about it- but maybe it’s Connected
 
Bigsize9fot said:
Thanks- I’ll read this. I have noticed for a while that the Guineas pea is quite thick and white looking sometimes. Quite often actually. I never really thought anything about it- but maybe it’s Connected
Click to expand...

White pees mean an excess of calcium. A one-off is not a problem, but when you see them several times a week, it is time to go over the book and re-check your pellets (brand and amount), water and veg diet.
Nugget Comparison Chart
 
I wish I had realised earlier :(
I will stick the to new sample diet now and check my pellets.
Will also look at the water.
My Guineas favourite is kale. But at least they like the stuff in the plate and hopefully won’t miss the kale too much.
Thanks- you guys are so knowledgable on here.
 
I filter my water that I drink so I always do it for my piggies. Do you have a water filter? It takes out a lot of the calcium in it. My piggies also like kale. They don't get it very often though as there is a lot of calcium in it.
 
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