Diarrhea

[kaitlin1234]

My pig has been suffering with diarrhea on and off for a while now. Lately it’s been much worse and has become quite smelly. I took him to the vets as soon as it became worse. They performed a fecal test and the results for any bacteria or parasites all came back negative. I really don’t know what to do now because his poos are not improving. He eats a moderate amount of veg but quite a lot of herbs. I’ve also noticed he is having quite bad wind. Is this because of his diet ?

 

[Siikibam]

I would cut out the veg (and herbs) completely for until his pops are normal for 48 hours. What veg has he been eating?

 

[Claire W]

I agree that cutting out all his veg and herbs for at least 48 hours may help. Also, has your vet suggested you try him on a probiotic? That Nye help settle his stomach

 

[kaitlin1234]

He eats a variety but mainly romaine, cucumber, peppers and baby leaf salad (spinach etc). The baby leaf salad is in moderate amounts but he really likes it. He is still acting fine and he hasn’t lost any weight so I’m just at a loss.

 

[ILoveGilbertTheGuineaPig]

I agree with the others. You should keep him strictly on just hay and pellets until his diarrhea clears up. He might not be happy about that, but his body will thank you! Spinach should be given in very limited amounts because it is very high in calcium and can lead to bladder stones if it is given too frequently.

 

[kaitlin1234]

I agree that cutting out all his veg and herbs for at least 48 hours may help. Also, has your vet suggested you try him on a probiotic? That Nye help settle his stomach

He eats a variety but mainly romaine, cucumber, peppers and baby leaf salad (spinach etc). The baby leaf salad is in moderate amounts but he really likes it. He is still acting fine and he hasn’t lost any weight so I’m just at a loss.

He eats a variety but mainly romaine, cucumber, peppers and baby leaf salad (spinach etc). The baby leaf salad is in moderate amounts but he really likes it. He is still acting fine and he hasn’t lost any weight so I’m just at a loss.

He is on

 

[kaitlin1234]

He is on

I agree with the others. You should keep him strictly on just hay and pellets until his diarrhea clears up. He might not be happy about that, but his body will thank you! Spinach should be given in very limited amounts because it is very high in calcium and can lead to bladder stones if it is given too frequently.

Okay, thank you for the advice. Hopefully he recovers and I’ll make sure he doesn’t get any veg for a while . He is quite chunky and 5.1 pounds so he won’t be happy

 

[ILoveGilbertTheGuineaPig]

Holy smokes! Is he really 5.1 pounds? That's enormous for a guinea pig!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I agree with the others. Definitely stop giving veg for now until it improves, and only give spinach and other high calcium veg once per week.

Please check his weight. 5.1lbs is 2.3kg which is double the average guinea pig weight

 

[kaitlin1234]

I agree with the others. Definitely stop giving veg for now until it improves, and only give spinach and other high calcium veg once per week.

Please check his weight. 5.1lbs is 2.3kg which is double the average guinea pig weight

When we first got him from pets at home about a year ago now, he was 4 pounds something but he was only a baby. (8 months) He’s just really big. Everyone says he looks more like a small dog than a guinea pig. But I’ll certainly stop feeding him veg and see if that has any impact. I do only give him high calcium food one or twice a week, don’t worry.

 

[Siikibam]

Are you sure that’s correct? 4lb is 1.8kg! That’s still too big for an 8 month old piggy... can you weigh in grams? Do you’re scales work properly?

 

[kaitlin1234]

Are you sure that’s correct? 4lb is 1.8kg! That’s still too big for an 8 month old piggy... can you weigh in grams? Do you’re scales work properly?

He was last weighed at the vet 1 week ago and he came in at 5.1. The vet wasn’t concerned about his weight, she was actually very happy because he lost quite a bit after his op but then put it back on. He is just a very big pig. The staff said he was 8 months but maybe he is older ?

 

[Piggies&buns]

He was last weighed at the vet 1 week ago and he came in at 5.1. The vet wasn’t concerned about his weight, she was actually very happy because he lost quite a bit after his op but then put it back on. He is just a very big pig. The staff said he was 8 months but maybe he is older ?

It is still very big even if he was an adult! Piggies come in all shapes and sizes, but the vast majority of adults don’t usually get that big. My two years olds are 1100g and 1300g. As long as the vet isn’t concerned and his heft is ok...

 

[Wiebke]

My pig has been suffering with diarrhea on and off for a while now. Lately it’s been much worse and has become quite smelly. I took him to the vets as soon as it became worse. They performed a fecal test and the results for any bacteria or parasites all came back negative. I really don’t know what to do now because his poos are not improving. He eats a moderate amount of veg but quite a lot of herbs. I’ve also noticed he is having quite bad wind. Is this because of his diet ?

Hi!

Please try to work out which veg is making the problem worse after you have taken off any fresh food to allow the gut to settle down and the dysbiosis (bad microbiome taking over) to correct itself on just hay.
Our diet guide contains some diet tips for guinea pigs with ongoing digestive issues: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

What can also help with the gut microbiome is absolutely freshly made 'poo soup' from a healthy companion (if correctly made, it transfers live healthy gut microbiome to the piggy with digestive issues and gives it exactly the 'right stuff').
Additionally (especially in the case of single piggies or companions of another ill piggy), a course of fibreplex can also help with strengthening the gut biome in our experience.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

Especially older piggies can struggle with their digestion and nutrient absortion no longer working optimally (the same as many older people). In this case, you can only try to ease the problem as much as possible. Staying off any wheat and grain has often helped (pellets!).

 

[kaitlin1234]

Hi!

Please try to work out which veg is making the problem worse after you have taken off any fresh food to allow the gut to settle down and the dysbiosis (bad microbiome taking over) to correct itself on just hay.
Our diet guide contains some diet tips for guinea pigs with ongoing digestive issues: Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

What can also help with the gut microbiome is absolutely freshly made 'poo soup' from a healthy companion (if correctly made, it transfers live healthy gut microbiome to the piggy with digestive issues and gives it exactly the 'right stuff').
Additionally (especially in the case of single piggies or companions of another ill piggy), a course of fibreplex can also help with strengthening the gut biome in our experience.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

Especially older piggies can struggle with their digestion and nutrient absortion no longer working optimally (the same as many older people). In this case, you can only try to ease the problem as much as possible. Staying off any wheat and grain has often helped (pellets!).

I do have fibreplex in from a previous occurrence of diarrhea. He does have a companion (another male) who has no issues with his poo. Could I use this to make a poo soup ?

 

[Wiebke]

I do have fibreplex in from a previous occurrence of diarrhea. He does have a companion (another male) who has no issues with his poo. Could I use this to make a poo soup ?

Please try to give a full course of fibreplex this time as it is a recurring problem and not just a one-off.

Poo soup: Yes, indeed! Please follow our advice on how to best make in the green probiotics link in my previous post in order to make sure that it is as effective as can be. It mimics natural behaviour. When done properly it is much more powerful and efficient than any probiotic powder.