Digestive issue

[vuhuynh]

Hello everyone,

My guinea pig (Potato) have a digestive issue, in last few days, he refuse to eat hay (or very little), but still eat veggies and pellet (a bit less than usual). His poop is small and wet, and seems he take more time for pooping (like a minute or so), look like he's in pain when pooping. And he's loosing weight.
I brought him to the vets 2 days ago, and they couldn't find any problem, they like to check his teeth but there was green food on his teeth, so they couldn't check it properly. They gave pain relief and a bag of Critical Care Herbivore (he doesn't like it, so difficult to feed him with that).
Now he still eating green food, but still very little hay. I have checked and seems he doesn't have impaction.

Does anyone has experience with this problem?
Thank you.

 

[Truffolo]

Your piggy has a serious health problem. Unfortunately many vets don't have enough understanding of guinea pigs to treat them when they have a health crisis. An exotic vet would be able to view the back teeth properly by syringing away the food in his mouth with water and using a viewing instrument. He may also need a gut stimulant and an X ray to see if he has a urinary tract stone. He urgently needs to be examined by an exotic vet who is experienced in treating guinea pigs. If you look through the forum vets list you may be able find an exotic vet local to you, but you may need to travel to the vet. I
hope he can be treated successfully

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this

He needs to have at least 60ml of syringe feed per day to keep his weight stable while he isn’t eating hay.
His poop is small and he is losing weight because of lack of fibre (hay or critical care) intake.
They are wet because he is getting too much veg and not enough fibre. This will cause a digestive upset and imbalance and his poops will get worse. He needs to get plenty of fibre to redress the balance and keep his weight stable.
Concentrate on giving him plenty of syringe feeds as that is the most important part. Veg can need to be removed entirely from the diet - for example if he is bloated then he must not have any veg at all.

You can also give a probiotic to help settle his gut and/or give poop soup (very fresh poops from a healthy companion soaked in water and then you give a little of the water to your poorly piggy ‘live microbiome transfer’).

If he doesn’t like the critical care (they come in different flavours and not all are liked), then you can try a different flavour or a different product (emeraid for example).
You can use his normal pellets and mush them with water and syringe that to him. They can prefer it as it has a familiar taste. The fibre content is a little less than a proper recovery feed though.

As he is still in pain despite painkillers (hopefully he has a good dose) and he is still struggling then it would be a good idea to return to the vet.
There is clearly something wrong with him so a knowledgeable vet will be needed to find out what’s happening.
At the moment the symptoms are not clear as not eating enough hay can be caused by any number of health issues but if they then still eat enough veg (vs lack of hay) that is when they get a gut imbalance and soft poops occur - so the soft poops as a secondary issue.

Is he peeing ok?

I hope he is ok

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Wiebke's Guide to Tummy Trouble

 

[vuhuynh]

I’m sorry to hear this

He needs to have at least 60ml of syringe feed per day to keep his weight stable while he isn’t eating hay.
His poop is small and he is losing weight because of lack of fibre (hay or critical care) intake.
They are wet because he is getting too much veg and not enough fibre. This will cause a digestive upset and imbalance and his poops will get worse. He needs to get plenty of fibre to redress the balance and keep his weight stable.
Concentrate on giving him plenty of syringe feeds as that is the most important part. Veg can need to be removed entirely from the diet - for example if he is bloated then he must not have any veg at all.

You can also give a probiotic to help settle his gut and/or give poop soup (very fresh poops from a healthy companion soaked in water and then you give a little of the water to your poorly piggy ‘live microbiome transfer’).

If he doesn’t like the critical care (they come in different flavours and not all are liked), then you can try a different flavour or a different product (emeraid for example).
You can use his normal pellets and mush them with water and syringe that to him. They can prefer it as it has a familiar taste. The fibre content is a little less than a proper recovery feed though.

As he is still in pain despite painkillers (hopefully he has a good dose) and he is still struggling then it would be a good idea to return to the vet.
There is clearly something wrong with him so a knowledgeable vet will be needed to find out what’s happening.
At the moment the symptoms are not clear as not eating enough hay can be caused by any number of health issues but if they then still eat enough veg (vs lack of hay) that is when they get a gut imbalance and soft poops occur - so the soft poops as a secondary issue.

Is he peeing ok?

I hope he is ok

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Wiebke's Guide to Tummy Trouble

Thanks for your advice, he's peeing ok, I think, still drinks water.
Will try to feed him with critical care food

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks for your advice, he's peeing ok, I think, still drinks water.
Will try to feed him with critical care food

Yes It’s so important he gets enough fibre (critical care) as without it gut stasis becomes a risk.

Hopefully you can speak to the vet and get him seen again today. Let us know how things go

 

[Merab]

I don’t know where in York you are but there is an excellent exotic vet at Battle Flatts vet in Stamford Bridge.
Mark Naguib is very good with guinea pigs

 

[vuhuynh]

I don’t know where in York you are but there is an excellent exotic vet at Battle Flatts vet in Stamford Bridge.
Mark Naguib is very good with guinea pigs

Yes, I brought him there, but I felt like they couldn't find problem after diagnostic.
I'm trying to feed him with the syringe as much as possible (but still no way to reach 60ml/day) and reduced the veggies (I can't stop feeding veggies, he always begs for veggies).
He was a bit better yesterday, more active, but still in pain while pooping.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes, I brought him there, but I felt like they couldn't find problem after diagnostic.
I'm trying to feed him with the syringe as much as possible (but still no way to reach 60ml/day) and reduced the veggies (I can't stop feeding veggies, he always begs for veggies).
He was a bit better yesterday, more active, but still in pain while pooping.

If he is having a digestive issue then you have to stop all veggies - you have to ignore the begging. If you continue to add veg in when there is a problem and when combined with lack of fibre intake then the imbalance will worsen

Have you weighed him this morning? Is he still losing weight?

How much critical care are you managing to get him to take?

If there is no improvement then do speak to the vet again. It sounds like he may need gut stimulants prescribed for him.
Diagnosing an issue isn’t always immediately possible so it can take further checks and tests