Dirty bum

[Monykutzu]

One of my white piggies has a very dirty bum - I thought it was a mix of carrying cucumber in her house and sitting in poo and wee - but it continues to happen even after a bum bath. Poos look normal, sometimes slightly shiny and damp, and they are misshapen when she sleeps on them - YUK! She mostly stays in her hidey, this is normal behaviour for her. Apart from cleaning the hideys twice a day to make sure she doesn't sleep in poo and wee what else can I do?

 

[Wiebke]

One of my white piggies has a very dirty bum - I thought it was a mix of carrying cucumber in her house and sitting in poo and wee - but it continues to happen even after a bum bath. Poos look normal, sometimes slightly shiny and damp, and they are misshapen when she sleeps on them - YUK! She mostly stays in her hidey, this is normal behaviour for her. Apart from cleaning the hideys twice a day to make sure she doesn't sleep in poo and wee what else can I do?

Hi

How old is your sow, how long have you had her and how long has this been going on? Is she short-haired or long-haired? Unfortunately, no amount of bathing will help with urine stains.

In long-haired piggies, we recommend to keep the bum end cut short.
An Illustrated Guide to Hair Cutting

Some breeds also have rougher hair (rexoid breeds) that tend to soak up any pee much more than silky-haired ones.

If she has decreased mobility and struggles to clean herself at the back due to age or illness (arthritis) or could have and this has been a gradual development, then a vet check may give you an answer.
For more care trips for piggies who sit a lot in their own faeces and struggle to clean their own genitalia and who are at an increased bumblefoot infection risk: An Illustrated Guide to Hair Cutting

Unfortunately, without more background information I am unable to give you more specific advice.

 

[Monykutzu]

Hi, thank you for your response. She is 6 years old and I had her since she was a few months old. She doesn't have long hair but I did trim her around the bum when it started happening. I can see she is cleaning herself and she doesn't seem to have mobility issues. There are no other stains anywhere else, apart from where she sleeps in her wee and poop. I have them on IKEA bath mats, but I also use a pee pad so it's easy to change and wash, I change hers everyday, and I sweep twice a day, mostly poop but sometimes also squashed cucumber or pepper. Would feeding her fewer veggies help at all?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, thank you for your response. She is 6 years old and I had her since she was a few months old. She doesn't have long hair but I did trim her around the bum when it started happening. I can see she is cleaning herself and she doesn't seem to have mobility issues. There are no other stains anywhere else, apart from where she sleeps in her wee and poop. I have them on IKEA bath mats, but I also use a pee pad so it's easy to change and wash, I change hers everyday, and I sweep twice a day, mostly poop but sometimes also squashed cucumber or pepper. Would feeding her fewer veggies help at all?

No, she would compensate with drinking more. The need to drink comes actually before the need to eat. Concentrated urine only makes the stains worse.

You are doing all the right things but if you have concerns, have your old lady vet checked for potential older age issues. Please also check the foot soles for signs of bumblefoot as they are constantly exposed to the faeces.
You can find advice in our mobility guide and this older age guide: Caring for Older Piggies and Facing the End - A practical and supportive information collection