CheeseMommy
Junior Guinea Pig
Queso was recently put on two arthritis meds and the Oxbow joint supplement. I also was told to decrease his pellets and veggies, now he only gets a tablespoon of pellets, a leaf of lettuce, a small portion of bell pepper, and a sprig of cilantro. We are told the arthritis meds might cause dehydration.
He also drinks water like a horse. He'll spend a long time at the water bottle, gulping it down. This has been going on for a year now. He's so thirsty that when you hold the water bottle up to him, he'll drink and drink and drink right out of your hand for a good two or three minutes.
This morning I noticed he had some tear shaped poops. Sometimes he gets these and I immediately give him cucumber and extra water. But, this time the tear shaped poops were more pronounced, which was a little scary to me. He's been drinking lots of water and still eating fine. Though, I've noticed he's "rationed" his pellets throughout the day instead of eating them all in one sitting like he used to.
My question is... are his poops doing this because we've restricted his diet too much or because he's not getting enough water (which seems impossible, he drinks more than my other pigs!)
His arthritis is doing a LOT better! He's actually moving and NOT bunny hopping. We had to section him off away from the spry pigs, but I think he's more of a loner pig anyway. He's our little grumps who just wants to be fat and lazy, perfectly content to sniff the other pigs through the bars and then show them his rump.
He also drinks water like a horse. He'll spend a long time at the water bottle, gulping it down. This has been going on for a year now. He's so thirsty that when you hold the water bottle up to him, he'll drink and drink and drink right out of your hand for a good two or three minutes.
This morning I noticed he had some tear shaped poops. Sometimes he gets these and I immediately give him cucumber and extra water. But, this time the tear shaped poops were more pronounced, which was a little scary to me. He's been drinking lots of water and still eating fine. Though, I've noticed he's "rationed" his pellets throughout the day instead of eating them all in one sitting like he used to.
My question is... are his poops doing this because we've restricted his diet too much or because he's not getting enough water (which seems impossible, he drinks more than my other pigs!)
His arthritis is doing a LOT better! He's actually moving and NOT bunny hopping. We had to section him off away from the spry pigs, but I think he's more of a loner pig anyway. He's our little grumps who just wants to be fat and lazy, perfectly content to sniff the other pigs through the bars and then show them his rump.
Of course a change in the diet and the burning process of the fat deposit is creating a mess inside and a different poo. But his diet now is correct (I would cut off pellets slowly, just one teaspoon daily is enough and pellets are the reason of his obesity). I would add a supplement of vit C (drops for human and children so that you can be sure about the amount; inflammation needs vit C and a body who is on diet needs antioxidant). Give him fresh grass, it is good for his gut and is the best food for piggies (who are herbivores and not vegetarians).
We've done everything the vet has said to do... going to take him in again. It's $400 to get an xray, I guess we have to do this.