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Fozzy has very soggy poops

andisafc

andisafc

Junior Guinea Pig
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I am struggling! This morning I found that Fozzy had very soggy poops, they are flagging together & making a ball. He was still eating though not with his usual vigour. With everything that’s been going on I got him an appointment straight away. They did originally think it was stones as he squealed really bad when she felt his bladder. So they did a couple of conscious X-rays & thankfully there’s no stones or sludge but they did find arthritis at the bottom of his spine & in one knee (that’s the 2 of them with arthritic knees).

He was prescribed paracetamol twice daily & once his guts settle then he’ll go onto metacam. I don’t know how much he is eating as he is a shy pig. He did have some dualcare off a bowl earlier but doesn’t want it anymore so I tried syringe feeding him a bit, he is a nightmare. Tried the method in the videos but he just went on daft & tried to bite. Even though he has been regularly handled every day he doesn’t like human handling. Plus trying to clean up the poop is a nightmare too!

Does anyone have any tips? Obviously I am
Mega stressed with still syringe feeding Bramble (though he is better than he was).

Also the vet said not to give him metoclop yet unless I thought he was worse?

Thanks in advance x
 
Oh no how awful. Sending you hugs and healing vibes to both your piggies.

Is he losing weight? Start daily weigh ins every morning to gauge how much hay he is eating. If he’s losing weight then start syringe feeding.

Also I would stop veggies for a bit and see if that helps firm up his poops.

I would syringe feed a little ProC probiotic in water to try and help his gut.

So the vet thinks it’s arthritis causing it?
 
Thanks so much! I feel like I’m doing something wrong?! He was the same this morning as his weigh in on Sunday but I will have to switch to daily weigh ins for him too!

I am giving him a little syringe feed just to be sure but he was an absolute nightmare to hand feed. He did have some from a bowl earlier today but not interested now.

I had been sprinkling it in the dualcare but I will try & syringe him a bit diluted. I have also been mixing in fibreplex into the dualcare as well.

They think it could be that he’s been not eating enough if he was in pain? Guts looked good on imaging, lots of poop & a tiny bit of gas.

How would you deal with the soft poop I.e. cleaning it away from his bottom? I’ve been doing it as often as I can but that is stressing him too! x
 
You could try water and cotton pads
Or baby sensitive wet wipes
If he’s really dirty he will have to have a bum bath.
 
I used water based baby wipes for dirty bottoms.
I agree with the advice @weepweeps has given.
Sorry that you are dealing with this.
Hope Fozzy’s tummy settles so you get on with the arthritis management
 
Someone holding him will help.
Taking them to another room might help.
I have actually had a piggy eat more with the radio on.
I had another piggy who ate more when he was in the cat carrier and I poked the syringe through the bars.
Patrick at the moment is eating when he is in the cage and I’m syringe feeding through the bars.
Basically you have to find what works best for each piggy.

Can you try a dish with both of them eating together?

Good luck
 
weepweeps said:
Do you have someone to hold him or are you doing it on your own?
Click to expand...
Most of the time it would be on my own due to my husbands shifts. In the last hour he has been out & about eating a lot more than he has all day. How is Patrick doing?

Thanks for all of the tips, massive help. I’ve always given them the critical care as a treat thinking it’s make things easier when I did need to do it. Hasn’t worked out that way! I think he has been eating enough that I can forgo the last feed before bed, try to not stress him out? Thankfully he LOVES the paracetamol x
 
I found wrapping a piggy in a towel - a piggy burrito- helped.
Sitting in a chair with wrapped up piggy held tightly.
It’s still a bit messy.
I used Oxbow aniseed flavour with a small piece of banana mashed in went down very well
 
Merab said:
I found wrapping a piggy in a towel - a piggy burrito- helped.
Sitting in a chair with wrapped up piggy held tightly.
It’s still a bit messy.
I used Oxbow aniseed flavour with a small piece of banana mashed in went down very well
Click to expand...
Might have to try that too if he has lost weight tomorrow? I’ve popped some of the dualcare nuggets in the bowl too! Ive got that oxbow from the vets, Bramble hates it so I got the apple & banana flavour to try, yet to open it. Variety might help too? Thanks for your help x
 
I hope Fozzy’s tummy is feeling a bit better.


Herman pig, who’s currently living with us, enjoys the dualcare just a little bit soggy in a shallow dish, so still nugget shape, but not crunchy.
 
Hope Fozzy is doing better ♥️

With my piggies Nöpö loved critical care and would eat it any way I offered, however his brother Lakrits refuses it like it was poison unless I let him lick and bite it off my fingers :blink: He has a sensitive tummy so I've had to sacrifice my fingers multiple times now, luckily piggies are usually careful while eating so he doesn't break skin, the things we do for our piggies :))
 
AidaB said:
I hope Fozzy’s tummy is feeling a bit better.


Herman pig, who’s currently living with us, enjoys the dualcare just a little bit soggy in a shallow dish, so still nugget shape, but not crunchy.
Click to expand...
It’s still not right but they at least have a little bit of shape to them now? Hoping they’ll improve during the day with more pro-c etc.

He took a fair bit off the spoon 1st thing. Will have to try that too! Thanks x
 
Piggie Mom said:
Hope Fozzy is doing better ♥️

With my piggies Nöpö loved critical care and would eat it any way I offered, however his brother Lakrits refuses it like it was poison unless I let him lick and bite it off my fingers :blink: He has a sensitive tummy so I've had to sacrifice my fingers multiple times now, luckily piggies are usually careful while eating so he doesn't break skin, the things we do for our piggies :))
Click to expand...
Thanks, his poops look a little bit more formed now? Hoping it’ll improve during the day?

Oooh love their names! Ha ha you are right there! Sure we can get by with nubs for fingers?! Fozzy usually loves it & gets jealous when Bramble has his?! But he had a few heaped teaspoons of it this morning so that helped! x
 
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