Fussy Pig!? Just Wants To Eat Poo.

[Guinea_Lover]

Hello all

Well I am having trouble at the moment with my piggy Spice who isnt really eating her hay, she is more nibbling bits now and then, but is happily eating her pellets, fruit & veg, forage mix and fruit sticks and grass as normal- why could this be? Last week she has had bladder stone surgery, which we hand fed her hay and pellets after the sedation period which she happily ate- but all of a sudden she has turned her nose up to it? The vet has suggested us to give the pigs timothy hay as this has less calcium in, the other guinea pig is happily eating everything and is eating the timothy hay at ease but for some reason Spice is turning her nose up it (could this be because its a different type of hay? does the timothy hay maybe associate with her surgery, as we gave it to her straight after the op? maybe I should have gradually changed the hay?) but even so, we have given her usual hay that she used to absolutely love but she also is just nibbling at that. She is still her happy self, squeaking, going toilet as normal and still eating properly but just not the hay. She also is having a tendency to eat her cagemates poo? We dont know whether its because shes still a bit poorly from her op last week, she is also on pain killer and antibiotics so could this also be why she has a craving for her cage mates poo but not her hay? Sorry for the long thread, just want to know if people know why is my pig just nibbling bits of hay but absolutely loving cage mates poo!

 

[Wiebke]

Eating healthy piggies' poos means that there is a deficiency in the gut fauna. Not eating hay can indicate the same. What antibiotic is she on and are you giving her some probiotic to counter the effect it has on the guts?

 

[Guinea_Lover]

She is currently on Septrin and Metcam, she used to be on Septrin twice a day, now once and she is also having the Metacam once a day also

 

[helen105281]

I agree with Wiebke, there is defintiely something going on with her gut and she needs probiotics at least. There are some links in this thread

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/

Probiotics need to be given at least an hour after the antibiotics.

 

[Wiebke]

You can:
- give her a pinch of probiotic 1-2 hours after the antibiotic. Avipro plus is the only one that has no added calcium, so is the best in view of her bladder problems.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk...vitamin-c-overview-with-product-links.115404/
- prepare poo soup to help her guts by steeping fresh healthy poos from her companions in water and then syringe the water. it's rather gross, but generally a hit with the piggies.
- offer very rough fibre in the form of cardboard. Guinea pigs with tummy troubles in the wake of an operation/strong medication often prefer very rough, nutritionally poor fibre to steady their guts.
- if necessary, speak to the vet and see what he has got to say

You may also like to consider switching to a low calcium diet.
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/low-calcium-diet-for-bladder-piggies.105930/

Please weigh her daily at the same time to keep an eye on her food intake.

 

[Guinea_Lover]

Thank you for your help I just hope its nothing too major as she has been through so much already

 

[Gizi]

Good luck!