Guinea pig gases

[Popcorn bby]

Hi! One of my guineas has been in a gas episode for about two-three months now. We have tried everything. We give her cisapride everyday, tummy rubs, floor time, she's off of vegetables, but her gases aren't going down and almost feel like they could be getting worse sometimes. Yesterday I felt her tummy, where her gases are, and it seemed harder than it had been. The gas areas are still pretty hard today. The vets we go to just say to keep up w cisapride, which has always worked for us with her gas episodes but obviously not with this episode. She is eating lots of hay, pooping, and she's being herself, her tummy is just ballooned up. If anyone can help/recommend anything that helps a gassy guinea I would greatly appreciate it! Not being able to give her vegetables is breaking my heart.

 

[DMS260820]

@Wiebke

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! One of my guineas has been in a gas episode for about two-three months now. We have tried everything. We give her cisapride everyday, tummy rubs, floor time, she's off of vegetables, but her gases aren't going down and almost feel like they could be getting worse sometimes. Yesterday I felt her tummy, where her gases are, and it seemed harder than it had been. The gas areas are still pretty hard today. The vets we go to just say to keep up w cisapride, which has always worked for us with her gas episodes but obviously not with this episode. She is eating lots of hay, pooping, and she's being herself, her tummy is just ballooned up. If anyone can help/recommend anything that helps a gassy guinea I would greatly appreciate it! Not being able to give her vegetables is breaking my heart.

Hi!

How much cisapride is she on? Unfortunately cisapride itself can come with some serious longer term side effects especially with higher dosages, and one of them can actually be gassing.

 

[Popcorn bby]

Hi!

How much cisapride is she on? Unfortunately cisapride itself can come with some serious longer term side effects especially with higher dosages, and one of them can actually be gassing.

Oh my! I didn't know that at all. The maximum dose is 5 units (i will insert a picture since I'm not sure what measurement it is it's a small syringe) but we have been giving 4 units daily, sometimes 8 hours apart but mostly once a day. Is this enough to cause gassing @Wiebke ?

 

[Wiebke]

Oh my! I didn't know that at all. The maximum dose is 5 units (i will insert a picture since I'm not sure what measurement it is it's a small syringe) but we have been giving 4 units daily, sometimes 8 hours apart but mostly once a day. Is this enough to cause gassing?

0.05 ml is a low dosage and 0.2 ml in 24 hours is not too high for a guinea pig on longer term usage; it is within the range that my own guinea pigs with off and on cramps/bloating from thickened guts are being treated with.

 

[Popcorn bby]

0.05 ml is a low dosage and 0.2 ml in 24 hours is not too high for a guinea pig on longer term usage; it is within the range that my own guinea pigs with off and on cramps/bloating from thickened guts are being treated with.

In that case, are there any suggestions or things I could be doing wrong?

 

[Wiebke]

In that case, are there any suggestions or things I could be doing wrong?

Please take your piggy off any fresh food and follow the advice in the guide link in my first post. The advice is very practical and comprehensive. Bloat can be caused by fresh food on an unprepared gut (like fresh grass or other seasonal veg) or a diet too high in veg (especially sugary and starchy foods like fruit, carrots and sweetcorn) or by feeding brassicas on a tummy that is not necessarily accustomed to them.
Severe bloat can hit out of the blue at any time without there being a dietary connection.

You can more information on this aspect in the bloating chapter, including how you check how severe a bloat is, how quickly you need to see a vet (life or death emergency or not) and what you can do. I have written the guide as I don't necessarily have the time to repeat the relevant advice all the time (I am on here for free in my own free time) and cannot squeeze all relevant information into just one post. You can access our full guide information via the shortcut on the top bar. There is a lot there that is very helpful, especially in an emergency!