Guinea pig's impaction keeps coming back – going to vet tomorrow

[Piggies4Evah]

Hello!

My dear 4-year-old guinea pig is really struggling with impaction. Most of the time the impaction is mild in the sense that I can just rinse his bum to get rid of the gunk and debris that is stuck in there. This I do twice a day.

However, now twice this month, he has gotten this really bad impaction where after I have come home from school, I notice there is a poo in stuck in his butt and at this point he is already barely eating and seems to be in pain! It happened today again and I now called the vet to get some help and guidance on what to do. It truly seems impossible to prevent this as he sometimes seems to not be able to push the poo out, which also happens at the worst moments when I am not home and then it has gone downhill from there. I got him to eat today again by giving Critical Care and painkiller. So he's fine for the moment but we are still going to the vet in the morning!

I really feel like I'm doing my best taking care of his impaction, as I am giving him a fibre supplement sort of as a probiotic, cleaning his bum twice daily, providing a healthy diet with few veggies, high-quality pellets and loads of hay. He also gets to move a lot daily since his and his buddy's cage is pretty big.

My question is, is there anything IN ADDITION to these that I can do to prevent him getting poo stuck in his bum? And should I ask for medication at the vet tomorrow, for example gut meds, which I could give to him possibly for the rest of his life? I just really want to make the rest of his life comfortable and not riddled with these painful impaction issues, but it seems difficult

 

[Piggies&buns]

Impaction occurs due to the anal muscles losing strength due to age.
You are doing right by getting him to the vet to double check that there isn’t anything else going on causing it.

Make sure you are weighing him weekly as routine but daily if you have any concerns - it’s the only way to know a piggy is eating enough hay given hay intake cannot be gauged by eye.

I have added the impaction guide below which explains it more fully

Impaction: Practical Care and Diet (with videos)

 

[Wiebke]

Hello!

My dear 4-year-old guinea pig is really struggling with impaction. Most of the time the impaction is mild in the sense that I can just rinse his bum to get rid of the gunk and debris that is stuck in there. This I do twice a day.

However, now twice this month, he has gotten this really bad impaction where after I have come home from school, I notice there is a poo in stuck in his butt and at this point he is already barely eating and seems to be in pain! It happened today again and I now called the vet to get some help and guidance on what to do. It truly seems impossible to prevent this as he sometimes seems to not be able to push the poo out, which also happens at the worst moments when I am not home and then it has gone downhill from there. I got him to eat today again by giving Critical Care and painkiller. So he's fine for the moment but we are still going to the vet in the morning!

I really feel like I'm doing my best taking care of his impaction, as I am giving him a fibre supplement sort of as a probiotic, cleaning his bum twice daily, providing a healthy diet with few veggies, high-quality pellets and loads of hay. He also gets to move a lot daily since his and his buddy's cage is pretty big.

My question is, is there anything IN ADDITION to these that I can do to prevent him getting poo stuck in his bum? And should I ask for medication at the vet tomorrow, for example gut meds, which I could give to him possibly for the rest of his life? I just really want to make the rest of his life comfortable and not riddled with these painful impaction issues, but it seems difficult

Hi

Impaction is unfortunately not curable and it is a progressive weakening of the muscles at the back end. About 10% of all boars get it to some degree or other. A generally better hay based and not so much veg and pellet based diet has meant that we see a smaller number of diet based or aggravated impaction.

Please be aware that the fibre content in pellets is surprising low. You may want to think about replacing them with forage but also be aware that feeding a very regular diet (the same at the same time) means that any changes can make it worse for a while.

Members who have more practical experience with impaction (I only have had with neutered boars where it is easy to deal with) may be able to help you more.

Boar Problems 'Down Below' (Penis, Impaction, Testicles & Neutering, Mammary Tumours & Grease Gland)

 

[Piggies4Evah]

Thank you, I have actually read through this guide already and it helped me improve the fiber intake on my guinea pig's diet and lessen the veggies. I weigh him almost daily and his weight fluctuates only around 10g, it's really stable. When he feels well, he truly eats fine and keeps his weight up! It's just the poos that get stuck that cause him to go downhill, I am really struggling with them. And these stuck poos are also often big, meaning he has eaten well before until they have gotten stuck which then leads him to not eating..

 

[Piggies4Evah]

Hi

Impaction is unfortunately not curable and it is a progressive weakening of the muscles at the back end. About 10% of all boars get it to some degree or other. A generally better hay based and not so much veg and pellet based diet has meant that we see a smaller number of diet based or aggravated impaction.

Please be aware that the fibre content in pellets is surprising low. You may want to think about replacing them with forage but also be aware that feeding a very regular diet (the same at the same time) means that any changes can make it worse for a while.

Members who have more practical experience with impaction (I only have had with neutered boars where it is easy to deal with) may be able to help you more.

Boar Problems 'Down Below' (Penis, Impaction, Testicles & Neutering, Mammary Tumours & Grease Gland)

Thank you, do you think I should also not be feeding him different veggies and just perhaps pick out a few to feed him?

 

[Piggies4Evah]

The pellet he is eating has 21% crude fiber and generally seems to be a highly rated brand (Bunny), but I feel like I could cut down on it as I give 2tbsp a day per piggy.. I am not familiar with foraging, how does it work?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Yes do cut pellets down as you are currently overfeeding them - they should only have one tablespoon per pig per day.

Forage is explained in this guide below

Commercially Available Forage

 

[Piggies4Evah]

Yes do cut pellets down as you are currently overfeeding them - they should only have one tablespoon per pig per day.

Forage is explained in this guide below

Commercially Available Forage

Thanks again for the link, I could easily try some of the forage – found one brand in my nearby pet shop! I am not sure of cutting off pellets completely but I could alternate between the forage and the pellets! Thanks for the tip.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thanks again for the link, I could easily try some of the forage – found one brand in my nearby pet shop! I am not sure of cutting off pellets completely but I could alternate between the forage and the pellets! Thanks for the tip.

Do cut the pellets down though but do keep in mind that wiebke has said that changes to the diet can make things temporarily worse

It is perfectly fine to not feed pellets at all though - although not everyone is comfortable with doing so.
I only fed my piggies 5-8 individual pellets each and even then they only had them on Wednesdays and Sunday but they now haven’t had any pellets at all for around six or seven months. They have a little extra veg each day, they have grass all summer and have dried forage in winter

 

[Roselina]

I’d get your Vet to check for arthritis or limited movement in the back legs
My boar 5 1/2 yrs old had very bad impaction but was pooing too - his weight was stable
My Vet said he had early arthritis and that his age meant his anal muscles were weakening and She suggested Johnson4joints - a liquid supplement
We’ve use it used daily for about 6 months and his impaction is greatly improved to now a very small amount that’s removed weekly

 

[Piggies4Evah]

I’d get your Vet to check for arthritis or limited movement in the back legs
My boar 5 1/2 yrs old had very bad impaction but was pooing too - his weight was stable
My Vet said he had early arthritis and that his age meant his anal muscles were weakening and She suggested Johnson4joints - a liquid supplement
We’ve use it used daily for about 6 months and his impaction is greatly improved to now a very small amount that’s removed weekly

Wow thank you for this insight I haven't even given arthritis one thought. He has never been a moving guinea pig and does not enjoy free roaming but I haven't necessarily seen trouble moving when he walks around in the cage. However, when he gets the worse impaction he also occasionally whimpers painfully and for some reason keeps turning his head to the side of his body. I've always thought these symptoms are strange for impaction alone – hopefully the vet can find something. It would make me feel better that there would be a proper cause and a treatment for this issue so he wouldn't have to endure the occasional pain.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks again for the link, I could easily try some of the forage – found one brand in my nearby pet shop! I am not sure of cutting off pellets completely but I could alternate between the forage and the pellets! Thanks for the tip.

Please do not alternate but feed them side by side; replace half of the pellets with forage. Remember, regularity and no changes in your feeding routine can really help.

What veg are you feeding? Perhaps we can help you?

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

 

[Piggies4Evah]

Please do not alternate but feed them side by side; replace half of the pellets with forage. Remember, regularity and no changes in your feeding routine can really help.

What veg are you feeding? Perhaps we can help you?

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

OK, I need to make sure to feed them at the same time.

I am feeding romaine lettuce and bell pepper (green or yellow) daily, celery and cucumber few times a week and occasionally as a treat I give carrots. I have mostly given up high-calcium veggies but I used to give parsley and spinach occasionally, and I avoid gassy vegs like cabbages.

 

[Wiebke]

OK, I need to make sure to feed them at the same time.

I am feeding romaine lettuce and bell pepper (green or yellow) daily, celery and cucumber few times a week and occasionally as a treat I give carrots. I have mostly given up high-calcium veggies but I used to give parsley and spinach occasionally, and I avoid gassy vegs like cabbages.

Please stop the carrots and celery and feed a slice of cucumber daily. We also recommend a sprig of coriander daily for extra vitamin C and trace elements.

A slice of pepper and coriander, romaine or gem lettuce and cucumber are the veg you can feed safely on a daily basis, ideally as much as possible at the same time in order to settle down milder cases of impaction. Unfortunately, no more variation and treats for your impacted boy.

Please be aware that there are essentially only three food groups for guinea pigs:
- Water; the intake of which can vary massively individually and also weather/dry air dependent. Water quality can also differ locally, depending from where your tap water comes.
- Hay and fresh grass (over three quarters of the daily intake); please
- Supplementary feed: fresh veg, fresh and dried forage, pellets and any treats (these foods are normally interchangeable but they all together only replace the supplementary role that wild forage used to have.
Wild guinea pigs can regulate their need to keep a phosphorus : calcium : potassium (1:5:1) balance by choosing which plants they feed on on a given day. Domestic piggies can't. Hence the bladder stone problem. If you can, choose pellets that are not too far from the ideal balance.
Nugget Comparison Chart

Please be aware that any dietary changes now will make the impaction worse initially before it gets better. That is unfortunately unavoidable but as long as you do it all at once, it has the least impact.

 

[Piggies4Evah]

Update: My guinea pig was diagnosed with a fractured bone in the pelvis area. The exact part where it broke from was not located, but the fracture is likely the cause of him having pain and would also explain impaction issues. The vet prescribed Loxicom (Dog version) 0.7ml for a week to stop the pain and to let the bone heal. After that, Loxicom can be given if any pain would appear again. He also got a guinea pig safe medicine used by humans for constipation which I can give in case there seems to be problems pooping.

The vet believed the bone will heal by itself with the aid of painkillers and cage rest – thus no surgical treatment or medication for joints was suggested. He is still eating and pooping fine and his behavior also indicates the fracture isn't that severe, as he still runs around with his cage mate and uses all of his four feet equally. I hope his recovery will be seamless and easy. I will still be giving him the fiber supplement and introducing forage to his diet to enhance the healthy effects for digestion.

Also, thank you for the veggie tips above! My guinea pigs have never liked coriander (cilantro), sadly Do you think I could introduce another calcium and C-vitamin heavy vegetable to his diet, especially now to aid the healing of the bone, for instance parsley, which he has eaten before? Of course I would give this in very small amounts, since excessive nutrients are not good for them either.

 

[Piggies4Evah]

As for why the fracture happened, I have no idea. When he was 1 years old, he had a mild C-vitamin deficiency, but it mostly affected his teeth. Perhaps this could also have lead to weaker bones that could show symptoms now at an older age. Another reason would be damage from falling, but to my recollection I haven't dropped him a single time when picking him up. Sometimes his cage mate climbs on his back when begging for vegetables – maybe this could have hurt him, I will not let him do this in the future. They also used to play with a tunnel they almost got stuck in once (it was too narrow), so something could have happened there (they played with it once or twice, I don't use it anymore). But there is not much use to guessing, the primary focus should now be on his healing process.

 

[Wiebke]

Update: My guinea pig was diagnosed with a fractured bone in the pelvis area. The exact part where it broke from was not located, but the fracture is likely the cause of him having pain and would also explain impaction issues. The vet prescribed Loxicom (Dog version) 0.7ml for a week to stop the pain and to let the bone heal. After that, Loxicom can be given if any pain would appear again. He also got a guinea pig safe medicine used by humans for constipation which I can give in case there seems to be problems pooping.

The vet believed the bone will heal by itself with the aid of painkillers and cage rest – thus no surgical treatment or medication for joints was suggested. He is still eating and pooping fine and his behavior also indicates the fracture isn't that severe, as he still runs around with his cage mate and uses all of his four feet equally. I hope his recovery will be seamless and easy. I will still be giving him the fiber supplement and introducing forage to his diet to enhance the healthy effects for digestion.

Also, thank you for the veggie tips above! My guinea pigs have never liked coriander (cilantro), sadly Do you think I could introduce another calcium and C-vitamin heavy vegetable to his diet, especially now to aid the healing of the bone, for instance parsley, which he has eaten before? Of course I would give this in very small amounts, since excessive nutrients are not good for them either.

OUCH! Thank you for telling us. Glad that it is not a full fracture and that it is still weight bearing. It should knit again more quickly than in humans.

Yes, if they don't like cilantro you can use parsley or a daily slither of greens/USA: Collard greens (high vitamin C in veg is usually bound up with high calcium but also magnesium, which is not supplied in pellets. Greens are higher in oxalates (but not as high in calcium as kale), which seems to be not as impacting on the formation of stones as originally thought if you reduce the pellet amount accordingly. Normally I feed a 1 inch slice of greens once a week in combination with filtered water but other forum members prefer more dried forage - there is still some leeway in the diet.
PS: Carrots are like feeding block chocolate. They come very much under the heading of high sugar/fat treat.

 

[Roselina]

Update: My guinea pig was diagnosed with a fractured bone in the pelvis area. The exact part where it broke from was not located, but the fracture is likely the cause of him having pain and would also explain impaction issues. The vet prescribed Loxicom (Dog version) 0.7ml for a week to stop the pain and to let the bone heal. After that, Loxicom can be given if any pain would appear again. He also got a guinea pig safe medicine used by humans for constipation which I can give in case there seems to be problems pooping.

The vet believed the bone will heal by itself with the aid of painkillers and cage rest – thus no surgical treatment or medication for joints was suggested. He is still eating and pooping fine and his behavior also indicates the fracture isn't that severe, as he still runs around with his cage mate and uses all of his four feet equally. I hope his recovery will be seamless and easy. I will still be giving him the fiber supplement and introducing forage to his diet to enhance the healthy effects for digestion.

Also, thank you for the veggie tips above! My guinea pigs have never liked coriander (cilantro), sadly Do you think I could introduce another calcium and C-vitamin heavy vegetable to his diet, especially now to aid the healing of the bone, for instance parsley, which he has eaten before? Of course I would give this in very small amounts, since excessive nutrients are not good for them either.

Ah I’m glad a reason could be found ! It’s always frustrating if no diagnosis is made
I’m sure with such a devoted owner he’ll recover asap

 

[Merab]

Poor piggy.
Hope the fracture heals quickly