Guinea poo?

[Puzzlepigs]

First off- sorry if this is the wrong section- I apologise if it is.
So I was having the pigs out for lap time an I gave them their veggies at the same time. I put some old pillowcases in the play pen to keep them toasty and warm. I gave them both a brush and cuddle and left them to eat their veggies whilst supervised.

I noticed that there was a poo with a sort of slimy gunky red substance/liquid on one of the pillowcases and worried. It was almost like the poo was coated with strawberry jam - and looked like there were pips in the red stuff. I checked the pigs and I couldn't see anything so I just scooped the poo out to be safe.

I'm really worried now because I have no idea what it was- if it was actually a bit of crushed veg/fruit or something that they had eaten and it hadn't gone down quite right. My other guinea pig - Frisky died a few years ago - her reason of death is and was unknown. The vet said there was a possibility of it being a bladder stone, but if it was it should have showed up on the x-ray.
Does anybody know what this is?
Maybe it was just blood or a bit of fruit but I am still worried.
I am going to keep an eye on the poops in the cage and make sure there are not any more like it.

Any advice? Thanks. I think I may be planning a vet trip soon.

 

[Wiebke]

I hope that it was just a one off poo! I've had that very, very occasionally with a strange poo, but nothing ever came off it, so I wouldn't panic just now. Of course, you will have to see a vet if you find more of them!

Keep an eye on your piggies' weight and eating for the time being. The scales will tell you best whether something is not right. Be aware that the weight can fluctuate around 30g/1oz just due to an empty/full bladder or bowel, so small changes in weight are normal; you are looking for either a quick weight loss or a slow steady downwards trend over several days that needs to be investigated.