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Impaction

Sophie B

Sophie B

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This is the first thread I have had to put in this section, and let’s hope it’s my last
It seems that Bacon is having a little trouble down there
How do you deal with impaction, what can you do to prevent it, and what problems can it cause?

Edit, please read: Bacon isn’t yet two, he is on Megazorb bedding, he frequently shuffled his bum on the floor (dominance and all that jazz) which I think might be the cause, Smokey doesn't seem to have anything going on down there with him, this is the first time I’ve noticed it, he’s generally very good at “cleaning himself out” so it’s not that either.
 
He’s still managing to poo easily and I’ve given him a bum bath, but it’s not easy to get out when he’s wriggling around. What are the chances he will get it out on his own, or will I need to persist? It’s very small, too A5C4F3F5-F697-4654-A1E8-8C8711A75C73.webp
 
If you're worried I would make an appointment with the vet or vet nurse to clean it for you and advise, our lovely Ollie sometimes borders on getting impaction because his slightly special needs shaped pelvis area and leg arrangement can't always do a proper bum squeeze, as he gets older its going to be a problem but for now if he occasionally doesnt clear it himself in a couple of hours he goes to see the vet nurse (which he hates) who does the honours for £9.50 :)
 
PigglePuggle said:
If you're worried I would make an appointment with the vet or vet nurse to clean it for you and advise, our lovely Ollie sometimes borders on getting impaction because his slightly special needs shaped pelvis area and leg arrangement can't always do a proper bum squeeze, as he gets older its going to be a problem but for now if he occasionally doesnt clear it himself in a couple of hours he goes to see the vet nurse (which he hates) who does the honours for £9.50 :)
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It’s payday next week so a vet isn’t exactly ideal, is it likely to become a big issue quickly?
 
VickiA said:
The longer you leave it, the worse it gets. The impaction stretches the muscles and then they work less efficiently, causing more impaction in a vicious circle.
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I agree.

It's best to deal with it regularly. I had one boar who always had a couple of half poos stuck there and had another who was fine most of the time but occasionally needed a clear out.

Once you have had a problem you need a quick daily check.
 
If you say he's pooing easily then I'd keep an eye on him daily but book in to see the vet as soon as you are able. If there is impaction they will remove it and will show you how to do it. I had this issue with an older boar and following a trip to the vet I did it myself. It's not difficult but I remember it being a bit smelly but the piggie didnt seem to mind too much. The link given already shows you how but a vet is the only one who can diagnose properly. All the best x
 
I had a boar who needed daily cleaning out in the sac, but he was 6 and it was a smelly old job
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
I had a boar who needed daily cleaning out in the sac, but he was 6 and it was a smelly old job
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I had my then 5 year old son in the vets when she cleared the piggie out. I was trying to be polite as the smell hit my nostrils but he yelled out arggghhh mummy that stinks and made for the door 🤣
 
My elderly boar, benson, who passed in may had a problem with impaction in his latter weeks. The first few times i cleared it, the smell was so rank i was gagging. But the moreoften i did it, the smell got less.

I found the easiest way was to put a little baby shampoo in a tub of warm water. I had a massive deep food box perfect for the job. And i kept benson's bum under water whilst cleaning the sac. Then it emptied under water and that seemed to keep the smell down a bit.

After, i chucked all the dirty water out onto my back garden. This worked better than bathing in a wash basin and pulling the plug as you tend to get all the sac contents jammed in the drain.



It isnt nearly as bad a job as you might think. Wear disposable gloves and put something strong smelling and nice on your top lip. Clothes peg on nose. The first time is the worst. Plain sailing after that!
 
Sophie B said:
He’s still managing to poo easily and I’ve given him a bum bath, but it’s not easy to get out when he’s wriggling around. What are the chances he will get it out on his own, or will I need to persist? It’s very small, too View attachment 133028
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Have you got somebody who could help you with holding Bacon whily you clean him out? Unfortunately this is something that you need to learn.

The impaction guide link tells you how you can manage mild impaction with diet and may even be able to reverse it to a degree for a while. But impaction is a progressive weakening of the musculature of the back end, so it will eventually come back and get worse.
We have also included several videos in the guide.
Here is the link again: Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.
 
Wiebke said:
Have you got somebody who could help you with holding Bacon whily you clean him out? Unfortunately this is something that you need to learn.

The impaction guide link tells you how you can manage mild impaction with diet and may even be able to reverse it to a degree for a while. But impaction is a progressive weakening of the musculature of the back end, so it will eventually come back and get worse.
We have also included several videos in the guide.
Here is the link again: Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.
Click to expand...
He’s managed to get rid of it himself, but if it ever happens again I’m just going to have to keep trying...
 
Sophie B said:
He’s managed to get rid of it himself, but if it ever happens again I’m just going to have to keep trying...
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I would strongly recommend to read the guide and follow the diet tips in order to make a reoccurrance in the near future less likely.
 
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