Loose/soft Poop

[Perkypanda]

Basically Grace was under the weather at the end of January. Had a course of antibiotics which really upset her stomach - so much so that I stopped the last day of the course. She was back to her normal self anyway. She is eating normally, and everything seems fine but she is still having bouts of soft poop. Problem is that she then steps in it, it gets on her fur or paws. Now she is on her own I thought I could try cutting down on the veg for a bit to see if that helps. I haven't fed her anything different during this time period. Any ideas?

 

[Claire W]

Try taking her off of fresh veg for 48 hours feeding just pellets and hay. That should hopefully firm up her poops

 

[Wiebke]

Basically Grace was under the weather at the end of January. Had a course of antibiotics which really upset her stomach - so much so that I stopped the last day of the course. She was back to her normal self anyway. She is eating normally, and everything seems fine but she is still having bouts of soft poop. Problem is that she then steps in it, it gets on her fur or paws. Now she is on her own I thought I could try cutting down on the veg for a bit to see if that helps. I haven't fed her anything different during this time period. Any ideas?

If loose poos persist after a bad reaction to an antibiotic, try a course of fibreplex. It has always cleared up that problem with mine in that situation.
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

 

[Perkypanda]

Thanks. I have cut back her veg and will wait a few days to see. I looked up the fibreplex but it seemed to mostly be saying for rabbits who haven't been able to go. The problem is loose/soft poop not constipation - I don't want to make it worse.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks. I have cut back her veg and will wait a few days to see. I looked up the fibreplex but it seemed to mostly be saying for rabbits who haven't been able to go. The problem is loose/soft poop not constipation - I don't want to make it worse.

Hi! There is very little that is guinea pig specific when you get to support products and special medication. Most of it is either for rabbits or - in the case of meds - for cats.

Fibreplex is a mix of probiotics with other things that work to normalise the guts whether that is constipation (which guinea pigs don't get) or firming up soft poos in an unbalanced bowel. It is now quite widely used for guinea pigs, as a number of forum members can attest.
And it has definitely done the trick for three of mine with loose poos after total loss of appetite and in once case a GI stasis followed by irritable bowel syndrome, again with loose poos. In the worst and most persistent case, fibreplex has been given to me by the treating vet. In the other two, I'd already ordered it but did implement with their blessing.

Just to make it absolutely clear: I NEVER recommend anything that I do not know is safe to use for guinea pigs, has been successfully prescriped by a competent vet and works in the case of the reported symptoms/situation.

Whether you want to make use of the advice or not is your own decision. But you can rest assured that I do NOT go by hearsay without my own verification, or if I do, I will so say clearly and will ask you to discuss that point with your own vet!

 

[Perkypanda]

Thanks very much, I have brought some from the vets at pets at home tonight. I'm going to leave off until tomorrow and haven't given her any veg today. Just hay, nuggets and a hay cube thing. I'm wondering if its worse because of stress of loosing Bella. I think it could be an IBS type of thing because its been off and on since the antibiotics which was about 5 weeks ago but particularly bad these past few days. She is fine in herself, eating, bright eyed etc and I am sure she isn't ill. The vet did check her for cysts etc when I originally took her and said he couldn't find any. I will give it another day then use the fibreplex and then if it's not clearing I'll book the vet. Thanks for the advice!