Not Seeing Any Poops Post-neuter

[Beeves]

So Patrick was neutered on Thursday last week, five days ago.after coming home, he didn't eat any veggies until Saturday, but ate everything else perfectly well and didn't act like anything untoward had happened.

He's still acting fine, drinking water, peeing, rumbling about and playing as he does, but I have seen no poops since I cleaned his enclosure out Sunday evening. I hear normal gut gurgles, he is eating fine, he isn't acting lethargic at all, and he's peeing, but no poops! I have seen him eat his poops like normal though.

I called the vet Monday afternoon, and they said to call back again today (Tuesday) if he still hasn't pooped. I'm at work right now and will check for poops this afternoon when I'm off work. Is there anything I can do? Should I rub his tum to get thing moving?

 

[eileen]

the poo situation reflects the intake of two days previous.if he has been in for neutering it is reflecting what happened then.if he is not producing any poop tomorrow i would ring the vet.also weight him daily if possible as this will give a true reflection if he is eating enough.did your vet give you any pain relief ,as it can be a very painful experience !

 

[Wiebke]

So Patrick was neutered on Thursday last week, five days ago.after coming home, he didn't eat any veggies until Saturday, but ate everything else perfectly well and didn't act like anything untoward had happened.

He's still acting fine, drinking water, peeing, rumbling about and playing as he does, but I have seen no poops since I cleaned his enclosure out Sunday evening. I hear normal gut gurgles, he is eating fine, he isn't acting lethargic at all, and he's peeing, but no poops! I have seen him eat his poops like normal though.

I called the vet Monday afternoon, and they said to call back again today (Tuesday) if he still hasn't pooped. I'm at work right now and will check for poops this afternoon when I'm off work. Is there anything I can do? Should I rub his tum to get thing moving?

If your boy is not in pain, lethargic or looking off, then he is not suffering from a blockage or a gut stasis and the problem is not an emergency.
The guts can sometimes slow down in the wake of an operation so the poo output can lag 2-3 days behind instead of the usual one day after the input. It all depends on how much he has eaten since the operation.
It can be deceptive as to how much a guinea pig eats on his own; the best way to control the food intake is by weighing daily at the same time instead of just looking at a piggy chewing - then you know whether you need to step in with syringe feeding support or not; unlike the eye, the scales don't lie! Please make sure that you weigh him daily - it can also be the first alert for post-op complications like an infection or gut adhesion etc.
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

What kind of bedding is your boy on?

If there are still no poos by tonight, I would have him vet checked, including the weight and his bits, in case he suffers from impaction if the op has interfered with muscles at the bum end. With modern operation techniques that problem should however not happen anymore. Swellings and gut adhesion that can block the exit can - thankfully rarely - happen, but they are very uncomfortable and connected with loss of appetite and a resulting loss of weight.

 

[Beeves]

the poo situation reflects the intake of two days previous.if he has been in for neutering it is reflecting what happened then.if he is not producing any poop tomorrow i would ring the vet.also weight him daily if possible as this will give a true reflection if he is eating enough.did your vet give you any pain relief ,as it can be a very painful experience !

He has pain medication, an antibiotic, and a probiotic to rebalance his gut flora. He doesn't act like he's in pain, he's not guarding the area and has his full range of movement (which includes pigloo climbing and spontaneous popcorning!) Which makes me think he doesn't feel anything, or he wouldn't be moving to antagonize the area.

If your boy is not in pain, lethargic or looking off, then he is not suffering from a blockage or a gut stasis and the problem is not an emergency.
The guts can sometimes slow down in the wake of an operation so the poo output can lag 2-3 days behind instead of the usual one day after the input. It all depends on how much he has eaten since the operation.
It can be deceptive as to how much a guinea pig eats on his own; the best way to control the food intake is by weighing daily at the same time instead of just looking at a piggy chewing - then you know whether you need to step in with syringe feeding support or not; unlike the eye, the scales don't lie! Please make sure that you weigh him daily - it can also be the first alert for post-op complications like an infection or gut adhesion etc.
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

What kind of bedding is your boy on?

If there are still no poos by tonight, I would have him vet checked, including the weight and his bits, in case he suffers from impaction if the op has interfered with muscles at the bum end. With modern operation techniques that problem should however not happen anymore. Swellings and gut adhesion that can block the exit can - thankfully rarely - happen, but they are very uncomfortable and connected with loss of appetite and a resulting loss of weight.

He is on fleece bedding normally, but I've set a white rag towel over the fleece so I can keep an eye on his pees and poops and look for other unusual fluids. He doesn't look swollen and certainly doesn't act like anything is wrong, which is why I'm hesitant to rush to the vet. This morning he was acting like it's another wonderful magical day in the life of Patrick pig.

I do need to buy some scales though, he hasn't been weighed, but I know he's eating and drinking because his hay, pellets, and veggies all go missing at their usual rates. I'll be out buying one when my paycheck comes.

I get home in about 3 hours and I'll see then. I'm worried, but I think he'll be alright in the end? He's usually such a baby when he's feeling bad.

 

[Wiebke]

He has pain medication, an antibiotic, and a probiotic to rebalance his gut flora. He doesn't act like he's in pain, he's not guarding the area and has his full range of movement (which includes pigloo climbing and spontaneous popcorning!) Which makes me think he doesn't feel anything, or he wouldn't be moving to antagonize the area.



He is on fleece bedding normally, but I've set a white rag towel over the fleece so I can keep an eye on his pees and poops and look for other unusual fluids. He doesn't look swollen and certainly doesn't act like anything is wrong, which is why I'm hesitant to rush to the vet. This morning he was acting like it's another wonderful magical day in the life of Patrick pig.

I do need to buy some scales though, he hasn't been weighed, but I know he's eating and drinking because his hay, pellets, and veggies all go missing at their usual rates. I'll be out buying one when my paycheck comes.

I get home in about 3 hours and I'll see then. I'm worried, but I think he'll be alright in the end? He's usually such a baby when he's feeling bad.

If he is not acting bad and there are no swellings or soreness in the groin area, then I would not worry too much about any missing poos.

Please get scales. Cheap kitchen scales from a supermarket are perfectly fine to keep an eye on any weight loss. Normally you weigh once weekly with the regular weekly onceover, but during operation recovery and illness you switch to a daily weigh-in.
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight
How To Pick Up And Weigh Your Guinea Pig

 

[yayoiharuko]

I don't know if this applies to guinea pigs, but I know that being put under anesthesia for humans can basically make your bowels 'fall asleep' long after surgery. You can go up to a week without using the bathroom.
I just know that you don't even get the urge to go. It's like your bowels are literally taking a vacation. (Maybe TMI, sorry.)
I don't know about guinea pigs, however.

 

[Wiebke]

I don't know if this applies to guinea pigs, but I know that being put under anesthesia for humans can basically make your bowels 'fall asleep' long after surgery. You can go up to a week without using the bathroom.
I just know that you don't even get the urge to go. It's like your bowels are literally taking a vacation. (Maybe TMI, sorry.)
I don't know about guinea pigs, however.

GA can kill the appetite, and as a result of not stepping in with support syringe feeding, this can lead to GI stasis and death in guinea pigs. However a piggy that is not eating is not well and active; it will soon become lethargic from lack of energy. Guinea pigs can't go without food for long.
Bloat, Gi Stasis ( No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

 

[yayoiharuko]

GA can kill the appetite, and as a result of not stepping in with support syringe feeding, this can lead to GI stasis and death in guinea pigs. However a piggy that is not eating is not well and active; it will soon become lethargic from lack of energy. Guinea pigs can't go without food for long.
Bloat, Gi Stasis ( No Gut Movement) And Not Eating

I'm sorry, but.. I'm confused?
I realize you're trying to teach me something here but I was talking about humans not using the bathroom after surgery, not guineas. I never mentioned anything about my guineas not eating or pooping o.o
I'm lost.

 

[Wiebke]

I'm sorry, but.. I'm confused?
I realize you're trying to teach me something here but I was talking about humans not using the bathroom after surgery, not guineas. I never mentioned anything about my guineas not eating or pooping o.o
I'm lost.

I have tried to explain to you that guinea pigs are different from humans; hence why your point doesn't apply.

 

[yayoiharuko]

I have tried to explain to you that guinea pigs are different from humans; hence why your point doesn't apply.

Okay, I understand now what you meant. Thank you.

 

[Lady Kelly]

might be worth checking with the vet/vet nurse as to whether there was poo output following coming round from GA. I remember when my late Bumble had an emergency spay and I became worried about the output as she wasn't passing anything. I called the vets the next day and when the vet checked with the nurse apparently Bumble had decided to do the biggest mound of poops post op that the nurse had ever seen I think she had emptied herself out for a while and they soon started back up

 

[Beeves]

might be worth checking with the vet/vet nurse as to whether there was poo output following coming round from GA. I remember when my late Bumble had an emergency spay and I became worried about the output as she wasn't passing anything. I called the vets the next day and when the vet checked with the nurse apparently Bumble had decided to do the biggest mound of poops post op that the nurse had ever seen I think she had emptied herself out for a while and they soon started back up

Oh I know he was pooping post-op! He pooped on the way home and was doing fine 2 days post surgery. I think he was spiting me 8p

I just got back from the vet. Patrick lost weight so he's going on critical care 3x a day. He got subcutaneous fluids while there and is currently a little lumpy and a lot grouchy. I hope to see poops within 24 hours

 

[Wiebke]

Oh I know he was pooping post-op! He pooped on the way home and was doing fine 2 days post surgery. I think he was spiting me 8p

I just got back from the vet. Patrick lost weight so he's going on critical care 3x a day. He got subcutaneous fluids while there and is currently a little lumpy and a lot grouchy. I hope to see poops within 24 hours

Please give him as much syringe feed and water as he will take; you feed the more often the less goes in. Your aim is to primarily stabilise the weight at this stage; try to aim for about 60 ml per day, ideally more as he starts feeling better. Please read the syringe feeding guide. It has lots of useful tips and information that are the result of our own practical experiences with very ill and freshly operated piggies, so we know that they really work! The guide also gives you tips on how you can build in and encourage him to eat on his own.

 

[Beeves]

He pooped, finally! It was hard to syringe feed him, he'd only take about 5ml on his own accord and I hate the sad sound he makes when he's being fed like that. He took 20ml last night and another 20 this morning and I'm seeing scraggly, little poops, but poops nontheless. No blood or anything either. I am so relieved.

The doctor said for his size, he should get between 20-25ml 3x a day, for a total of somewhere around 60-75ml a day. It'll be hard but I'm aiming for 20ml per sitting, but what if I overfeed him? He has a gram of probiotic and about 0.5ml of other medicines to take, and thats not including the water I try to give him between it all and the normal food he's munching on.