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Old boar and sperm rods

alpacasqueak

alpacasqueak

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My little Rupert’s obviously been having issues recently, UTI and now squishy poo for a good few days. He’s stopped sulfatrim after 15 days, this seemed to cause issues and pee ok so we’re hoping might help the poo situation! He’s having lots of Pro-C and Jess has been rustling up her finest plops for the lovely poop soup delicacy which he despises (it’ll help Rupert, honest!).

This morning had my first sperm rod incident! Done well after nearly 8 years keeping boars (also never dealt with a ‘fur ring’ with Pedro the chin after 9, must be due that soon!).
I gave him a quick clean with a baby wipe before his feed, a bit of squidgy poo and what I thought was a bit of hay, no, a sperm rod which came out very easily and I was a bit shocked!
The end felt rather hard but rest was rubbery and pretty soft, not sure if this is normal?! He’s been having a clean each time he comes out due to pee and poo and I didn’t notice it last night. Wondering if that has caused any probs with his illness recently.

He has a good clean at least once a week normally, I have to pop out his penis and clean maybe once a month now he’s older and gets a bit dirtier and smellier bless him (he’ll be 7 in August). Did this last week.
Do I need to be ‘on guard’ and expect any more in the coming days? Or could this be related to his age/illness or anything? He looks fine down below, no redness etc and doesn’t seem fussed with me touching stuff.

Thanks for any info, I’ve had a good read but with him being an oldie I didn’t know if this could be a more common thing, I thought it was younger lads that have more of an issue with them! Sorry so long! :)
 
Yep a sperm rod does feel a bit rubbery and soft so you don't need to worry. Christian had his first one a few months back and it was HUGE! Since then he gets them every so often. I cleared a very small one yesterday that was about the size of a small piece of hay. I make sure I check him every couple of days now as he is obviously prone to them.
 
No idea I've never encountered a sperm rod (Theo and Ollie both clean their boy bits very thoroughly, they are always licking their own bits!) but I guess a sperm rod shows there's some life in the old chap yet! Keep fighting on and taking your poop soup Rupert! X
 
Betsy said:
Yep a sperm rod does feel a bit rubbery and soft so you don't need to worry. Christian had his first one a few months back and it was HUGE! Since then he gets them every so often. I cleared a very small one yesterday that was about the size of a small piece of hay. I make sure I check him every couple of days now as he is obviously prone to them.
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Yes I saw the thread with his bless him. It’s what’s strange with Rupert, suddenly boar glue a couple of times and then this at his ripe old age! All at the time he’s having problems!
The long ‘wormy’ bit was rubbery and soft but then the end sticking out felt very hard, I squashed it around to have a look (why I didn’t get a pic!) and felt much more solid, thought it could be a bladder stone he’d passed but not hard enough! Have his other one I kept from the vet after his op! Boys! :)
 
Thanks @PigglePuggle :)
With him being so quiet atm it’s hard to tell if he’s relieved but if it was me I certainly would be! (Not a man, just guessing! :xd:)
Yep, hates the poo soup! Don’t like it much myself when he spits and shakes it all over me either! :vom: x
 
I’ve never come across a sperm rod either, they do mount each other occasionally but not often, they are rather lazy boys now, probably wouldn’t know what to do if they came across a lady piggie 🤔
 
My old boar had squishy pood, for about a year, we never got to the bottom( no pun intended) of what was going on, he lived like it fine, just had to keep his bed area fresh
 
Poor Rupert that is possibly why he's been off colour, ouch! My older 2 boars 4.5 years get small rods quite regularly. In the boar section of the Daily Care Guides it says small rods can be easily removed but a large one should be seen by a vet, they can be painful and cause infection.
 
SkyPipDotBernie said:
My old boar had squishy pood, for about a year, we never got to the bottom( no pun intended) of what was going on, he lived like it fine, just had to keep his bed area fresh
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With him we think it’s the meds messing with his tummy so as he’s already under the weather I’d like to get on top of it really. But yup, cage been pretty grotty (and feet when I pick him up!)
piggieminder said:
Poor Rupert that is possibly why he's been off colour, ouch! My older 2 boars 4.5 years get small rods quite regularly. In the boar section of the Daily Care Guides it says small rods can be easily removed but a large one should be seen by a vet, they can be painful and cause infection.
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The long bit of the rod was pretty thin, prob why it came out so easily! Just the top popping out was larger. I hoped he’d have perked up a bit today now that’s gone, no still very quiet :( no redness or acting sore around there thankfully. Not looking good for him atm, only picking at stuff and just me syringing food and water now. So not looking good for my boy and decisions to be made v soon I think 😢
 
These times are the hardest part of pet owning, they bring us so much pleasure but it hurts so much when they get ill and difficult decisions have to be made. I really hope he rallies again. Sending you hugs and Rupert healing vibes. Xx
 
Thanks so much as always @piggieminder xx he really is the most amazing, loving piggy, had a little cry just sorting cage at the thought of him not being in there. My brain and heart complete opposite sides of the scale atm. Been a bad week for him (and me!) and just can’t see him improving now. The odd perk up and gets me excited but back to miserable 5mins later.
Think Jessie already knows as keeps sticking by me which is not like her, prefers pig to human most of the time!
Was going to give him over the wknd but think I’ll see how he goes tonight and tomorrow, he’s just so sad. And the thought of torturing him with more meds just doesn’t seem right. Lots of thinking to do, think I already know but just hoping 😭
 
It's so sad, no matter how many times I make the decision to help a pet over the bridge it never gets any easier. That said I'm glad we are able to do it when the time comes rather than let them suffer. I am thinking of you and send my very best wishes to you and Rupert. Xx
 
Thanks so much @piggieminder xx with keeping rats I’ve had to make the decisions more than with piggies as their lives so short. Only had Sheepy I had to PTS, Reggie died in my arms. And my childhood piggies were obv my parents decisions really.
Putting Poppy to sleep (Ped’s sister) last year was one of the toughest decisions I’ve ever made.
Hoping he gets a good Jess kick up the bum and starts munching and I can stop stressing and annoying everyone! :)
 
Well aren’t I incredibly stupid :(:(

Rupert sat on the bed around 1am, half way through his feed, and started straining to poo and pee. So think I know why he’s deteriorated so much this week as guessing UTI not properly gone :( don’t know if the sperm rod might have helped to make it worse too.
Started having another read on here about Sulfatrim and realised I’ve been underdosing it, he’s been having 0.25ml twice a day. He’s had this dose in the past and it’s worked but looks like he should have been having more. Think I must have checked in the past and just been dozy, or because it’s worked I’ve not questioned it, he’s not had it for ages.

So annoyed! With myself more than vets cuz I know they tend to prescribe less than they need, but some of the vets will tell me to go by what Cat and Rabbit tell me (after years of me going and the notes I get sent over from c&r). He’s only been prescribed it at local vets in the past (my request to one of the nicer of the 6!)

So he’s back on Sulfatrim now at 0.35ml (he’s 780g atm). Hoping that’s enough now and can help him. I’m going to order some Fibreplex and he can have that along with poo soup and Pro-C to try and help his tummy.

Poor Rupert, not seen him straining up to then but he’s prob been in pain, no wonder he’s got worse all week :no:
 
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