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VickyMidlands

VickyMidlands

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone,

Rio is 6.5. I took him to the vets tonight to have a check up and his toe nails cut. The vet squeezed a huge poo out of his bum, it was a big ball and really stank. I'm worrying how it came to be stuck and whether it's a cause for concern? I'm going to check him myself and push anything out if it looks stuck. He also had a cyst drained, poor little thing. He's so quiet since we got back but wanted to see if anyone had a similar experience with poo.
 
It sounds like he was impacted.(someone correct me if I am wrong)
I think that some guinea pigs get like that occasionally especially boars. He sounds as if he's doing ok for 6 1/2.
 
Hi , its not unusual for a boar of that age to get poo stuck in his bum, it must have been a relefe for the old guy to
get it out , (its caled an impaction )

cheking for impaction is somthing that you will need to look for every day, lt might be an idear to ask your vet ,or vet
nurse too whach your tecknique just to make sure you are dooing it right ,
once you get into a routine you will find the smell lessens

:D Boars :lol!:
 
VickyMidlands said:
Hi everyone,

Rio is 6.5. I took him to the vets tonight to have a check up and his toe nails cut. The vet squeezed a huge poo out of his bum, it was a big ball and really stank. I'm worrying how it came to be stuck and whether it's a cause for concern? I'm going to check him myself and push anything out if it looks stuck. He also had a cyst drained, poor little thing. He's so quiet since we got back but wanted to see if anyone had a similar experience with poo.
Click to expand...

It sounds like impaction, which is not uncommon in older boars. Sadly, it is not curable and you need to clear him out depending on the severity from every few days to several times a day. It is unfortunately about as gross and stinky a job as they can come! :(
Have a look at this link here. Impaction Recovery - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.

If it is impaction, which is caused by the redigestible poos getting stuck in the pouch that is created by the testicles in full boars when their muscles weaken, then you want to make sure that the diet is as fibrous as you can make it; i.e. hay should really make 80% of the daily food intake. It can also help serving the same food/same selection of vegetables always very regularly at the same time.
The veg that are listed under daily veg in our diet link make in themselves a nutritionally balanced intake and can be used exclusively.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
If Rio has got a companion, topping him up from time to time with poo soup made from soaking his companion's fresh poos in a bit of water and then syringing the water will help to reintroduce the "right stuff" into his guts that he is missing out on because of the impaction. An extra pinch of probiotics per day can also help if you find poo soup too gross.

As we have got members from all over the world, it helps us a lot if you please added your country, state/province or county to your details, so we can support you as efficiently as possible and tailor any advice and recommendations to what is really available and doable where you are straightaway; especially when it comes to medical advice. Click on your username on the top bar, then go to personal details and scroll down to location. Thank you!
 
Thank you for your replies.

I'm from England.

Rio has a very balanced diet and he loves his food and hay. I'll try to reduce the food so he has more hay than food. He has a lot of both but probably not on a 80/20 ratio!

This is the first time he's had a build up. I felt so sad for him and he's been very quiet since we got back.
 
How is Rio doing? I have a few older boys so I am familiar with the joys of impaction:vom:. Some have it occassionally, one I have to sort out daily.
You have been given some great info already. Just wanted to say that I have found that the best ways to manage impaction are - regular diet, high % of hay, offer 'posh' hay as treats rather than veg, stick to the same veg, plenty of exercise, give daily probiotic or poo soup (as per above). And check for build up every day - much easier to deal with smaller blobs of poo.

I have also found that the impaction is worse if for any reason the boar isn't redigesting their 'vitamin poos' - so for example if arthritis or another pain is stopping them reaching down to eat their vitapoos. Is Rio's cyst healing now - where was it?
 
Hi thank you for your helpful reply. The cyst www underneath to the right hand side, the vet thought it was a part of his mammory gland (sp?). He's been so quiet since getting back from the vets (although still squeaking when we get in for his dinner!) and I'm worried.
The vet said he may have arthritic change in his back which is why he can't clean or pull his own poo out which he's always done before.
 
Hope he starts to pick up. Did the vet give you some painkiller eg metacam to give to Rio whilst he recovers from the cyst and/ or for the arthritis?
 
No, he didn't prescribe anything. Should I go back? I think if he's still not himself Monday I will ring.
He seems to have picked up a bit since i had him on my lap for an hour stroking him. He was making his little happy noises which I was stroking him which made me feel better and he's eaten normal amounts today.
 
Glad he is eating normally - that sounds good. :) If it was my piggie, yes I would go back to see the vet about the arthritis - we can only comment on what we have experienced but I had a boy who arrived from rescue with arthritis. Once he was on a maintenance dose of painkiller, he had a great last few months of his life. but there are some warnings that come with long term use of meds so it needs to be talked through with the vet.
Hope Rio keeps improving!
 
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