Really smelly dark poo

[Olivitree]

I know it isn't exactly meant to smell nice anyway, but this is REALLY bad, it smells more like dog poo and that is really nasty.
Jack has recently seemed to have more of a problem pooing unless he's just eaten a lot, then there seems to be twice the normal amount!
The small amount of poos he does between meals smell TERRIBLE, they're dark and he seems to struggle to do them.
He doesn't look quite as perky either, his eyes look a bit... sunken I guess though they're still bright, shiny and wet. He's sitting hunched a lot too and is a bit chilly when I pick him up, he's not damp though.

Is he impacted? constipated? or worse, has he got bowl cancer or something similar? I wouldn't have expected bowl cancer with the diet he's on, though he has been stuffing his face with hay and hard food as of late.

The thing is sometimes it goes ENTIRELY the other way, he does one big misshapen, quite wet poo that just never seems to end.

He's stopped eating his poos as much as well, he's eating more celery than he use to and has started eating things much slower and spreading it out through the day. He's even gone off his lettuce, but thats hit and miss anyway:<>, he's very particular about the taste of his lettuce. Could this all be down to eating veg that has been sitting around too long? I take out anything he leaves behind by the end of each day, or if I forget, I usually do it the next day but he always has fresh food to eat.

It could be he's just getting old, I don't know, I just want to make sure he's happy, comfortable and if the laws of nature allow, healthy.

Any suggestions?

 

[ILoveGilbertTheGuineaPig]

how old is he? sorry, i dont know much about constipated guinea pigs or anything related to their digestion system sure other people will help out x

 

[Glynis]

Hi there, yes it sounds like he could be impacted, if he's having problems pooing
I'd get him off to the vets and make sure there's nothing wrong in his gut :{
I'm also concerned with his eating......ask for his toofies to be checked as well.
A hunched up piggie usually means they're in pain or very uncomfortable
Sending healing wheeeeeeeks for the little man xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[alcesterpigs]

Cancer is extremely rare in guinea pigs. First pass "pellets" do have a distinctive smell. A gut infection can produce changes in pellet size, shape, consistency and the smell. In the first instance restrict his diet for a couple of days to hay, grass and dried food, it is possible he may need a course of antibiotics

 

[Wiebke]

I can only agree with what has been said: have him checked at the vets for gut infection and tooth trouble.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Does Jack drink much water? One of my thoughts, with the slight difficulty in pooping and the sunken eyes, was he may have a touch of dehydration.

In otherwise healthy guinea pigs, dark and smelly poops can be typical when the guinea pig has been fed "gassy" vegetables such as cabbage, kale, broccoli.

 

[Olivitree]

Jack is 6 years old, sorry I forgot to mention!

Thanks for the help so far everyone, I think his poos aren't smelling too bad now he's been on a pretty grass filled diet for a couple of days and grass seems to really get everything moving.
He has been drinking quite a bit and when ever I'm worried he hasn't been drinking much I always give him very wet food like cucumber so I think water isn't the problem... though he has been eating an irrationally large amount of dry food.

I'll keep an eye on him though, he's eating normally again now and has even started eating the lettuce again, I don't know, he just seems to keep swinging back and forth with his health! :\

Thanks everyone though!