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Recognising impaction

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happycath

happycath

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Hello all,
I've seen some threads on here about impaction and I might just be paranoid but now I'm concerned about Rocky! His bottom looks swollen to me, I don't remember it being that way when we first had him and his brother Rufus.
He seems ok in himself, still running about etc. I am very paranoid about them as they have been poorly with mites. Is a pokey-out bottom normal at that age maybe?
He is only young - 15/15 weeks, from what I've read it only seems to affect older piggies? Maybe the only way to be sure is to have a gentle rummage during cuddle time?
What other symptoms should I keep an eye out for?
Thanks
Catherine x
 
Hi Cath,

My boars are quite young but I have looked this up because I know I could well face it one day. The symptoms are a bluge behind the testicle and when the pig is picked up some droppings may come out having collected in the lower end of the sac.

Louise
:)
 
Hi I'm no expert but my Monty has now got this problem, started earlier this year - I posted for advice on here and read up in my Peter Gurny books. Montys bottom had swollen up and you could feel the mass of poos inside him.

It was a bit daunting at first but takes seconds - I just carefully squezzed til the business fell out! Now we have it down to a fine art I check him before and after work - he seems to be managing this problem well himself with me helping out on occasions.

I do get a paranoid about the hot weather and flies so am cleaning daily at the mo, we go on holiday next month so He is booked in with an experienced boarder who wont be worried about checking him twice daily and cleaning him if needed.

Here is a link to Peters page about this:
http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/analimpact.htm

I hope you find out whats up with Rocky, I'm sure others will give advice, everything Ive read says its common in older buys but not unheard of in younger guineas. Hope Rocky is ok - Monty does not seem bothered by any of this!
 
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It is unlikely to be impaction given his age. You can often smell it :)>>> before you see it and it is easily dealt with once you get used to it...I have used a little olive oil on a cotton bud to help ease the mass out ;)
 
My boar is impacted, Fiona is right it's pretty hard to miss once you see it. Most of the time you can see the mass without even having to poke around as said before and the whole area, sometimes even the man bits get swollen and stick out, i really doubt it would be impaction at that age. xx
 
wish i had of read this before,everything your saying tells me that Boris had Impaction,I'm quite shcked but i always wondered why i had to clean him out at his bottom area a few times a day,thanks now i know for future x
 
KingBoris&HisFollowers said:
wish i had of read this before,everything your saying tells me that Boris had Impaction,I'm quite shcked but i always wondered why i had to clean him out at his bottom area a few times a day,thanks now i know for future x
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Your piggy had paralysis didn't he? I've just been catching up with the forum. My impacted boar Ralfie had temporary paralysis of his back legs and this caused his impaction, I'm guessing his muscles were too weak to allow him to stretch down to clear himself out so he became impacted. He's never fully got his strength back, although he can walk fine he can't balance well on his back legs to clean himself etc bless him. So now i have to clear him out every now and then though nowhere near as much as when he was ill. I was sorry to hear about Boris and that i wasn't around earlier to offer my advice because it was a similar situation with Ralfie. x
 
jnenbnb said:
Your piggy had paralysis didn't he? I've just been catching up with the forum. My impacted boar Ralfie had temporary paralysis of his back legs and this caused his impaction, I'm guessing his muscles were too weak to allow him to stretch down to clear himself out so he became impacted. He's never fully got his strength back, although he can walk fine he can't balance well on his back legs to clean himself etc bless him. So now i have to clear him out every now and then though nowhere near as much as when he was ill. I was sorry to hear about Boris and that i wasn't around earlier to offer my advice because it was a similar situation with Ralfie. x
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thanks so much,yes he fractured his back so his legs were mostly paralysed while he was in his splint,by the time we got him moving the impaction,and infections had settled in to much,poor boy,thanks for the help x
 
Thanks for the advice :)
Rocky is a real wiggler and still quite jumpy around us so it was hard to get him in the right position long enough to inspect!
I gave his botty a little squeeze and nothing came out so I will just keep an eye on him. I can't smell anything different on him or the cage, and I can't see anything suspicious, so hopefully it is only my paranoia.
His bum does hang down quite a bit, but perhaps its more obvious as they are both still small.
I've been trying to watch him in their run to see whether he is pooing normally but its hard to tell because Rufus poops like a trooper lol!
Catherine x
 
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