Sleeping in her own mess

[Tiggy Pig]

I have an ageing sow 6 or 7 years old (she was rescued so we are not 100% sure of her age) for some time now she has used her sleeping area to poo and wee. This is resulting in her becoming wet underneath. I try to bathe her to prevent soreness but don't want to do this too often especially in the winter months. She even sits in her mess when she is out on the grass. Does anyone know why she has formed this habit and is there any way of breaking it? If not I would like some ideas to keep her as comfortable and fresh as possible. thank you. Ps I have had guinea pigs before but never encountered this problem.

 

[Merab]

Welcome to the forum.
Sorry I can’t answer your question but there will be others along who can.
I just wanted to say hello.
Please let us see pictures of your girl - and any other piggies

 

[Wiebke]

I have an ageing sow 6 or 7 years old (she was rescued so we are not 100% sure of her age) for some time now she has used her sleeping area to poo and wee. This is resulting in her becoming wet underneath. I try to bathe her to prevent soreness but don't want to do this too often especially in the winter months. She even sits in her mess when she is out on the grass. Does anyone know why she has formed this habit and is there any way of breaking it? If not I would like some ideas to keep her as comfortable and fresh as possible. thank you. Ps I have had guinea pigs before but never encountered this problem.

Hi and welcome

Please bring your girl indoors in a stable environment and have her vet checked.

She has likely got arthritis, which is painful and limits her mobility. It also means that she cannot clean herself much anymore, so you need to do it for her on a daily basis. Increased peeing can also point to a urine infection or kidney problem.

Keep her comfortable and warm with a microwaveable snugglesafe during cooler nights and days and cool during hot summer days.
Hot weather management and heat strokes

Please keep her ideally on vetbed or soft fleece bedding with an absorbent underlay, which you can chance twice daily to minimise the risk of urine scald and infections. Check her genitalia and gently wipe them clean with a damp rag; also clean the pads of her front and back legs. Look out for signs of fly strike etc. which she is at a high risk of.
Older guinea pigs with reduced mobility and blood flow through the extremities are prone to developing bumblefoot (pododermatitis) especially on their weight bearing front legs when they are no longer able to take weight off.
Guinea Lynx :: Pododermatitis
Guinea Lynx :: Urine Scald

Place hay on newspaper (change daily), water and food very close by so she can always access it. Weigh her daily on your kitchen scales in case she needs top up feeding. hay should still make over 80% of the daily food intake. Offer as much water to her as she wants to drink freely by syringe if her food intake is becoming dodgy.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

Unfortunately your girl is now an old lady; she is not getting any better and completely relies on your conscious care for comfort at the end of her life. You have to be her nursing home nurse now in order to repay all the love and fun she has given you when she was younger. We do the same with our family, only that it is much more spread out over out lives. It is part of the responsibility we take on when get cute little baby pets.

This is a picture from when my 7 year old Nerys on the right lost use her back legs and never regained it fully during the last months of her life. At that time, she still needed regular syringe feeding support and got her water (as much as she wanted) by syringe, hence why there is no bottle.

 

[Flutterby]

Can't add to the advice given above, just want to send healing vibes!