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Small Poos And Possible Difficulty Passing?

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Tbag

Tbag

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Just after a bit of advice and to pick your brains.

Noticed today that Tango has been doing some very small poos. They are perfectly rounded like usual piggy poo but almost a quarter of the size:
image.webp

He also seemed like he was struggling to pass at one point though I never saw anything exit so he could have just been adjusting himself to get comfortable.

He is otherwise in fine and normal spirits, eating and drinking like a horse. I can't detect any sound of hollowness when tapping his tummy and have him a good massage just to be on the safe side but he didn't produce any has so I'm hesitant to think that it's bloat.

He was on the grass for a good half hour today and has had pepper, tomato, bean sprouts, celery and blueberry today along with his usual excel nuggets and hay. Also appears to be drinking fine from what I can tell.

I'm going to take him to the vets next week (unless there are any drastic developments of course) but just wondering if anyone can suggest possible cause or anything I can do to help him in the meantime?

Thanks!
 
Do the poos look like they have small holes in them? If so it could indicate gas.

There is definitely some kind of disturbance to the gut, has he had anything different to eat recently?
 
Thanks Helen, they don't look particularly holey to me. He hasn't had anything out of the ordinary - they don't get bean sprouts often but he has had them before with no ill effects. Wyatt has had exactly the same to eat today and isn't showing any similar signs either.
 
I would keep an eye over the next day or so. Is his weight ok?

It is good they aren't pointy. Is he still doing lots of poos but they are just small?
 
His weight is his usual, it seems to have been fluctuating a tiny bit more than normal (difference of full/empty tummy/bladder etc) the past few days but always bounces back up.

And yes, still pooing regularly but they just seem to be small. There were quite a few in the cage from this evening.

Thanks for your help, I'll be watching him closely until we see the vet!
 
Well he's definitely straining to pass them, saw him at it today though he did pass about 4 (still small) at that time.
Been on the grass for about an hour and had lots of hay and veg and pellets again. Was very spritely this morning but seems a bit subdued now - though it might be post bath sulking!
 
Back from the vets! Most likely diagnosis is illeus so he had an injection of emeprid and metacam with more to take home.
Vet couldn't feel any blockages and was impressed with his overall health otherwise so fingers crossed all should be well!
 
How quickly does emeprid start working usually? We've got a few more poos but they're still small!
 
Tbag said:
How quickly does emeprid start working usually? We've got a few more poos but they're still small!
Click to expand...

Treacle used to take a few days on Emeprid to recover from her bloaty episodes. What dose is he on at home? Can recomend asking the vet to prescribe or sanction thegiving of zantac also @Pebble recomended this to us nad on discussion with our vet we used it in conjunction with success for Treacles bloaty episodes. Lots of healing vibes x
 
Can be anything up to 48hours of "absolutely no poos" until the first airgun pellets appear from being put on gut motility meds
Off to bed....if required, will provide further more lucid comments tomrrow
x

Edit - confirm zantac acts on hind gut ....emerpid/meto acts on foregut.
Most guinea pig probs (as are rabbits) ref gut issues are hind gut .....it was my vet that introduced zantac to this forum as a means of treating ileus
 
Thanks guys! We're definitely getting more volume of poo and he looks much more like himself so hopefully it's a case of the emeprid still kicking in and there'll be more improvement today!

Thanks for the Zantac info @Pebble. We didn't see Ann as usual on Monday or I suspect we may have been prescribed Zantac to begin with from what you've said about it. I was happy with the vet though so we'll finish the course and go back to see Ann if there's no improvement. He's on 0.5ml three times a day @sport_billy
 
Tbag said:
Thanks guys! We're definitely getting more volume of poo and he looks much more like himself so hopefully it's a case of the emeprid still kicking in and there'll be more improvement today!

Thanks for the Zantac info @Pebble. We didn't see Ann as usual on Monday or I suspect we may have been prescribed Zantac to begin with from what you've said about it. I was happy with the vet though so we'll finish the course and go back to see Ann if there's no improvement. He's on 0.5ml three times a day @sport_billy
Click to expand...

Emeprid always works well too for us, we tend to use a combination of them both. 0.5ml x 3 of Emeprid is a good dose so will hopefully sort out his issues
 
Well been on the emeprid for a week and still getting small poos. He's also lost another 50g which is pretty disheartening :(

Needless to say going back to vets this week but does anyone have any further ideas. Will be mentioning Zantac but wondering if an X-ray might prove more useful than just switching meds?

He's in much better spirits than last weekend and doesn't look in pain or all puffed/hunched anymore but I'm guessing that might be the metacam.

Still eating loads, drinking normally and has been getting plenty of fresh leafy greens and grass.
 
I think an xray is a good idea as you will be able to see if there is any gas.
 
I agree a return visit to the vets if the poos are still small. I have recently rehomed a 4+ year old piggie who has small poos and is failing to thrive weightwise. We know his tummy is painful but not bloaty (so was given no git motility meds)
We are trialling tramadol for 2-3 weeks (better for gut pain apparently than metacam) plus I am removing him from his cagemate to eat a bowl of mushed up pellets each day as I also suspect food bullying. However his poos are still small and whilst his weight is stabilised he is only 980g when he should be around 1.2kg for his frame. We have another week to go and then we too will be getting an Xray and ultrasound done.

Just a thought - Is it dog or cat metacam that Tango is on? If it is in the original bottle, can you also please quote the expiry date on the bottle.

Good luck at the vets
x
 
Thanks for the info @Pebble your current small poo piggy seems to have very similar symptoms, especially the "weight for his frame" part.

It's dog metacam, the bottle is at home so I can't check the expiry date but it was brand new and I know it's not near expiring as the vet mentioned she'd give me the whole bottle as it'd last for a long time and be a handy thing to have.

We're booked in to see Ann on Wednesday so I will mention tramadol. Would you be able to give me some info on Zantac to take along too please?

The poo is perhaps a tiny bit bigger than it was but still not near full size. He's still in great shape otherwise and eating everything we throw at him! Getting little piles of oats each time he had his emeprid and loads of veggies/nuggets but nothing seems to hold!

I was reading a bit on peter gurneys site about worming where the symptoms sort of sound similar with regards to weight - what do you think? http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/worming-guinea-pigs.shtml

Thanks! X
 
There have been reports of possible poo problems with some in-date metacam batches - (hence me asking for the expiry date/lot number or other identifying details to check against out existing data). It's just a suspicion atm based upon a few observations in different areas of the country.

Re zantac - my vet prescribes doses ranging from 2-10mg/kg - high doses for bad stasis (gradually reducing the amount by 2mg/kg daily over a week) and lower doses to keep the gut moving along in cases of "grumbly guts". (Also prescribes cisapride in preference to emeprid/metoclop)

Would never give panacur unless a poo sample proved positive.....I have had poos cultured/examined at various times from almost all of my pigs and we've never found any evidence of actual worms (which is extremely unlikely in piggies in any case) or more specifically the protozoal parasites that are more likely to be present (some of which would need to be treated with other drugs in any case).

In Tangos' case however it might be worth doing a poo sample for microscopy/culture to see if anything is there.....and maybe even think about sending it off to Chester Zoo labs as they conduct more comprehensive tests on faecal floats than a standard lab. If I remember it was @Poppy'sMum who has had this done?

HTH
xx
 
Yes it was me Pebble :) I agree with the worming too; my vet said they are very rare in guineas, she doesn't worm unless there is proof of their presence. My vet sends her samples to Chester Zoo because ordinary vets send them to a local lab who do not do the in depth fecal diagnosis that Chester Zoo do. In my piggies' case they have Saccharomyces Guttulatus present which is very rare in piggies, it's usually found in rabbits. @Tbag do your piggies have any contact with rabbits at all?
 
Thanks for the the info guys!
Just been to see Ann with still not much to go on so he's booked in for next Monday for x-ray, bloods - the works. If all of those come back inconclusive we'll send some poo off though she's not convinced it's entirely a bacterial type of gut issue since the poos are totally normal other than being small. She noted a fair bit of stiffness in his back legs so going to check for arthritis too. Also said that his sort of back end weight loss is often symptomatic of renal pigs so instead of getting closer to a diagnosis we've now got even more options!

Hopefully next Monday will give some sort of answers. In the meantime he can continue his metacam addiction and we've got some fibreplex too.
 
Mine haven't either :( The poops look normal to me, just smaller so possibly there is a pain issue :( My piggy gets intermittent really soft poops then she will do normal ones for weeks. I think your vet has everything covered but if funds allow or if your piggy is insured, an ultrasound scan would be useful too. Best of luck for him x
 
We have insurance now thankfully so ultrasound is an option if we're still stumped!
So your piggies are getting small poops too? Or just soft every now and again?
:( poor little sausages, they do have us worried don't they! X
 
Mine get very soft poops every now & then, out of the blue & I have had them tested but it's a mystery where they got this from as it is specific to rabbits normally & I don't keep rabbits nor do they go on the grass, so no idea but it can be very serious & make them very ill. At the moment it is a matter of wait & see how they are because the treatment is Nystatin which can cause problems in itself. Any oral anti fungal carries a risk of damage to the kidneys & liver I believe so I don't want to go down that route until the vet thinks it's time to try that. My goodness mine have been a huge worry, one has just had a hysterectomy on Monday so I am post-op watch but she hasn't pooped for 12 hours which is very worrying so I am hoping something happens in the next few hours or I will be back at the vets later :) This one is not insured as she has had bladder issues for 2 years & cystic ovaries then her womb was infected :( She has cost me £3000 or more to date :(
 
Oh no! :( Poor little girl has certainly been through the wars! Hope she gets back on track soon.
How strange your piggies have managed to pick that bug up since they seem so isolated from any cause. At least you know what it is which is something I suppose!
 
Did the nightly cage clean to find not only are poops small but are now thin looking and a few are a bit pointy. They also seem to be two toned. :(
image.webp
Very disheartening. I really have no idea what could be wrong with him! He's still ravenous for food and otherwise acting normal.

We didn't get given any more emeprid - would doubling his dose of fibreplex to 2ml help?

Also checked our metacam bottle and expiry is 02/2017 @Pebble his problems started before he was taking it though so I don't think it's a cause ... But if the dates match what you have suspicions on then it might not be helping.

Going to weigh him after floor time but almost can't bear too :( :(
 
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