• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Small Poos And Possible Difficulty Passing?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Slightly light/dark poops can be normal, what would concern me more is his difficulty in passing them. I'm assuming you've checked him out down below in case of impaction? My other thought might be a possible stone brewing or gritty wee. Have you dipsticks you can test his wee for blood at all? Blood is not always visible to the naked eye.
 
Sorry, I forgot to mention that he no longer appears to be straining - metacam is probably helping that as he hasn't strained since taking it.

@Poppy'sMum we couldn't do a dipstick at the vets as the little rascal always empties himself completely on the way! I've got a sample pot to fill for Monday though. He's definitely not impacted and gets weekly cleans down there so no chance of any blockage at point of re-entry so to speak!

He weighed 940g which is his lowest weight to date. He was 950g on Sunday then 990g on weds at the vets so up and down still.
 
Poppy'sMum said:
Slightly light/dark poops can be normal, what would concern me more is his difficulty in passing them. I'm assuming you've checked him out down below in case of impaction? My other thought might be a possible stone brewing or gritty wee. Have you dipsticks you can test his wee for blood at all? Blood is not always visible to the naked eye.
Click to expand...

Franks poop is like that of what @Tbag 's piggy is, it improves after a good clean down there but then goes straight back after a few days, I never realised it could be due to a bladder stone I just read it was probably impaction, would normal dipsticks work to check his urine, just normal ones people use?
 
Well stones/bladder sludge could be a possibilty because of discomfort when passing wee/pooping & they seem to becoming more common. Sludge or a stone might not show blood in the wee though until an infection starts. I use normal human dipsticks you can get through Amazon etc. I have a bladder pig so she has to be checked regularly. I do notice she does poops with a "Tail" on them at one end, which could be due to straining or difficulty passing poops.
 
This is what my one looks like, some are like clumped, some are small, some are long, some are pinched....
:/


@Tbag how's your little man doing? :/
 

Attachments

  • image.webp
    image.webp
    28.7 KB · Views: 14
They are similar to Tango's but he hasn't done any longer than 1cm in 2 weeks now.
 
Still the same, happy and hungry etc but still popping out little presents.
About to go down and see them this morning and will do another weigh in when I clean them.
He's loving his fibreplex and metacam - that's for sure!
 
Tbag said:
Still the same, happy and hungry etc but still popping out little presents.
About to go down and see them this morning and will do another weigh in when I clean them.
He's loving his fibreplex and metacam - that's for sure!
Click to expand...
Aw bless him. Big hugs to you all x
 
Unfortunately there have been some worrying developments :(

I noticed the (few) small poos in the cage this morning were looking a bit pale:
image.webp
Just as I was carrying these out to get a photo I noticed him straining again. Stopped to watch and after about 4 strains a large amount of soft poo came out:
image.webp
This all was one long string but broke into two when I lifted it out. The part at the top of the photo came out first and is more formed/solid than the rest. It's not runny but very squishy.

Is this the fibreplex working? Has he now gone in completely the other direction of gut trouble? Should I stop the fibreplex and veggies? I am so confused and worried!

He's also down to 890g too. Has been puffed up this morning but soon perks up the moment you offer treats and when it was metacam time. Still interested in eating too.

What should I be doing now? @helen105281 @Pebble any ideas?

Currently waiting to get a wee sample for Ann tomorrow and he's pottering around the conservatory. Should I try save the squishy poo to take to Anne - if there is a way to actually do this?
 
It could be the fibreplex but I would keep going with that but stop the veg. How much is he having in the way of fluids? the two-tone poos you had the other day I think mean that he is dehydrated. I would consider adding in Dioralyte if you are not using it already. A vitamin boost would help too, do you have any Metatone tonic? My Barney's poos are sometimes pale (due to his other health issues he has) and a 2 week course of Metatone helps.
 
Last edited:
He's drinking a fair amount, been to the water several times since I've been waiting for him to wee. Just checked and the dioralyte we have expired in 2013 so probably not best to use! What would metatone/dioralyte dosages be?
And thanks for your help!
 
The Dioralyte I mix up as per the instructions and give about 5ml every few hours, the most of mine would drink the whole jug if they could. The Metatone is 0.5ml a day for the first week and 0.3ml a day for the second week.
 
Now I'm wondering if it might be worth getting a fecal sample sent off to Chester Zoo.The thing is it is the least invasive thing to do, but obviously there is the cost :( Is he insured at all?
 
Yes he's insured so cost not an issue. He hasn't done another squishy big one since this morning though.
Going to go for X-rays etc as planned tomorrow but if X-rays and urine show nothing then I'll get bloods AND poo sent off.

He's been tucking into nuggets, hay and water all morning which is certainly encouraging. Am a little less panicky now but still an awful situation! Don't want to be going through all this again so soon after Cash!
 
Is he having his x-ray under GA? If he is it might be an idea to get bloods done at the same time, just to save him having to have another one later :) My vet gets the bloods sent off to Chester Zoo, full rodent profile is what you need :)
 
Yup that's the plan - whiff of gas and then Ann can do everything she needs in one go! We thought about xraying on weds when we went as she can do them conscious but felt that it was probably better to just have him in for the morning and rule everything out at once!
 
Awww best of luck for him :hug:They are such a worry for such little animals aren't they? Mine has recovered well from her major op but she is still not eating 100% yet & then there was soft poops in their house last night so they are all off veggies again *Sigh*
 
It's one thing after another isn't it! Hopefully your little lady is past the worst now since she's recovered from the op.
You wish for poos and then when they come they're not at all what you want!
 
If he's eating hay and nuggets then that is a really good sign.
Two-tone poos is often a result of withdrawing leafy greens....but "could indicate something else....although I don;t know what.
I do however recognise two-tone poos from some of my other poorly pigs (not seriously...just "summat not quite right" symptoms)
Go ahead with the vet's visit/diagnostics.
Don;t worry about the odd soft poo atm.

He clearly does not have an acute problem...it's one of those "grumbly" ones.....so see what happens tomorrow.
Hugs
x
 
Thank you for the thoughts and reassurance! He's looking happier again in himself this evening again, just seems to be very up and down poor chap!
 
Hope you manage to get to the bottom for Tangos problem. Bless him and you! They can be such a worry cant they! Good luck at the vets also :)
 
Well it's not great news, but I'm not too upset as at least we now know what we're up against:

As it turns out we aren't looking at gut issues at all but some rather serious urinary/kidney problems.
Poor mr T has huge amounts of calcium build up and a stone in his ureter going back towards his kidneys which also show signs of calcium build up :(

Unfortunately due to the location of the stone and build up there's very little that can be done surgically or otherwise to remove it since it's not in his bladder or on it's way out in the urethra. His bloods are being sent off and results should be in tomorrow so we can see what the state of his actual kidney function is.

From there we'll decide on a better course of action (ie. changing from metacam to tramadol if his kidneys are failing so we don't do them any more harm) but generally I am happy if he is. It's going to be palliative care whatever the outcome but as long as he is still interested in and enjoying what he enjoys then I'm happy to keep him comfortable until the inevitable.

I am a little concerned it's progressing quite quickly though as the urine sample I collected yesterday was slightly brown (I thought this was down to him doing it right in the dirty crack between floor tiles at the time!), however another sample the vet collected today was very red :(

Made a new low calcium dietary plan for his veggies and with high calorie veg too to try get some weight back on him. There are also a few natural remedies we talked about at the vets after looking on guinea lynx (and on here!) that I need to look into. Also if anyone can remind me of the low calcium nuggets that would be great thanks. Also syringing "smoothie water" in high volume (water used to rinse carton before recycling) to try help flush things through. Got 25mls in earlier which I'm pretty happy with.
 
Oh and is it possible to change the thread title since it's a different problem altogether - admins? @sport_billy ?

On that note Ann suspects his poo trouble to be down to general discomfort and current poor health :(
 
Thank you!

Does anyone have any experience with uriflow/hydrangea root tincture?
 
I just wanted to say sorry it wasnt better news about Tango. Really hope his Kidneys are in good shape. Sending lots of love and hugs to you and Tango (and Wyatt) x
 
Awww I just read this :( Sorry it's not good news for your boy. Just maybe though with lots of fluid the stone might reach the bladder where it could be removed. Gosh these little guys surely do capture our hearts don't they? Special fuzzy cuddles from my gang for him x
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top