My guinea pig Smores (approx 3 years old) started passing very soft poop about a week ago. I noticed they were very soft and misshapen. Some pieces were bigger and some were tiny, all shaped abnormally. So I searched for advice and started her on probiotics. Unfortunately she would not latch onto a little syringe for the “poop soup” method so I bought some bene-bac probiotic gel to mix with her pellets which she only nibbles on occasionally. I also bought oxbow vitamin c tabs and dietary supplement tabs and she will not eat them. Eventually I found the only way I could get her to eat them was if I took a tiny piece of apple or carrot or bell pepper and rolled it in the crushed up tab. I know I shouldn’t be giving her veggies but it’s the only way I can make sure she’s getting vitamin C and probiotic. And now she has lost interest in that method. At this point all I can think to do is take her to the vet but I’m worried they won’t know what to do either since she will not latch to a syringe and the probiotics don’t seem to help. She does still eat hay and drink water but she’s definitely less interested in her food. I do not how to help her and I feel awful. :/
-
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
Soft, Clumpy Poop
- Thread starter emills429
- Start date
Siikibam
Senior Guinea Pig
Please take her off the veg until her poo is back to normal for at least 24 hours. She doesn’t need vitamin c so you can leave that. As you have found the taste has put her off her pellets.
Did you change anything diet wise when she started the soft poo?
Feed her just hay and pellets (a tablespoon per day), that should cover her vitamin c needs. As for the probiotic, try feeding it to her in a dish or on a spoon. She may manage to lick it up herself. Is it too thick or okay? I’ll link to the syringe feeding section below. Please have a read through and see.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
PS carrots and apples shouldn’t be fed daily, however small a portion. They’re only recommended as an occasional treat.
Please add tour location (country is enough) so info can be tailored to you. I assume you’re in the Us.
Did you change anything diet wise when she started the soft poo?
Feed her just hay and pellets (a tablespoon per day), that should cover her vitamin c needs. As for the probiotic, try feeding it to her in a dish or on a spoon. She may manage to lick it up herself. Is it too thick or okay? I’ll link to the syringe feeding section below. Please have a read through and see.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
PS carrots and apples shouldn’t be fed daily, however small a portion. They’re only recommended as an occasional treat.
Please add tour location (country is enough) so info can be tailored to you. I assume you’re in the Us.
Okay, I will leave out the little bits of veggies. I tried to get her to latch onto the tube and she will not lick it off of it either. She just seems completely uninterested which is why I tried to disguise it. I can try a spoon though! And no it is not terribly thick. Thank you for the link! I will try again with the syringe feeding and if I can get her to latch onto it. I am in Virginia, U.S.
I agree. Take her off vegetables until her poops return to normal. Once they return to normal, wait a further 24 hours and then she can start eating veggies again. As siikibam has said carrots and apples aren’t good to be part of their regular veg diet.
A probiotic can help but keeping her off veg for now and just on a hay based diet should be enough to rebalance her fur.
If it doesn’t work, then she will need to see a vet. They absolutely will know what to do.
I don’t know what you mean by latch on to the syringe though - she is unlikely to take it willingly, you have to put the syringe into their mouth in the correct manner. Please read the syringe feeding guide that has been linked in above (the green hyperlink) as it tells you how to give a piggy a syringe. That post relates to critical care and syringe feeding but the process is the same
A probiotic can help but keeping her off veg for now and just on a hay based diet should be enough to rebalance her fur.
If it doesn’t work, then she will need to see a vet. They absolutely will know what to do.
I don’t know what you mean by latch on to the syringe though - she is unlikely to take it willingly, you have to put the syringe into their mouth in the correct manner. Please read the syringe feeding guide that has been linked in above (the green hyperlink) as it tells you how to give a piggy a syringe. That post relates to critical care and syringe feeding but the process is the same