Soft Poo Advice Help

[PipSqueak20]

Hello,

My pig Pip has been suffering with soft poo for a while. She’s had so many tests done including a stool analysis (which showed nothing). Her stools were fine but suddenly started getting soft and abnormal again. Her poop is soft and mushy. Her behaviour is normal, she is eating, drinking and going to the toilet.

I’m giving her poo soup added with critical care and extra probiotics called ProC. I’m taking her off her veg. Her stomach is soft and not hard or hollow.

Does anyone else have any other advice please!

I feel like this will be a chronic condition.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

I am very sorry. Some piggies can develop a very iffy digestion. It is not quite uncommon, especially in older piggies.

Would your vet consider panacur as a kind of a last ditch kitchen sink approach? I would not recommend doing this on spec at home and you have to brace yourself that - depending on what is causing the digestive issues - it may not work or could make things even worse.
It is a kind of sledgehammer medication for anything from (extremely rare and virtually unknown in indoors piggies) worms to a build up of the wrong kind of bacteria/gut microbiome, so you want somebody experienced who has seen your piggy to deliberate the advisability of it for your case.

 

[PipSqueak20]

She has had a stool analysis so wouldn’t that determine whether she has that. She’s had this on and off since January

 

[Wiebke]

She has had a stool analysis so wouldn’t that determine whether she has that. She’s had this on and off since January

Yes, a stool analysis would have shown up any major bad bugs. Sorry that I overlooked that.

Unfortunately, otherwise you are already doing all you can.

 

[PipSqueak20]

Hi I know. I’m taking her to the vets for a check over in a little while. It’s just odd. The only thing could be too much veg but even then I don’t feed a lot. I’ll talk to the vet about altering how and when I feed her and come up with a plan.

 

[Betsy]

Old girl Thea is 8 and a half and has had soft poops in the past. I give her 0.15ml of Rodicare Akut every morning and it keeps her digestive tract in order. Its a supplement that @Viennese Furbabies recommended. It doesn't contain anything nasty and just keeps her poops normal. When she was on twice daily Baytril for 15 days for a URI a couple of weeks ago I upped her dose to the maximum of 0.3ml twice daily along with Pro-C and she didn't have any tummy trouble at all. If I forget to give her a daily dose then her poops are all soft and sticky.

Rodicare Akut | Digestive system | Rodents | Shop

 

[weepweeps]

My piggies get soft poops when I feed them carrots or soft Timothy hay and it’s very “rich”. I hope you can get to the bottom of the problem

 

[PipSqueak20]

I asked my vet about this and she said that she would be cautious about using it due to the oils in it as it can upset her stomach but the overall contents are fine. Is the product very oily?

 

[PipSqueak20]

Yes, a stool analysis would have shown up any major bad bugs. Sorry that I overlooked that.

Unfortunately, otherwise you are already doing all you can.

I’ve seen the vet, she is overall very happy with Pips condition. She’s lively, no signs of pain and she’s gained weight (1165g to 1175g). She seems to be comfortable during palpation. However, she’s just concerned with her digestion. She told me to completely strip her diet of any veg, treats etc. Just loads of hay, probiotics and poo soup for 3 to 5 days. If her poo doesn’t stabilise in between then, I have to go in for a further xray. She thinks it potentially could be inflammatory related such as ibs or perhaps an intolerance to certain veg. We shall see. Pip seems happy overall though

 

[Wiebke]

I’ve seen the vet, she is overall very happy with Pips condition. She’s lively, no signs of pain and she’s gained weight (1165g to 1175g). She seems to be comfortable during palpation. However, she’s just concerned with her digestion. She told me to completely strip her diet of any veg, treats etc. Just loads of hay, probiotics and poo soup for 3 to 5 days. If her poo doesn’t stabilise in between then, I have to go in for a further xray. She thinks it potentially could be inflammatory related such as ibs or perhaps an intolerance to certain veg. We shall see. Pip seems happy overall though

I have had a couple of older piggies of mine with ibs-like cramp symptoms but it is one of those rather difficult diagnoses that can only be made after everything else has been excluded. Unfortunately, the same gut meds and painkillers (metacam) apply as the most effective medication, steroids, are a big no-no for any rodents.

All the best! That sounds like a reasonable approach. Good that your girl is hanging on in there and is holding her weight. (Keep in mind that 10g is the difference between a full and empty bladder).

 

[weepweeps]

I’ve seen the vet, she is overall very happy with Pips condition. She’s lively, no signs of pain and she’s gained weight (1165g to 1175g). She seems to be comfortable during palpation. However, she’s just concerned with her digestion. She told me to completely strip her diet of any veg, treats etc. Just loads of hay, probiotics and poo soup for 3 to 5 days. If her poo doesn’t stabilise in between then, I have to go in for a further xray. She thinks it potentially could be inflammatory related such as ibs or perhaps an intolerance to certain veg. We shall see. Pip seems happy overall though

That sounds like a really good plan. I hope her tummy settles down.

 

[PipSqueak20]

I have had a couple of older piggies of mine with ibs-like cramp symptoms but it is one of those rather difficult diagnoses that can only be made after everything else has been excluded. Unfortunately, the same gut meds and painkillers (metacam) apply as the most effective medication, steroids, are a big no-no for any rodents.

All the best! That sounds like a reasonable approach. Good that your girl is hanging on in there and is holding her weight. (Keep in mind that 10g is the difference between a full and empty bladder).

It’s a hard one for sure. She’s showing no tell tale signs of pain or cramps. She is acting herself just with a funny tummy. She is an anxious and easily stressed pig so I’m wondering if that has something to do with her weird gut. Her weight has gone up over the past few weeks as she started out at 1159 and now is around 1175. The vet was happy that she wasn’t losing weight at least.

 

[Betsy]

I asked my vet about this and she said that she would be cautious about using it due to the oils in it as it can upset her stomach but the overall contents are fine. Is the product very oily?

No the product isn't oily.

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

I asked my vet about this and she said that she would be cautious about using it due to the oils in it as it can upset her stomach but the overall contents are fine. Is the product very oily?

I've been using it for years and it doesn't do any harm. The worst that can happen, is that you don't see an improvement.

 

[Wiebke]

It’s a hard one for sure. She’s showing no tell tale signs of pain or cramps. She is acting herself just with a funny tummy. She is an anxious and easily stressed pig so I’m wondering if that has something to do with her weird gut. Her weight has gone up over the past few weeks as she started out at 1159 and now is around 1175. The vet was happy that she wasn’t losing weight at least.

IBS cramps are invisible; they are tiny cramps in the gut that only they can feel but - like human period cramps - that you cannot see.

The fact that she still is a very good weight is encouraging.

 

[PipSqueak20]

I've been using it for years and it doesn't do any harm. The worst that can happen, is that you don't see an improvement.

I’ve ordered it through vetmed uk, it should come by Saturday. So here’s hoping that it works

 

[PipSqueak20]

IBS cramps are invisible; they are tiny cramps in the gut that only they can feel but - like human period cramps - that you cannot see.

The fact that she still is a very good weight is encouraging.

Just an update: Pip seems to be doing better. Her stool is shaped like it’s supposed to and the colour is back to normal. It seems like taking her off veg for a while is better for her. Makes her less bloated as well. It seems I need to reevaluate when I feed her. So every other day instead of every day. Or just 2 to 3 times a week with some supplementation in between.