Squeaking when pooping or weeing

[Lisanjake]

Hi all,
I am a bit worried about my girl Ruby (she is just over 3yrs old for reference)
She sometimes squeaks whilst going to the toilet, but it’s always settled down.
So on Tuesday last week I gave her some green beans which I haven’t fed before, and a strawberry.
A few days later she had soft poops but not diarrhoea and was squeaking basically everytime she went to the toilet.
I can’t tell if it’s just wee or poop as both are always there when I check.
I haven’t noticed any blood or anything, she seems to settle down then I’d hear her squeak again.
Fine in herself otherwise, wanting veggies (which I have halved) eating her hay.
She lost about 28g compared to last week.
I’m thinking it is worth a vet visit now, but do you think it’s possibly the softer poos making her squeak as a friend of mine says it’s likely just that.
My great guinea pig vet is almost 2 hrs away so I don’t want to make the journey unless absolutely necessary as even a 5 min journey stresses her out in the carrier, she’s such a nervous girl. Just wondered your thoughts x

 

[Truffolo]

Yes, she needs a vet visit as soon as possible. Pain on urination may be a symptom of stones or a UTI. It is a significant clinical symptom that needs investigation by the vet. I hope things turn out OK

 

[Lisanjake]

Yes, she needs a vet visit as soon as possible. Pain on urination may be a symptom of stones or a UTI. It is a significant clinical symptom that needs investigation by the vet. I hope things turn out OK

Thanks I was thinking possibly UTI. I’m not totally sure if it’s weeing or pooping as she does it when doing both.
But I just rang the vets and am going to book in for an appointment tomorrow x

 

[Piggies&buns]

Definitely get her seen by a vet, it’s impossible to know what is causing it without further checks

Clear urine can still contain blood but only seen on tests rather than being visible.

If she is still having soft poops then you need to remove veg entirely for several days until poops normalise again. If you continue to feed any veg at all while there is a digestive upset then it will just make things worse.

Switch to daily weight checks.
28g in a week is just considered normal fluctuation at this point but if she is feeling unwell then you never know how quickly things could turn. So the daily weight checks enable you to step in with support feeding more quickly if she loses 50g or more.

I hope she is ok

 

[Wheekallweek]

My concern would be stones. Good luck at the vets

 

[Lisanjake]

I noticed this in her cage tonight too (I took it out and put it on a puppy pad to see the colour better)
Again she’s acting happy in herself.
It’s like super sticky mucus

 

[Lisanjake]

Hi all, just got back from the vets.
she had a good feel of her bladder / kidneys and urinary tract but said there was no sign of pain or flinching so thats good.
She also said her teeth were more that perfect, so another relief.

Basically she thinks it could be interstitial cystitis and her bladder could be a little inflamed which causes her to cry when going to the loo.
Ive got Metacam and a tiny amount of Gabapentin to see how she goes over the next 4 weeks.

Ruby is also super stressy, so anything scares her. Kim said thats a very common cause of IC too.
so fingers crossed the painkillers help her xx

 

[Lisanjake]

So I weighed Ruby today.. 984g

Her normal weight is around 1030.

So pre vet visit it was this:

12/9 - 1034
13/9 - 1019
17/9 - 1006
19/9 - 1000g at the vets as it doesn’t show the 4th decimal

I know she was stressed and it was a 4 hour day out to the vets. could that have caused it? Obv il keep a very close eye. Eating absolutely fine, happy in herself and squeaking has stopped since the pain killers.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Her hay intake is a little less than it needs to be, not yet massively so, but 50g of loss is the point you start to prepare measures to step in and she is at that point. Continue to weigh her daily and If she is down again tomorrow morning, then prepare to give her some top up feeds.

As the vet suspects IC, I would get her started on glucosamine asap. It takes several weeks to build up to help protect the bladder but it can be very effective. She will need it lifelong. You will need to find the daily maintenance dose of glucosamine and metacam that works for her and you then increase it temporarily during a flare up and then go back to daily once it has passed.
You will find many threads about IC on the forum.

 

[Lisanjake]

Hi again, I have started her on Feliway Cystease as ive read that its a good supplement for her bladder health.
but recently ive read its not so good for them? ive only been giving her one capsule a day so far only for the last few days.
just wondered if you can recommend another if needed please?
Her weight actually went up to 1kg again then a few days later back down to 985g.

I also wondered if its worth asking the vet for a big bottle of metacam to keep for any future flare ups. she is still squeaking occasionally even with 0.3ml of metacam x2 a day. definitely not as much though.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi again, I have started her on Feliway Cystease as ive read that its a good supplement for her bladder health.
but recently ive read its not so good for them? ive only been giving her one capsule a day so far only for the last few days.
just wondered if you can recommend another if needed please?
Her weight actually went up to 1kg again then a few days later back down to 985g.

I also wondered if its worth asking the vet for a big bottle of metacam to keep for any future flare ups. she is still squeaking occasionally even with 0.3ml of metacam x2 a day. definitely not as much though.

Where have you seen it’s not good for them? It is the one the forum still recommends.

Her weight from 1kg to 985g is within normal fluctuation range.

 

[Lisanjake]

ahh okay good, that's a relief.
I was just googling and came across something that said it could contain fish / meaty products which are obviously more aimed at a cat.
But i will continue to use if its all okay she seems happy to eat it sprinkled with some water on her grass

 

[Piggies&buns]

4joints is the other glucosamine product you can try.

Or switch to piggie parcels urinary support pellets as they are formulated with glucosamine already in them

 

[Lisanjake]

Thank you, ill have a look into the piggy parcels pellets.

 

[Wheekallweek]

We're using the Piggie parcels urinary pellets and the girls love them!

 

[Lisanjake]

4joints is the other glucosamine product you can try.

Or switch to piggie parcels urinary support pellets as they are formulated with glucosamine already in them

Hi, I get a bit obsessed with asking ChatGPT these days, but it says to only use these occasionally rather than a full time pellet feed. Is this right?
I understand ChatGPT isn’t always correct

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi, I get a bit obsessed with asking ChatGPT these days, but it says to only use these occasionally rather than a full time pellet feed. Is this right?
I understand ChatGPT isn’t always correct

No that’s not right at all.

All pellet brands should be kept limited to just one tablespoon per day (pellets as a food source aren’t necessary in the diet anyway) but piggie parcels pellets can be fed daily just like any other.
In fact I would much rather feed piggie parcels daily given the ingredients are exponentially better, than any one of the commercial brands which almost all contain fillers of some sort or another.

 

[flowerfairy]

Happy with piggie parcels pellets in this family (well, the guinea pigs anyway).

 

[Lisanjake]

No that’s not right at all.

All pellet brands should be kept limited to just one tablespoon per day (pellets as a food source aren’t necessary in the diet anyway) but piggie parcels pellets can be fed daily just like any other.
In fact I would much rather feed piggie parcels daily given the ingredients are exponentially better, than any one of the commercial brands which almost all contain fillers of some sort or another.

Ahh okay. I wasn’t trying to slate them or anything I actually really like that company. I’m just trying to look into the best thing for her right now. Strange as my current burgess indoor pellets had a much better review
I defo thought PP would be better

 

[Lisanjake]

Could I ask is it safe to give a small handful of wheatgrass a few times a day?
I’m reading mixed responses again, it’s grass I grow at home. I tried Timothy grass once and it really upset her stomach even though I gave a tiny amount.

 

[Lisanjake]

Also this is odd but I just heard her ‘purr’ a few times when going to the loo? Never in my life have I heard that from a guinea pig

 

[Lisanjake]

I thought I’d update, though it looks a bit like I’m speaking to myself
Just want to help anyone else out that may be having the same issues. Sorry it’s a long one.

So I cut out the wheatgrass completely for I’d say a month now, cut out all the little treats I used to give (I give 1 ‘the little ones’ treat every other day now instead of 3 a day )
I also give her the tiny love hearts from Sherwood which she loves. Maybe 3 a day.
Cut out all the pets at home treats, which I thought were okay as I only give dried grasses / naturals anyway. No more apple pieces and rarely pea flakes which seem to upset her tummy.
Oat grass I’m giving every other day now, small amounts.

Also given only small amounts of peppers / carrot/ (maybe coriander every other day) so very limited but enough twice a day.
Mum used to feed her too much when I was at work so told her to cut back.

Also now given orchard hay /timothy hay daily which she loves.

Ive also been giving 1 feliway cystease split over the days feeding.

So just doing that I’ve not heard her squeak once in about a week now.

Kind of worked it out from this forum and others helping me! She also started doing zoomies more which she stopped recently! So all is well

 

[Truffolo]

Also this is odd but I just heard her ‘purr’ a few times when going to the loo? Never in my life have I heard that from a guinea pig

It's interesting. I've heard my piggy purr on being taken out his carrier at the vet, and then again when being put back into his carrier. He purred last night when he was nervous about firework noise and briefly while I was picking him up for grooming in the afternoon. I wonder if it is like a small, anxious laugh that humans make when they are nervous, to release tension. He also purred briefly when a lady was stroking him on her lap, like he was saying hello

 

[Lisanjake]

It's interesting. I've heard my piggy purr on being taken out his carrier at the vet, and then again when being put back into his carrier. He purred last night when he was nervous about firework noise and briefly while I was picking him up for grooming in the afternoon. I wonder if it is like a small, anxious laugh that humans make when they are nervous, to release tension. He also purred briefly when a lady was stroking him on her lap, like he was saying hello

Oh yeah most of my girls purred when coming back from the vets, walking out of the carrier. Relieved they are home bless them.
It does seem funny they make certain noises in different situations.
Even after 10 years I’m still learning about them