Strange shaped poops

[Watsoon]

Hi everyone,

my piggie Wilbur is about 18 months old and has been squeaking when he poops. They’re also coming out a funny shape, some are really small and round, some have indents on them, and a few have little tail bits. He seems to be eating okay, maybe slightly fewer nuggets than normal but other than that he’s acting normal. He seems happy and is popcorning about but I’m so worried.
I had a phone appointment with the vet (due to lockdown rules) and she seemed quite concerned, he’s now on critical care, metacam and another medication meant to stimulate the gut.
she said if there’s no improvement within 24-48 hours that they’ll need to see him.
I have put a divider between him and his brother so I was able to check his brother was pooping normally, he seemed to be however when I just checked, I found one small round one in his brothers area! Is this something I should be concerned about too? Or is it normal for them to have the odd short one?
Also, is this something I have done to cause this? I’d hate to think I could’ve done anything to make them ill
I’m going crazy with worry

 

[Wiebke]

Hi everyone,

my piggie Wilbur is about 18 months old and has been squeaking when he poops. They’re also coming out a funny shape, some are really small and round, some have indents on them, and a few have little tail bits. He seems to be eating okay, maybe slightly fewer nuggets than normal but other than that he’s acting normal. He seems happy and is popcorning about but I’m so worried.
I had a phone appointment with the vet (due to lockdown rules) and she seemed quite concerned, he’s now on critical care, metacam and another medication meant to stimulate the gut.
she said if there’s no improvement within 24-48 hours that they’ll need to see him.
I have put a divider between him and his brother so I was able to check his brother was pooping normally, he seemed to be however when I just checked, I found one small round one in his brothers area! Is this something I should be concerned about too? Or is it normal for them to have the odd short one?
Also, is this something I have done to cause this? I’d hate to think I could’ve done anything to make them ill
I’m going crazy with worry

Hi

Please switch from weighing once weekly to weighing daily at the same time. Poo output is generally lagging 1-2 days behind the intake; the scales will give you an instant snapshot. By weighing at the same time in the feeding cycle, you eliminate the daily weight swings better.

Usually the best thing with a minor tummy upset is to take your piggies of any fresh food to see if poos start to normalise again within 24 hours. Plain hay fibre is best to allow the gut to rebalance.
Wait another 24-48 hours after the poos have fully normalised before you start re-introducing more veg (one more with every meal) again.

Make sure that the water bottles work properly.

See a vet again if things don't normalise or get worse, of if the problem keeps returning.

Here is more information on digestive upsets and weighing support:
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[Watsoon]

Thank you for your advice!
I have been weighing daily and both show no change, but now I have cut out the veg to see if this helps, fingers crossed!

What could be causing him to squeak when he poops?

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for your advice!
I have been weighing daily and both show no change, but now I have cut out the veg to see if this helps, fingers crossed!

What could be causing him to squeak when he poops?

That is either a urinary tract infection (UTI), a bacterial cystitis (bladder infection) or a sterile cystitis (IC), or - if you are unlucky - a bladder stone or sludge.
Symptoms are very similar, so vets generally work down the ladder from first treating with an antibiotic and ideally an analgesic for UTI or a bacterial cystitis; if symptoms do not stop or return or if there is a deterioration while on the antibiotic, then a check for bladder or urethral stones is the next step. See a vet ASPA as a life or death emergency if your boy is suddenly very off; it is usually a sign that a stone has passed into the urethra, fetched up in the awkward inglenook that boars have and is blocking the urine flow.
Sterile interstitial cystitis (i.e. a non-bacterial recurring cystititis) can usually only be diagnosed by default after all other possible issues have been eliminated. It cannot be healed, only managed; mainly with glucosamine and analgesics (metacam). But it has become a lot more common in guinea pigs over the last decade especially with indoors piggis but the condition is not well known among general vets or exotic vets that do not deal with guinea pigs often.

Unless your boy is very unwell, contact a vet during regular opening times next week. It generally takes several days for symptoms to solidify in the case of a UTI or cystitis.

Are your boys indoors or outdoors piggies?

 

[Watsoon]

That is either a urinary tract infection (UTI), a bacterial cystitis (bladder infection) or a sterile cystitis (IC), or - if you are unlucky - a bladder stone or sludge.
Symptoms are very similar, so vets generally work down the ladder from first treating with an antibiotic and ideally an analgesic for UTI or a bacterial cystitis; if symptoms do not stop or return or if there is a deterioration while on the antibiotic, then a check for bladder or urethral stones is the next step. See a vet ASPA as a life or death emergency if your boy is suddenly very off; it is usually a sign that a stone has passed into the urethra, fetched up in the awkward inglenook that boars have and is blocking the urine flow.
Sterile interstitial cystitis (i.e. a non-bacterial recurring cystititis) can usually only be diagnosed by default after all other possible issues have been eliminated. It cannot be healed, only managed; mainly with glucosamine and analgesics (metacam). But it has become a lot more common in guinea pigs over the last decade especially with indoors piggis but the condition is not well known among general vets or exotic vets that do not deal with guinea pigs often.

Unless your boy is very unwell, contact a vet during regular opening times next week. It generally takes several days for symptoms to solidify in the case of a UTI or cystitis.

Are your boys indoors or outdoors piggies?

Hi,

thanks for your reply!
He has been treated for a UTI before so I will mention it to the vet when I phone them tomorrow. I just worry as he seems in pain when he’s pooping
Other than that he’s perfectly happy in himself.
Both my boys are indoor piggies as well!