Tear Drop Poops?

[SSPGuineaPigs]

Snickers, my oldest (2 years 4 months) had gotten bitten in a dominance battle between him and Panda, my youngest (6 months). Panda bit Snickers hand and punctured it. we took him to the vet and they gave us medicine to give him (I also need tips for this as he does not like to be syringe fed and when i try to sneak it onto his veg he will quickly realize the taste difference and stop eating) and the swelling is going down and he's doing well. but soon after his vet visit i noticed tear drop shaped poops and i know this is due to dehydration or malnutrition but he's been eating well and everything. should i give him more watery veg (cucumber, lettuce)? is he losing his appetite from taking the meds? i don't know whats going on, would love some help with this issue!

 

[Claire W]

You’re right that tear shaped poo can be a sign of dehydration. It can also be a sign of an interfearance in the gut which is typical whilst on antibiotics. I wouldn’t worry unless he starts pooing less or if his poos become soft

 

[Wiebke]

Snickers, my oldest (2 years 4 months) had gotten bitten in a dominance battle between him and Panda, my youngest (6 months). Panda bit Snickers hand and punctured it. we took him to the vet and they gave us medicine to give him (I also need tips for this as he does not like to be syringe fed and when i try to sneak it onto his veg he will quickly realize the taste difference and stop eating) and the swelling is going down and he's doing well. but soon after his vet visit i noticed tear drop shaped poops and i know this is due to dehydration or malnutrition but he's been eating well and everything. should i give him more watery veg (cucumber, lettuce)? is he losing his appetite from taking the meds? i don't know whats going on, would love some help with this issue!

Hi! Baytril is well known for being an appetite dampener, and the poos refect that. Please offer him additional top-up syringe feed. Switch from the regular once weekly weigh-in to weighing daily at the same time in the feeding cycle (like before serving breakfast or dinner). What many people don't realise is that 80% of the daily food intake is unlimited hay, and that is something you cannot control just by watching your piggy nibble on veg. Please supplement by adding a pinch of probiotics to help rebalance the guts. offer as much water as he will take
You can use mushed up pellets (cut off the syringe tip as shown in the guide to allow fibre to come through) and probiotics from a pet shop. We have included information on recovery and probiotic brands in the syringe feeding guide.
Syringe Feeding & Medicating Guides, Probiotics Links, First Aid Kit...
Administering Medications And Syringe Feed (including tips for uncooperative piggies)
Understanding Prey Animal Instincts, Guinea Pig Whispering And Cuddling Tips (a mix of love and dominance from our piggy whispering tips can help with the cooperation issues)

Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?

 

[SSPGuineaPigs]

Thanks so much both of you! Should i stop giving him Baytril because he still has one other med that he takes (Metacam). Also I have separated Panda from Snickers, is this a good idea? I just thought his hand needed to heal up before i put them back together, he is still with his BFF Spike (They have never fought before) and Spike and Panda have no issues to i put them together once or twice per day so Panda doesn't get lonely. I've been looking at other threads and have noticed that apparently 3 boars usually don't get along, i was completely unaware...

 

[Claire W]

Thanks so much both of you! Should i stop giving him Baytril because he still has one other med that he takes (Metacam). Also I have separated Panda from Snickers, is this a good idea? I just thought his hand needed to heal up before i put them back together, he is still with his BFF Spike (They have never fought before) and Spike and Panda have no issues to i put them together once or twice per day so Panda doesn't get lonely. I've been looking at other threads and have noticed that apparently 3 boars usually don't get along, i was completely unaware...

Don’t stop giving the baytril without your vets advise. You should always finish the course unless your vet says to stop

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks so much both of you! Should i stop giving him Baytril because he still has one other med that he takes (Metacam). Also I have separated Panda from Snickers, is this a good idea? I just thought his hand needed to heal up before i put them back together, he is still with his BFF Spike (They have never fought before) and Spike and Panda have no issues to i put them together once or twice per day so Panda doesn't get lonely. I've been looking at other threads and have noticed that apparently 3 boars usually don't get along, i was completely unaware...

Please ALWAYS complete any course of antibiotics - this goes for your pets as well as you!
Metacam is a painkiller and anti-inflammatory, but it is NOT an antibiotic. The two medications are doing different jobs and are not redundant!

Here are our tips for boars that do not get on. Sadly baby boar trios are still widely sold by shops and backyard breeders who are only interested in making money but are completely ignorant of social aspect or animal welfare. Baby boar trios have a 90% risk of ending up in trouble.
Boars: Teenage, Bullying, Fighting, Fall-outs And What Next?
Adding More Guinea Pigs Or Merging Pairs – What Works And What Not?

 

[SSPGuineaPigs]

My three boars were not a trio in the beginning but a couple, Panda is the newest of the group, we got him about 3 months ago. Is this kind of trio doomed as well?

 

[Wiebke]

It very much depends. Three adults past their teenage months, especially older ones where the testosterone output has mostly fizzled out can live together without problems if they are character compatible. With any boar that has still yet to go through the teenage month you are facing the risk that things may not work out, especially when your youngster is on the dominant side. It all depends on the individual personality combination and whether that balances out or whether there are clashes. As a rule of thumb, we strongly recommend to not try it; the odds are still not in your favour. I know that there are still plenty of US places that are recommending it, but in our over a decade long experience on a lively guinea pig forum, it has more often not unsuccessful than it has been successful.

Adding a third boar to a bonded pair is always a somewhat fraught affair unless they can choose each other. You have to have a plan B in case your dream is not coming true, like a second adjoining cage for interaction through the bars for ongoing stimulation. This goes even more so for any quartets, by the way.