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Wet bum

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Roo3

Roo3

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My long haired guinea pig, Fifi, has a wet bum. :( Does anyone have any idea why? She doesn't seem to be in pain when she's going to the toilet so I don't think it's cystitus but I've never had to deal with that before so I don't know. :{
If it is cystitus, what can I do to help her?
 
Do you trim her hair? Could she be wet simply from sitting in her own pee?

Other signs of cystitis tend to occur a day or two after the initial incident of a wet bum. A stale odour, and squeaking when peeing/pooping, are the two most common symptoms.

For now, clean her up and keep an eye on her - there is little else you can do unless other symptoms show.
 
Thanks Laura. I've not trimmed her, just got her out for brushing and I noticed her bum was wet. She doesn't like her bottom half being touched so I'll have to wait until my OH gets home tonight before I can trim her as she will wriggle like crazy!
If she does start to show other symptoms of cystitus, what can I use to treat her or will she need to go to the vets?
 
Cranberry juice is good - unsweetened, as much as she will take. Ocean Spray is apparently the best brand.

Even with that, a vet visit is advisable. Septrin (antibiotic to treat the infection) and Metacam/Rimadyl (to alleviate any pain and inflammation) is the best combination to tackle cystitis.

My long-haired girls also get wet bums, frequent trims is the only way I can keep up with them - hopefully a trim will solve your problem too!
 
Thanks, I'll try to trim her later. Hopefully she's just sat in her wee!mallethead
 
She will need an antibiotic. Septrin is the best kind for UTI's. You could also try syringing her some unsweetened cranberry juice. Ocean Spray is a good one to try. Also, if she isn't much of a drinker, you could try syringing her some water to flush her bladder x
 
Claire W said:
She will need an antibiotic. Septrin is the best kind for UTI's. You could also try syringing her some unsweetened cranberry juice. Ocean Spray is a good one to try. Also, if she isn't much of a drinker, you could try syringing her some water to flush her bladder x
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Sorry, I think I must have been typing this as Laura posted her reply :)) I forgot to mention, my Eleanor has a wet bum sometimes because she is a devil for sitting in her pee :)
 
Try the hair trim first, to see if it is that, but keep a close eye on her. I had a sow with long hair and this problem started, with the wet bottom. Turned out she had a water infection. Her wee would smell stale. If it doesn't cure the problem a vets visit may be what is needed to get to the bottom of the problem, pardon the pun.
 
If you have to convince your vet about septrin (which contains SMZ-TMP and can be given orally, as opposed to the mentioned bactrim), print out this page from guinealynx: http://www.guinealynx.info/uti.html

Make sure that you have a quick x-ray (no general anethetic necessary, sandbag will do the trick) to exclude any problems with the bladder, if you go to the vet. It is also mentioned on the same page.

Have Fifi pee on some hay; if it goes a bright yellow afterwards, I'm on cystitis alert (my very own home test - and so far it's never failed). The earlier you catch a UTI the better for Fifi, as it will spare the more excruciating phases.

Keeping my finger crossed that she's just messed herself up!
 
"hopefully a trim will solve your problem too! "

"Sandbags at dawn again."
 
Tallulah started getting a a wet bum at the begining of the year, i was worried and cleaned her up and rised and re bedded her bed and she was fine for a few months. a while after she did it again after a night i had away. i put her in her run (no sawdust or bedding just carboard and her litter tray and her snug) i finished what i was doing and went back to give her a bath and she had cleaned herself up!

i now know that she does it to tell me something. she did it today as we were both away last night and my mum came and fed them this morning. (she has only just started talking to me! i hate to think what she is going to be like when we go to cornwall for 5 days!)
She has done it once when i was ill to tell me to clean her out. i had to get my mum round to do it for me.

now i know to give her attention, some cveggies and she will clean herself up.

she isnt long haired but she has long hair in her genes as she has longer hair.

i hope that your piggie is ok and I'm sure she is just siting in wee. some pigs just will.

xx
 
"Duel between hairdressers? "

I should not like to "crimp" your style.
 
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