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What To Do About Gas?

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Pandy

Pandy

Junior Guinea Pig
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I took our piggies to the vets yesterday for an all over check and nail clipping. Polo, I noticed the other day, was not symmetrical when she was on my lap, her side just felt really soft. and I mentioned this to the vet - who really did a thorough check of both of the piggies - she said it was 'gas' which was common in guinea pigs. I was quite happy with the explanation as Polo certainly seems absolutely fine in herself and there didn't feel like there was anything untoward. Only problem is I forgot to ask the vet (this may sound a bit stupid)... how do they get rid of gas (piggies, not the vet)? Is it through flatulence? Also, what would have caused the gas? Thanks
 
I would take Polo off veg and see whether that will rebalance the guts.

Please do not take bloat lightly; serious bloat can kill and is an absolute emergency.
 
I would recommend massage therapy, do you have an electric toothbrush that vibrates?
 
Wiebke said:
I would take Polo off veg and see whether that will rebalance the guts.

Please do not take bloat lightly; serious bloat can kill and is an absolute emergency.
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Thanks Wiebeke. I was really confident in the vet's thorough examination of the piggies. I'm presuming then that gas and bloat are one and the same thing. I will take her off the veg. Just thinking ahead, what sort of time frame should i allow before returning to the vets if the gas doesn't go down?
 
Pandy said:
Thanks Wiebeke. I was really confident in the vet's thorough examination of the piggies. I'm presuming then that gas and bloat are one and the same thing. I will take her off the veg. Just thinking ahead, what sort of time frame should i allow before returning to the vets if the gas doesn't go down?
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What your piggy is experiencing is not a severe form as she is still behaving normally and has her appetite; that is why you haven;t been given any gut stimulant or gas breaking meds. \

I would try a couple of days minus fresh food to see whether the belly goes down. If you can vibrate or massage to help break up the gas, that can help a lot. Exercise and movement can also help to stimulate the guts.

Generally, if you have a piggy with a tendency for gassing up, I would recommend to stay of any cabbage (including kale) and also not feed broccoli. Be careful in spring when acclimatising her to eating rich fresh grass.

If gassing episodes persist or recur, it is advisable to test which veg are triggers for her and if necessary have an x-ray to see whether there is a reason for it; ovarian cysts in adult/older sows can account for both the sticky out belly and any gassing.
 
Wiebke said:
What your piggy is experiencing is not a severe form as she is still behaving normally and has her appetite; that is why you haven;t been given any gut stimulant or gas breaking meds. I would try a couple of days to see whether the belly goes down. If you can vibrate or massage to help break up the gas, that can help a lot. Exercise and movement can also help to keep the guts going.

Generally, if you have a piggy with a tendency for gassing up, I would recommend to stay of any cabbage (including kale) and also not feed broccoli. Be careful in spring when acclimatising him to eating rich fresh grass.

If gassing episodes persist or recur, it is advisable to test which veg are triggers for him and if necessary have an x-ray to see whether there is a reason for it; ovarian cysts in adult/older sows can account for both the sticky out belly and any gassing.
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I did make the mistake of giving them a couple of veg in the past that I later learned were related to the cabbage family and could create gas, although this was only in moderation as they have a varied veg bowl. I will also very much bear in mind re. her starting to eat fresh grass in the spring.

I'm sorry for my joking naivety that was so misplaced in my original post.

Thankyou again for your help wiebeke.
 
Pandy said:
Hi, yes I do have an electric toothbrush, wouldn't that be too 'aggressive' though? Is there any sort of hands-on massage technique I could try first? Thanks
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You could try gentle massage with your hands first. Toothbrush is not too aggressive though, I put mine on a massage pad when they are gassy. Car journeys can help too.
 
That's ok, didn't expect you to have one, I have a sow that is prone to gassy episodes which is why I have it.
 
Pandy said:
I did make the mistake of giving them a couple of veg in the past that I later learned were related to the cabbage family and could create gas, although this was only in moderation as they have a varied veg bowl. I will also very much bear in mind re. her starting to eat fresh grass in the spring.

I'm sorry for my joking naivety that was so misplaced in my original post.

Thankyou again for your help wiebeke.
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My piggies eat cabbage and broccoli without problems; they are a good source for magnesium (which is usually tied in with a higher calcium content) and vitamin C. The trick is to feed little and in a mix. Problems arise when a piggy that is not prepared for it gets fed a lot at once; that can cause major issues. However, these are the first things I take off the menu whenever there is a gassing problem.
 
Wiebke said:
My piggies eat cabbage and broccoli without problems; they are a good source for magnesium (which is usually tied in with a higher calcium content) and vitamin C. The trick is to feed little and in a mix. Problems arise when a piggy that is not prepared for it gets fed a lot at once; that can cause major issues. However, these are the first things I take off the menu whenever there is a gassing problem.
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I'm going to revisit the recommended food list I printed off from here to see if I can work out the possible food cause. Thanks.
 
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