Why's Minky sniffing around the other girls backsides?

[Stewybus]

Minky hasn't been well lately what with losing the sight in one eye & then having a large abscess removed from her neck/throat area.

She's been attacked by her recently new companion Minnie so I've had to separate them. She not eating like she normally would but has been losing a small amount in weight a day then I managed to stabilize her weight Friday & Saturday but she's lost about 10 grams at today's weigh-in.

I've decided to re-bond her with her original companions Mother & Mousey after giving them a session on the lawn this morning. I've now taken the divider down in their run & it's back to 8ft long with Minnie in the spare cage. The question I'm asking is that she's been following the other 2 round pushing her head under their backsides as if she's looking for something. I know that they eat some of their poo & suspect that she's not producing this & is looking for it elsewhere. Is there anyone out there who can enlighten me?

 

[Dusty_bugs]

When one of my girls lost weight after a surgery on ovarian cysts she took a while to get back into eating properly. For ages she would HOUND her cagemate for poo, constantly uprooting her from her seat to see if there was anything there. It could be a sign of a vitamin deficiency (I think that it might be vitB? The bacteria in the coecal tract generate an amount of it which is why they are stored to the side and eaten especially). I would see if there is a way of giving Minky some critical care with a healthy dose of other piggys very fresh poop. Make sure not to make it with scalding water, just tepid - so you dont cook the delicate gut bacteria. make sure to mix it in nicely and offer a little orange juice in a syringe at a tasty well done treat after she's nommed up the crit care. This will help with weight and make sure she's getting as many dietry vits and mins as she can.

 

[Stewybus]

I've got a sachet of critical care & was planning to feed her some of this tonight. The trouble with the poo is how do you know which is the edible stuff. Mine used to often eat this but seldom do since they started getting lots of fresh veggies. An odd time you'll see them put their heads down there & then start chewing. I've also read that you can make a watery paste with pellets, I might try this also. She's been on a 2 day course of Fibreplex 1ml at a time.

 

[Dusty_bugs]

I normally wait until after dinner, take out a healthy pig after they've finished with veggies and have started on hay (if thats how yours work too) and then take the first 3 or 4 poops they do on the move. I mix this in straight away with luke warm crit care and pro biotics and give to sick piggy. The gut will be active (being dinner time) and poops should be quick and very freshly available.

I know its not the same at the proper nice poops but they will still carry trace amounts hopefully.. enough to help re-establish a good gut flora which is the point I would do this once a day (and a dose in the evening without poop). Using the crunchies might be useful because the gut flora from other piggies will have adapted to this diet better. However I find crit care is excellent for putting on weight, and if piggy is off food they seem much less fussed about crunchies. If no improvement I totally go see a vet for additional supplements.

 

[Stewybus]

I think I'll just use the critical care tonight. Since Minky has gone back in with the other 2 she seems to be eating better. I get her out about 7pm to give her Baytril so I'll give the critical care at same time. If her weight is down again in the morning I'll go for the fresh poops too. I'll first see if she'll eat them as they are & then if she doesn't I'll mix them. Thanks for your help.

 

[shiny]

I've seen this behaviour after surgery too & it settled down & stopped as Bertie recovered. I left them to it as Bertie seemed to know he needed Willow's poos to improve his gut.

Critical Care does not contain a probiotic so it will not help repopulate the gut. I use Bio-Lapis for my pigs if they are on ABs. You can order it online from VetUK or similar places & my piggies love it as it's dandelion flavour. It is probiotic & electrolyte balance stuff so useful to keep in the piggie first aid kit anyway. You can get other probiotics too, different people prefer different ones.

Poo soup may sound grim but it's good stuff - don't think as a human on this one, think as an animal that naturally eats its own poo!

 

[Stewybus]

Thanks, I'll ask my vet on Tuesday if they have any Bio-Lapis or other probiotic in stock. If not I'll order some for the piggies medicine cupboard.

 

[Freela]

I've seen this with sick pigs or pigs on antiobitics. I do think they are trying to get the poops from the other piggies to replenish their own gut flora. I would try some Probiotics if you have them- that may help to stabilize her gut flora.

 

[Stewybus]

I've seen this with sick pigs or pigs on antiobitics. I do think they are trying to get the poops from the other piggies to replenish their own gut flora. I would try some Probiotics if you have them- that may help to stabilize her gut flora.

Yes, I'm ringing the vets this morning to see if they have any probiotics in, if not I'll order some online.

 

[Stewybus]

Minky put on a little weight since yesterday, 10 grams. I rang the vets & they said to take her off the Baytril & Metacam but to give her a 2 day course of Fibreplex.

She seems a lot better in herself after staying in the run since late afternoon yesterday with Mother & Mousey. She's still obsessed with their backsides though, and follows them around. She's back at the vets on Friday for check-up & have stitches removed but that side seems to have healed well.