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Small pets

guinea pig's poo not right

8 replies

phdlife · 27/02/2013 19:42

A little while ago Mike went from doing nice dry firm pellets of poo to soft mushy tear-shaped blobs. The vet was more interested in the mite infection we were fighting at the time. Infection gone, poo still v v soft. Gps generally get a mix of daytime on fresh grass, lucerne at night, but due to severe rain have had them off grass for a few days - no change to poo. Wouldn't call it diarrhoea as is not smelly, and pig seems generally happy, but there is not as much of it as there used to be and it is still coming out extremely soft (though holding some shape). Back to vet?

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lljkk · 27/02/2013 20:15

Have you ruled out anal impaction?

(and that is why I will NEVER own male GPs).

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WednesdayNext · 27/02/2013 20:19

A second vote for anal impaction. My old guinea had that and his poop was very soft.

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 27/02/2013 20:32

Hi phd I'm stabbing in the dark that your vet would have given your pig Ivermectin for mites?
Did he have any antibiotics or similar (they can change the gut flora but not all vets give probiotics)

I had a Google (while cuddling my GP2 who has an unpredictable bottom) and Ye Gods it's confusing.

One website says "Don't trear small furries with Ivermectin it can cause neurolgical problems"

Another "There's no side effects if you overdoes your GP with Ivermectin"
Neither were UK sites so their medications might be different.

And with humans, diahorrea is a side-effect (though people and guineas have different metabolisms)

Possibly a combination of stress from the mites, any treatment and maybe the grass is a bit lush (spring grass?)

My GP2 has a soft pooh issue- he's usually got a soft eating pooh lurking in his bottom, but he does pass plently of the 'bullet' shapes poohs. If he has grass it can make him a bit soft.

Maybe just limit his fresh veg a bit? If my boys have a day eating grass they have a dry supper (pellets, hay,water) for a night so that GP2 can have some fibre to stabilise him.
GP1 is very judgey at the Prison Rations. His poohs are always magnificent.

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KRITIQ · 28/02/2013 22:23

It could be something in the treatment for mites that's upset his digestive system. Probiotics might sort that out (you can get this on line) and cutting back on all but green veg, no fruit (that was my brill vet's advice when DBoar1 started having soft poops.) Also, Lucerne is another word for Alfalfa and from what I understand, this should only be given as a rare treat to all but nursing sows and babies. It's far too rich and has a high mineral content which can contribute to bladder stones. Something like redigrass or timothy hay will keep them happily gnawing without the side effects. Good luck!

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phdlife · 06/03/2013 01:01

thanks for advice here. Poos were normal for a couple of days but have gone back to soft/tear-drop shaped in last two. Strangely enough it seems to be the days he's on grass that he's straightened out. And the other one's poos were the same last night, I noticed.

Antibiotic was Baytril.

No, I haven't ruled out anal impaction - wouldn't know how to rule it out - do you want to tell me? (It's going to be ick, isn't it.)

The vet saw the poo when we had Mike in for mites and did originally think stress from mites/treatment but he's been sorted out for a couple of weeks now and his poo is still funny. It'll have a day here or there where it seems to be right, then back to being squashy but I cannot pick a pattern.

As I said, most days they're on grass in the day and lucerne at night, although with the crap weather they've been on lucerne 24/7 with a little f&v for brekky and dinner.

what is really giving me a headache is all the conflicting advice - not from you lovely ladies but just in general. I read half a dozen books when we first got the gps but gave up because they were all so contradictory. Confused

3 vets, including a small animal specialist, have given their blessings for having the boys on lucerne. I wouldn't have a clue where to get the other stuff - in pet shops and the animal produce store, it's the only kind of hay available.

Apart from the days on grass, we did cut the gp's f&v right back after Mike developed an eye thingy - please don't ask me the proper name - a calcification which the vet thought could have been ... supported by an excess of Vit C.

Don't really think the lushness of the grass can be a factor - although it's been pissing down for a couple of weeks now and grass is growing again, he started when we were at the end of a horribly long, hot dry period (I'm in Oz) and the boys had nearly chewed the lawn bare because nothing was growing back.

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KRITIQ · 06/03/2013 23:21

It's a pain when you do get conflicting advice. I won't go into detail or my blood pressure will rocket again, but I got some of the worst advice from someone who was supposed to be a rodent and rabbit specialist at a vet hospital, and had now clue how to even handle a guinea pig.

I do think there are more vets who are cavy savvy than even 10 years ago. I just noticed that you are in Oz, so it may be that there isn't the selection of hays around. One thought - could you grow a tray of grass indoors? I did that once in a cat litter tray and the pigs loved it!

DBoar1 is prone to cystitis, so we have to be careful about the veg he gets - low calcium as much as possible, but low calcium veg tend to also be low vitamin C.

About the most comprehensive online cavy advice is here, including lots of diet info. www.guinealynx.info/ I think they have a message board, so could always pose a question or two there. I believe it's US based, but hopefully most of the info is still relevant. Good luck!

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 12/03/2013 23:30

My GP2 had the stinkiest pooh in his bum the other day (it smelled like dog pooh Envy

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differentnameforthis · 13/03/2013 03:58

Lucerne is another word for Alfalfa and from what I understand, this should only be given as a rare treat to all but nursing sows and babies. It's far too rich and has a high mineral content which can contribute to bladder stones

I was thinking this too. What else to you offer him in the way of fresh food?

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