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Belly gurgling

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egrorian

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Has anyone heard their pig making very loud gurgling sounds from their stomach? I'd never heard this before until a few weeks ago from China, although he seemed fine. About a week later he went off his food, looked very disinterested, tired and sleepy, and I really feared the worst. The vet said he had some "gas" and gave him an injection and the critical care food to get his gut moving again, saying "we have to try something". This worked wonders I must say and there was significant improvement by the very next day and he was fully recovered surprisingly quickly.

The gurgling sounds gradually seemed to disappear but I've heard them again frequently this morning, although, as before, China is still acting and eating normally.

Coming right after the devastating and unexpected loss of Harvey, the last thing I can bear is for China to become ill again.
 
Mainly parsley, dandelion leaves and a little apple. I stopped giving China carrot some time ago as this seemed to be the cause of his soft poops (and since doing so, he had had this far less often).

The belly gurgling though is a new thing, and his poops currently normal.
 
Aw poor China :(
These are comfortable reading:
http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/bloat.htm
http://www.guinealynx.info/emergency.html#bloat
Try massaging his little tum to move any gas around making him more comfy - have you ever had trapped wind yourself rolleyes Some people say to give a bit of a chase to your piggy as well, rock them or pop them onto a vibrating pad if you have one.
Hope he feels much better very soon and keep us updated.
Gentle hugs to China x>>
 
Hi to be honest i'd have China checked out by a vet......that fact you're saying it's happened a few times and that China was off his normal diet...... i'd just prefer to have him checked out xx>>>

I'm also hoping some of our more experienced peeps will see this thread.....it's interesting to hear that he's had a gut motility **** before and what he's had done already.....

do you give him a probiotic at all?
maybe you could list out his foods and compare with the food list on here....... their diet should consist of a variety of veggies plus of course the usual loads of hay and water on demand :)

Good luck xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
 
From about a year and a half old China's digestive system has seemed a bit sensitive and has required several vet visits for this but, as I say, since I stopped feeding him carrots, the 'soft poop' problem is occuring much less frequently (only once in the past six months I think, whereas previously it could reoccur every few weeks to varying extents). I'm reluctant at this stage - he's now five years and four months old - to introduce new types of veggies in case they don't agree with him (and he is also quite picky). I have always provided best quality hay (Excel Herbage) and fresh water every day of course. I'm also giving him the critical care food every few days as hopefully this will help keep his system in good working order.

At the moment he seems fine, bright and eating away merrily, so I don't think it is a case of bloating though every so often the belly gurgles away every few minutes for a while (then stops doing so for a time). I will need to watch China closely though as I say, previously the gurgling did seem to preclude a gas problem several days later that made him feel lousy, disinterested and off his food.
 
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It's been over a week and China's belly is still gurgling on and off but otherwise is showing no other signs - poops are normal and he's active and eating as usual. All very strange.
 
Both of my guinea pigs had this when they were/are young, sometimes you can even feel 'pops' of air on your hand if its on their rear ! :))
just steer clear of cabbage etc for a while.
Obviously if it gets worse or if you really worried take your piggie to the vets, just to be on the safe side.
but i think its worth mentioning neither of my piggies appetites changed.
Jess.
x
 
If I were you, I would put China on dry food for a few days until the gas has gone and then introduce only one veg per day. That way, you can really work out what works for him and what not. I have tried gentle massages with a gurgly tummy to help working the gas out. Thankfully, I have never had a problem with bloat. In that case, your piggy needs to be seen asap.

Here is a list of veg guinea pigs can eat. Please leave out any cabbages and veg like broccoli and cauli; they are the veg most likely to cause gas/bloat. Make sure that up to 80% of the daily diet is hay, and that you only feed 1 cupful of veg per day. Make sure that include veg that contain vitamin C regularly in the diet.
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=42
 
I would cut down on veg and increase hay and pellets to see if that improves things. Its not nice, I know how you feel. Keep us posted.
 
My Saff has been like this. (She will be 3 on Sunday). She started getting gassy a few months ago, even to the point of being incredibly bloated and uncomfortable and needing vet. help. She was given 0.5ml metoclopramide three times a day and this seemed to get her gut moving again.

I have been told fibre, fibre, fibre! Lots and lots of hay, good quality dry food and some bran mash maybe twice a week. I have also found that sugary foods will make her blow up like a balloon. So I never ever feed apple, carrot, tomatoes, grapes, pepper etc. Her and her sister get lots of greens twice a day though and a vitamin c tablet each.

Whenever I give her a cuddle now I massage her belly and hold her bum in the air (which she sometimes doesn't like!) but it keeps things moving. I hope this helps in some way. Best of luck and dont give up :)
 
Bilbo has literally just now had gurgling after having his meds! He's had it a few times. My vet said it COULD be his poop moving along/ gas from swallowing air while having his meds. I did notice after the gurgleing he has a squishy poop. I give him some pro biotic and its back to normal the next day.
 
First of all, has China been neutered? If so when (in relation to when is gut probs started)?

Gurgling is a sign that your piggie's gut is not working properly.

First thing therefore is to withdraw all veggies and feed only good quality hay (unlimited) and dried pellets to see if that will stabilise the problem. Also weigh him daily and monitor poo output for size/shape/consistency. If he's exceptionally "windy" then massaging the tummy with his bum slightly raised whilst on your lap can help. Often guineas get the odd 24-48hour bloat problem (my Bailey had this on sunday...veggie overdose) but it does sound to me like your piggie has a more longer term condition


Probioitics can help - avipro/biolapis is often used but I find fibreplex in these situations to be more benefical in view of the fibre it contains as well as the type of bugs (saccharomyces yeast)....

Next it's a vet visit...and be prepared to ask your vet about the possiblity of prescribing zantac(ranitidine) at 2mg/kg daily....as I have found that this is brilliant for sorting out piggies with "eary stage" or "irritable" gut problems which the gurgling (or even soft poos) signifies.

At the moment from what you say this sounds to be about re-sorting his diet rather than there being an underlying clinical problem. However, it could be you are seeing early stage dental problems (or semething else brewing that is reducing his food intake and then impingingon his gut) so might be worth getting his teeth and urinary system checked by a cavy savvy vet vefore it becomes an emergency.

Can you get to Simon Maddock in Northampton? if not, whereabouts are you so we can recommend a cavy savvy vet.

HTH
x
 
Many thanks for all the replies. I'm afraid I can't get to Northampton Pebble, - I'm in Glasgow! China isn't neutered and, at 5 years five months he's only developed this gurgling in the past 6-8 weeks or so.

Tonight, China's belly is still gurgling (although not constantly). He was seen by the vet about a month ago when he was doing this but had also stopped eating and looked very listless (eyes sunken and half closed) - but - gurgling aside - he is still eating and behaving normally, and poops still as they should be (As I mentioned, China has had problems with soft poops several times previously but those instances weren't accompanied by any gurgling).

I don't feed cabbage - parsley is his main veg - and there has been no change in diet. I will try him on dry food and hay only for a couple of days as suggested and see how he is.
 
egrorian said:
Many thanks for all the replies. I'm afraid I can't get to Northampton Pebble, - I'm in Glasgow! China isn't neutered and, at 5 years five months he's only developed this gurgling in the past 6-8 weeks or so.

Tonight, China's belly is still gurgling (although not constantly). He was seen by the vet about a month ago when he was doing this but had also stopped eating and looked very listless (eyes sunken and half closed) - but - gurgling aside - he is still eating and behaving normally, and poops still as they should be (As I mentioned, China has had problems with soft poops several times previously but those instances weren't accompanied by any gurgling).

I don't feed cabbage - parsley is his main veg - and there has been no change in diet. I will try him on dry food and hay only for a couple of days as suggested and see how he is.
Click to expand...

Your personal messaging should be enabled as you have passed 50 messages. Try to contact flintstones for good vets; I am sure that she can give you recommendations. I now that she has found some good ones in your area.
 
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