cleaning guineapigs genitals

piggyl0ver

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when i clean my guineapigs penis/anal sack there doesnt seem to be much to clean? is this normal. like esp when i clean my guineapigs penis, there isnt any semen or anything, but it feels kind of prickly? (both of my guineapigs). is this normal? am i doing something wrong?

i was worried about impaction due to my guineapigs having very large testicles and getting quite smelly but i when i put a Qtip with soapy water in their anal sack there isnt any poo just occasionally a tiny bit of hay ,does that mean i can definitely rule out the possibility that they have impaction?

thank you very much.
 
How old are they?
Piggies will often keep themselves clean. While you did ought to check his penis etc, it’s possible that you won’t need to clean him though. I’ve never had to clean either of my 4 year old boys.

Impaction is when the anal muscles lose strength, usually due to age.
If you aren’t seeing large plugs of poop in the sac, then they are not impacted

Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
 
when i clean my guineapigs penis/anal sack there doesnt seem to be much to clean? is this normal. like esp when i clean my guineapigs penis, there isnt any semen or anything, but it feels kind of prickly? (both of my guineapigs). is this normal? am i doing something wrong?

i was worried about impaction due to my guineapigs having very large testicles and getting quite smelly but i when i put a Qtip with soapy water in their anal sack there isnt any poo just occasionally a tiny bit of hay ,does that mean i can definitely rule out the possibility that they have impaction?

thank you very much.

Hi
You obviously have a vey healthy and tidy boy, so please take a deep breath and stop worrying. You can also reduce the frequency of boar cleans to once a month; boars can vary enormously in terms of messiness so we cannot give exact frequencies. But yours is passing with flying colours!

Impaction is a health condition that affects about 10% of all ageing boars when the muscles at the back gradually weaken and they struggle to solidify the poos (which happens right before the anus in the last section of the gut) and push the unformed mass out through the anal sac. Chances are very good that you will never be confronted with it.

A good hay based diet with reduced pellets and preferably green veg with very little root veg and fruit can also contribute to minimise the severity and retard the onset (as well as prolong a healthy life span) - it is one of the side benefits of not spoiling your piggies rotten with life shortening treats and 'goodies'. Concentrate on making normal dinner fun with enrichment by having them work for their regular food instead. That prevents overweight, stabilises the digestion (which is at the core of so many health issues), minimises the risk of dental issues and some other preventable health conditions, stimulates mental health and boosts longevity. ;)
 
Hi
You obviously have a vey healthy and tidy boy, so please take a deep breath and stop worrying. You can also reduce the frequency of boar cleans to once a month; boars can vary enormously in terms of messiness so we cannot give exact frequencies. But yours is passing with flying colours!

Impaction is a health condition that affects about 10% of all ageing boars when the muscles at the back gradually weaken and they struggle to solidify the poos (which happens right before the anus in the last section of the gut) and push the unformed mass out through the anal sac. Chances are very good that you will never be confronted with it.
A good hay based diet with reduced pellets and green veg with very little root veg and fruit can also contribute to minimise the severity and retard the onset (as well as prolong a healthy life span) - it is one of the side benefits of not spoiling your piggies rotten with life shortening treats and 'goodies'. Concentrate on making normal dinner fun with enrichment by having them work for their regular food instead. That prevents overweight, stabilises the digestion (which is at the core of so many health issues), minimises the risk of dental issues and some other preventable health conditions, stimulates mental health and boosts longevity. ;)
wow this response is incredibly helpful. thank you SO much for the wealth of information, i really appreciate it !!
 
How old are they?
Piggies will often keep themselves clean. While you did ought to check his penis etc, it’s possible that you won’t need to clean him though. I’ve never had to clean either of my 4 year old boys.

Impaction is when the anal muscles lose strength, usually due to age.
If you aren’t seeing large plugs of poop in the sac, then they are not impacted

Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
thank you so much for this helpful response, that is very consoling to read. (--:
 
My old boy is neutered but gets impaction. The softer mushy caecotrophs bind the waste poops together into a cork-sized plug which he could probably pass on his own if I left him but it would be a bit of an effort. I spotted things were a bit awry at 4 1/2 when he got his first urine infection and then I found a huge ball of poop in the cage. Before then he kept himself as clean as a whistle with no problems... but he also got a bit of arthritis at that age and that might be connected.

When you flip your boar have a gentle feel around his anus. If there's a huge bulge like he's about to lay an egg... he probably is! Otherwise don't worry. George is my 4th boy, but the first one to have this problem.
 
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