Cowpat Poops?! - Please Help

[Chloelizbailey]

Hi there!

I have a long haired guinea pig who is about four and a half. He started a course of Baytril last Wednesday for a suspected URI and has been absolutely fine until this morning.

I got him out to weigh him (doing this every morning as he is on Baytril and I know it can affect the piggys appetite) and noticed he had a lump (probably about the size of a 20p piece) of wet / sticky / smushy (but not liquid) poo stuck on his bum and inside. I cleaned him up and then during my lunch break picked up some probiotic liquid from P@H. When I came back to give this to him I noticed he had another cow pat like poo stuck on his bum and on his hay where he was laying there was squishy cow pat poos.

My question is, does this sound like diarrhoea from the Baytril or does it sound more like impaction? The poo is not liquid and is more of a sticky and smelly putty. Am I okay seeing how he is after 24 hours on the probiotic and trying to clean him out for a suspected impaction tonight or does he need a vets appointment today? He seems and fine and had eaten some of his veg (before I took it away at lunchtime!) and when I put some haycakes in his cage went up straight away and nibbled them.

Any ideas or advice welcome!

Thank you

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! Baytril is known for causing soft poos, diarrhea or loss of appetite.
Be careful with feeding fresh veg and if in doubt take him off it as long as he is on baytril. The more fibre (hay, hay, hay) your piggy eats, the better!
Give your piggy a pinch of probiotics either 1 hours before (US recommendation) or 1-2 hours after the antibiotic (UK recommendation.

Weigh daily at the same time and step in with offering additional syringe feed if your piggy loses more than 50g. See your vet if you are dealing with runny diarrhea.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide

 

[Chloelizbailey]

Thank you! I had assumed that I should stop the Baytril as its affecting his stomach but is that not the case?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Thank you! I had assumed that I should stop the Baytril as its affecting his stomach but is that not the case?

My vet advised stopping the antibiotics (mine were baytril too) if I noticed his poos went soft/runny though when I stopped my baytril the poos were more like liquid than just soft. Possibly ask you vet if you can to determine whether you should stop the course- obviously you don't want to keep administering it if he's body has had enough but you don't want to stop administering it early and not actually treat him.

 

[Chloelizbailey]

@Wiebke Sorry so do you think I could leave him overnight to see if the probiotic starts working before taking him back to the vet?

 

[Chloelizbailey]

Thanks @Jesse's pigs

To be honest the Vet i saw was not very knowledgeable on guinea pigs... my vet recently left and I am still in the process of trying to find one that knows their stuff. He has been on 0.4ml since Wednesday so has had 5 days worth and did seem to be looking more like himself until today.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Thanks @Jesse's pigs

To be honest the Vet i saw was not very knowledgeable on guinea pigs... my vet recently left and I am still in the process of trying to find one that knows their stuff. He has been on 0.4ml since Wednesday so has had 5 days worth and did seem to be looking more like himself until today.

I think my Mo had about that dosage also though I stopped his after 3 days because as I mentioned his poos were water. If he isn't acting himself I would say that the Baytril is maybe doing him more harm then good now- though that being said it may improve with probiotics. I would give him a dose of probiotics and see if he perks up a bit. Obviously I'm not a vet, and with my Mo I gave him a final dose of baytril after I noted his poos were runny just in case. I would see what Wiebke advises- I'm sorry I can't be of more help. X if the poos are just soft then I would probably give the probiotic and another dose of baytril- I just reread what Wiebke says and she mentioned only seeing a vet if the poos were runny not soft. Hope he gets better.

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Thanks @Jesse's pigs

To be honest the Vet i saw was not very knowledgeable on guinea pigs... my vet recently left and I am still in the process of trying to find one that knows their stuff. He has been on 0.4ml since Wednesday so has had 5 days worth and did seem to be looking more like himself until today.

I think my Mo had about that dosage also though I stopped his after 3 days because as I mentioned his poos were water. If he isn't acting himself I would say that the Baytril is maybe doing him more harm then good now- though that being said it may improve with probiotics. I would give him a dose of probiotics and see if he perks up a bit. Obviously I'm not a vet, and with my Mo I gave him a final dose of baytril after I noted his poos were runny just in case. I would see what Wiebke advises- I'm sorry I can't be of more help. X

 

[Chloelizbailey]

@Jesse's pigs That is really helpful, thank you! His poos arent liquid yet, they are literally like mini cow pats on the hay and on his bum. He is a very dirty pig anyway to be fair, doesn't like keeping himself clean! I think I will stop with the Baytril and give him some probiotics and give him a good bum clean and see if that does anything. Did you stop giving Mo fresh veg while his tummy got back to normal?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

@Jesse's pigs That is really helpful, thank you! His poos arent liquid yet, they are literally like mini cow pats on the hay and on his bum. He is a very dirty pig anyway to be fair, doesn't like keeping himself clean! I think I will stop with the Baytril and give him some probiotics and give him a good bum clean and see if that does anything. Did you stop giving Mo fresh veg while his tummy got back to normal?

Yes I stopped veg straight away and gave him only hay and his pellets. I had to deal with a very sulky pig but it definitely saw his poos improve.

 

[Chloelizbailey]

I took everything out bar a piece of cucumber at lunchtime as I was worried about liquids but I will take that out when I get home as long as he hasn't realised what is happening and scoffed it! He is already a very moody guinea pig so it's going to be a sulky few days!

 

[Jesse's pigs]

I took everything out bar a piece of cucumber at lunchtime as I was worried about liquids but I will take that out when I get home as long as he hasn't realised what is happening and scoffed it! He is already a very moody guinea pig so it's going to be a sulky few days!

Oh no poor little guy. I hated seeing Mo ill-he too started acting the opposite of himself. I'd only had him a month if you can believe it and I was already worrying about him. In fact (try not to laugh) I had him in a crate while I ate dinner that very night to check he was alright. He just sat there looking at me eat my veg like "Why?!" Lol. I hope you see him improve and he can have his veg back soon. X is that him in your profile pic?

 

[Chloelizbailey]

It is so worrying when they are not themselves! My other half thinks I'm neurotic how I fuss over him when he isn't feeling himself, especially when Tommy is not a cuddly guinea pig anyway! He is indeed, his hair is naturally really long and wirey but he hates it long and the breed is prone to fungal infections and he is extra prone so he has a lot of haircuts!

 

[helen105281]

As he is ok in himself, I would keep him on the Baytril as stopping the course too early won't help the URI. Keep giving the probiotics but make sure they are given at least an hour, preferably 2 apart from the Baytril as they can offset each other. Can I ask what probiotics you bought from Pets at Home? as far as I was aware they only sell Pro C which is a powder. If he deteriorates speak to your vet about the Baytril and how it is affecting him.

 

[Chloelizbailey]

@helen105281 that is the one that I bought, as you said it was the only ones stocked in Pets at home. The assistants in there told me to sprinkle it on his food and put it in his water, as well as a separate water bowl. Are there better ones that can be bought online? My plan was to keep an eye on him tonight and then if he has not got any better tomorrow to take him back to the vets, is that a bit too rash?

Also... do you know the signs of impaction? My only thought towards this was the fact that when I cleaned him up this afternoon it was very mushy and smelt very bad! Though with it happening while he is on Baytril I know the most feasible explanation is a response to that.

 

[helen105281]

No no that one is fine, I thought you had bought a liquid. I tend to mix it up and syringe directly into the mouth. If you go to the vets ask about Fibreplex aswell as that can help firm things up. You can give him loo roll tubes too for roughage.

I think at this stage it is the Baytril as it is notorious for affecting the gut. I don't have much experience of impaction.

 

[Chloelizbailey]

@helen105281 I didnt know about loo roll tubes, I will give him some of those tonight. I also brought some hay cakes (they are just pure hay) as I thought they would be something new and exciting for him (but with loads of fibre) while he has no veg. He also has treat bars in his cage which are hay and wildflowers I believe so extra roughage! What ratios do you use for syringing? Thank you!

 

[Chloelizbailey]

Thanks everyone, Tommys poops look pretty much back to normal and I've given him a very small amount of veg this morning as I couldn't take the glares anymore! Today's his last day of Bayrill so hoping his tummy stays fine now. X