hard but not enlarged belly with no other symptoms

[longtimelurker51]

hello all!

i posted about a month ago because my piggy wasn’t eating hay post dental surgery. he has since got back on track but we have another issue.

two weeks ago i noticed his belly felt hard, but it wasn’t any bigger. he was not lethargic, he was eating and pooping. i called the vet and got an appointment the next day but an emergency vet was available. his symptoms have not worsened and the issue resolved.

once we got to the appointment, the vet said he was completely fine. which he was acting fine, but even further diagnostic tests confirmed it.

it happened again. he is completely normal, making sounds, ate, goes out his little house, moves around no issue, his belly is not enlarged but it is hard. he has no issue with me touching him. he is pooping normally.

what could this be? is he just tensing up his abdominal muscles? he absolutely hates being touched too much :/

 

[longtimelurker51]

update: not even 20 minutes have passed his tummy is back to normal. just like how it happened weeks ago, it was hard on one side and then both and now it has gone down.

 

[Mrs Tiggy Winkle]

I'm sorry I have no idea what this might be.

Are you still worried? I probably would be, wondering what's going on. I hope someone with more knowledge will answer your question shortly.

 

[Merab]

@Piggies&buns may still be online and could help.
Not sure if @Wiebke is around at the moment as she was on earlier

 

[Wiebke]

update: not even 20 minutes have passed his tummy is back to normal. just like how it happened weeks ago, it was hard on one side and then both and now it has gone down.

Hi

The hardness can be due to temporary bloating but it could also be due to him clenching the gut because of pain or fear of pain? I have heard this from one or two vets but I cannot verify it for myself as whether this really happens and if yes, whether it applies in your case. This is just guessing on my side.

Is the whole belly affected or just parts of it? The lower gut has a number of fermentation chambers which can occasionally bloat on their own. A scan or x-ray may help?

 

[longtimelurker51]

Hi

The hardness can be due to temporary bloating but it could also be due to him clenching the gut because of pain or fear of pain? I have heard this from one or two vets but I cannot verify it for myself as whether this really happens and if yes, whether it applies in your case. This is just guessing on my side.

Is the whole belly affected or just parts of it? The lower gut has a number of fermentation chambers which can occasionally bloat on their own. A scan or x-ray may help?

hi again!

i love your advice on here, i have to say. i always search through here if something is wrong.

he does not seem in pain, ever. he runs around, eats, drinks, poops, calls out for us. but he is INCREDIBLY terrified of EVERYTHING and has always been. he loves cuddles, but hates being picked up to cuddle. cutting his nails is stress for him.

it never previously caused these issues, but i am suspecting that with these last three vet visits, he is kind of more scared of me.

for context, the vet has done two x-rays, his tummy was always perfect. she felt his abdomen and looked at his teeth, his penis and testicles, his feet and nothing seems to be causing pain.

i am highly suspecting he is just so terrified he clenches his muscles because his tummy is never enlarged, just hard. no other symptoms ever appear with this, and no issues is ever diagnosed ://

i just never knew they could do this so hard

 

[longtimelurker51]

I'm sorry I have no idea what this might be.

Are you still worried? I probably would be, wondering what's going on. I hope someone with more knowledge will answer your question shortly.

actually it went down within minutes. i am absolutely anxious because they are such little creatures, but honestly whenever i do take him to the vet, no issue is found. and this is the best exotic vet around here.

most vets are regular small animal vets, but even other exotic vets recommend this vet we regularly go to.

this all calms me a little bit. and i do believe with how randomly it happens AND how it happens that it is either incredibly mild bloat or just him clenching his muscles (he hates being touched on certain areas).