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Impaction

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PiggyLips

One of my male piggies (will be 5 in April) is impacted. I was cuddling him today (as always) and gently squeezed out a couple of poos. There seemed to be a bigger lumpy poo still in there, I gently tried to ease it out, but he squeaked and I didn't want to hurt him so I've left it..

Is impaction life threatening? I know, probably a stupid question - but they need to eat their "special" poos.

Are piggies able to help themselves when they're impacted? (Obviously not as beneficial as what a human would)

I don't mind doing it - but it's pretty disgusting.

Will he need it cleaned out every few days for the rest of his life as the muscles are weakened?

Poor guy!

What on earth do they do in the wild? ?
 
Impaction only becomes life threatening if the lump is allowed to block the anus so that no moor pellets can be passed.Sometimes the problem will lesson but mostly you will need to check the boar every day for the rest of ites life.When I have a boar with this problem I check several times a day,because the faeces only get smelly if they are allowed to form a hard lump.
I am afraid in the wild the piggy would die,but I wonder if wild pigs would actually get this problem.They would be much more active than pet piggies and the excercise would help strenthen the muscles.Also,the diet in the wild would contain a lot more roughage than we can provide for them.
Give your piggy as much excersise as possible,and make sure he eats loads of hay and dried grass.
 
Okay thanks.

My piggies live in a big shed all to themselves - so they get free run of the place during the day (it's also under lock and key, has proper windows, doors, electricity etc.) so he does get lots of exercise, although saying that, I haven't seen him running around much today - he's been in his hutch munching away.

They have lots of unlimited hay, dried dandelions and meadow grassy stuff and of course veg, veg and more veg.

Will I try and remove the lumpy poo then?
 
Yes this is important.
Have a look at
WWW.petergurney.com
there is a very good article on there about impaction and have to safely deal with it.
I simply hold the boar over the toilet and just very gently roll the anus back and push the lump out with my thumbs.
 
My boys are only just under a year old but I had a guinea with this when I was a kid. I can remember emptying him out but can't remember how often etc although I do remember doing it in warm water to soften it. He was called Tarka, he was lovely :smitten:

Just so I know what to look out for, what is the first sign? I know mine are only young but I'd like to be prepared as it's ages since I kept males.
 
awww good luck i'm sure he'll be fine with regular cleaning :-* :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: (((HUGS)))
do neutered boars get this? i've heard they don't only i need to know as i have 1 boar and he will get old one day :)
 
Thanks. :)

So impaction is for life then? Can't see people rushing at once to look after my piggies when I go on holiday now ;D

I never knew about it when I got my boys (well I was only 11-12) - still think I would have got them though - they're so sweet.

I've read that neutered boars rarely get it.
 
I remove it then feed it back to the boar, it saves supplementing with anything and they eat it readily.
None of my castrated boars are impacted but I would imagine they're more prone? Surely their muscles are less elastic?
Impaction sometimes lessens with regular cleaning but I've never had one go away completely.
 
My castrated boar is impacted, i check him everyday but he only needs doing every 5 days or so. It started when he was paralysed and never got completely better, he does eat his pellets himself but needs a hand sometimes x
 
I offered the poos to him but he was eating apple.

If he doesn't take any (in the future) - is there anything else you can give them? Obviously nothing will be as good as that, but surely something would be better than nothing. If I put them in his hutch - his brother might eat them :o (or maybe not.. you never know :P)

Ew, this is going to be fun.. not! xx0
 
I don't like the idea of giving one guinea another one's droppings myself, I don't know if anything could be passed on? If you feed it while you hold him then he should take them. I think Brewers Yeast is used as a supplement, but I don't so perhaps someone else can help :)
 
Yeah I didn't like that idea either, that's why I threw the droppings in the bin when he wouldn't take them from me today :-\
 
He's looking fine today - so I'm hoping it won't be a daily thing - although he will be checked regularly of course.
 
karenrgpr said:
I remove it then feed it back to the boar, it saves supplementing with anything and they eat it readily.
None of my castrated boars are impacted but I would imagine they're more prone? Surely their muscles are less elastic?
Impaction sometimes lessens with regular cleaning but I've never had one go away completely.
Click to expand...

My 7 year old boar gets impacted and I always offer it back to him. We started off doing him 3-4 times a day but now he only needs doing once a day
 
one of mine was impacted twice daily squeezes :o but it appears to have cleared up no sign at present check him weekly and no problems only difference was when he came in for winter and they all stared getting ready grass and extra veg!
 
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