Learning about impaction, not a ton of accurate information out there?

[RheMae]

Hi all! Sorry if this is the wrong thread, still learning my way around.
Trigger warning! Talk of poop, probably don't read if grossed out by that
Recently, I noticed one of my two boys had an impaction during syringe feeding. It was tiny, but nevertheless, I put my gloves on and got to work. (gently, with warm water) I got one smallish hard mass with hair out, and then a much softer much SMELLER smaller mass with hair out.
I was nervous about going too far in, because at the time, I believed it to be his anus, and I didn't want to hurt him. After researching, I've learned this is not the case, (thanks for the guides on here as well) and the anus is actually much smaller and below.

So I guess I'm just wondering, if the impaction is small, obviously I'll clean it, I don't want them uncomfortable. But how does this effect them? Would this stop them from passing stool? I have read it can lead to fatality, but if it's not the actual anus and just a pocket, it doesn't make sense to me. I guess I just want to understand if impaction can cause other issues. Does it block the anus? Again, sorry if this is the wrong thread, I just know this is the place for information, and I'm sure others have wondered as well thanks in advance.

 

[Piggies&buns]

What you can find is that when boars scent mark (drag their bottoms along the floor), they pick up bits of hair, hay, bedding. This can get caught in the anal sac and might need cleaning out. This is not impaction - it’s just bits of stuff getting caught.

Impaction is something older boars can struggle with. It is when the muscles of the anus lose strength and they cannot pass poop out as effectively and you may need to help clear it out. The guides below explain keeping the anal sack clean and about impaction.

Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. Yes the guide on here is very good. I’ve had two boars with impaction. The first one was about 4 and was poorly at the time. I think he had it because he wasn’t cleaning himself properly and his guts were a bit out of sorts with not eating properly. It went away once he got better. The second was older maybe 6. He lived with it for over a year. I cleaned him out once a day. He always had a large ball to be removed so I just had to squeeze it out in one piece. I didn’t have to “go digging” for it. It didn’t hurt him. Oh my goodness, the smell. . I can still remember it. And it’s been over 10 years now.

It never blocked their anus.

 

[RheMae]

Hello. Yes the guide on here is very good. I’ve had two boars with impaction. The first one was about 4 and was poorly at the time. I think he had it because he wasn’t cleaning himself properly and his guts were a bit out of sorts with not eating properly. It went away once he got better. The second was older maybe 6. He lived with it for over a year. I cleaned him out once a day. He always had a large ball to be removed so I just had to squeeze it out in one piece. I didn’t have to “go digging” for it. It didn’t hurt him. Oh my goodness, the smell. . I can still remember it. And it’s been over 10 years now.

It never blocked their anus.

I must admit, I clean their cage almost daily and I'm slightly allergic. So I get itchy like crazy and sometimes have to step out due to an itchy throat. But NONE of that compared to that smell. Burned all my nose hairs off, I swear. Eyes burning. Makes sense why when you research it, everything says it's "smelly" business! And yeah, I don't think it does block the anus, I just know a lot says it can lead to death. I'm wondering if that's due to infection, or if it'll lead to them not eating, if that makes sense. It just seems like a pocket that needs cleaned now and then, depending on the piggy, so I was shocked to see it can be deadly.

 

[RheMae]

What you can find is that when boars scent mark (drag their bottoms along the floor), they pick up bits of hair, hay, bedding. This can get caught in the anal sac and might need cleaning out. This is not impaction - it’s just bits of stuff getting caught.

Impaction is something older boars can struggle with. It is when the muscles of the anus lose strength and they cannot pass poop out as effectively and you may need to help clear it out. The guides below explain keeping the anal sack clean and about impaction.

Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths
Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.

Honestly, I was a bit scared to watch the larger impaction videos but just watching it finally, I understand how it can become life threatening now. Poor babies. The relief they must feel though when they are helped!

 

[Eriathwen]

My Gus gets very large impactions, it's one of the main reasons I have him...no one else wanted to adopt him which is sad as he is an amazing little guy, he also has developed arthritis, before being treated for this I woke up one morning to the biggest impaction I've ever seen from him, it caused pretty much everything to be sucked into his anal pouch, so his penis and anal opening were tucked away behind the ball of feaces. Luckily he was able to dribble urine out, but his poop had formed a long cylinder inside his anus as well which I had to help him pass. Luckily his sphincter was undamaged and once cleared he was able to poo as normally as he can again. Once on pain medication for his arthritis, it has never been that bad again. But golf ball sized impactions are not abnormal for him, especially first thing in the morning.

So, I wouldnt consider impactions to be serious or fatal, as long as they're being taken care of. But a neglected severe case of impaction could definitely cause issues.

 

[Wiebke]

I agree with @Eriathwen .

You can do a lot with a very regular, mainly hay based diet with only a modicum of always the same veg at the same time in the early to medium stages; even revert symptoms altogether for a goodly while in the milder cases.

Malnutrition from an unsuitable diet is usually at the bottom of many really bad cases in younger guinea pigs if they are fed mainly on low grade dry mixes and/or the wrong kind of veg and fruit with little or no hay at all.
In older piggies arthritis in the spine and back legs is often a contributing factor. Easing that can then also help with the impaction.

Regular care is key; it is the neglect cases without any care that can sadly occasionally get too bad and cause too many secondary complications/knock on effects on other areas before their rescue that can prove fatal if they cannot be gradually reversed with good care and vet/medical support.

But the stench is something else! Ideally you use nose plugs and do the clearing out outside or in a room that you can easily air afterwards. Impaction and abcess flushing are the two stinkiest jobs that can come with piggies. You will get used to it but since yours is only very, very mild, it can hopefully be sorted.

PS: Talking animatedly about boar care in all its glorious gory detail in a full inner city weekend pub is the most efficient way of clearing enough neighbouring tables to accommodate our occasional forum meets by our advance group.

 

[Merab]

To your PS @Wiebke