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Neutering males and impaction?

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cavykind

I've read and heard it said that castrated males are less likely to suffer from impaction problems than entire males.
What is everyones thoughts on this? Have you heard this too?

In my experience....I'm not sure.

The males that stay here are neutered, if posssible. Though I have a fair few entire oldies stay. Also the odd paired boars. I have had a few castrated males with impaction probs, so neutering does obviously not guarantee it won't happen.
But is it less likely?

Barbara
 
cant see it would make a difference my males who have had impaction are/have been all unneteured
 
I don't want to sound silly but can someone explain the impaction thing to me? I have three boys so I'd like to be prepared... what are the chances of it happening and is it to older boys? And how do you recognise it?

Sarah x
 
sarahp said:
I don't want to sound silly but can someone explain the impaction thing to me? I have three boys so I'd like to be prepared... what are the chances of it happening and is it to older boys? And how do you recognise it?

Sarah x
Click to expand...

When males produce "pellets" and soft droppings they pass through their anal sac, rather than directly from the body. Within this sac are scent producing glands. If thee gland become over active, it gets too sticky in there and faeces clogs it up and forms a soft mass.
Some people mistakenly believe that it is because the muscles around the anal sac become lax, but Vedra at the CCT told me this is not the case...It's down to over secretion of the glands as described.

Some males develop it, some don't...Some say diet has an influence, Vedra told me it doesn't.
I have had males just over a year develop impaction and older boys with no or only slight problems.
I have heard it said neutering prevents it, but I have had neutered boys develop it too.

As someone has said, if there is an impaction, you can usually feel the lump in the anal sac when you pick your boy up. They often smell a bit more whiffy too ::)

The above is my understanding :)
Barbara
 
I think neutering definitely makes a differnce if the guinea is neutered while he is young before the anal sac gets too large, say before he is a year old. I am not so sure how much it will help if he is done once fully mature, although there is a chance that if the muscle is still in good condition it could reduce in size over time.
Only one of my neutered males has ever become impacted, and that was a botch job done by an incompetant vet >:(
My old lads have very small anal orifices, so there is nowhere for anything to get stuck.
 
hopperhaven said:
I think neutering definitely makes a differnce if the guinea is neutered while he is young before the anal sac gets too large, say before he is a year old. I am not so sure how much it will help if he is done once fully mature, although there is a chance that if the muscle is still in good condition it could reduce in size over time.
Only one of my neutered males has ever become impacted, and that was a botch job done by an incompetant vet >:(
My old lads have very small anal orifices, so there is nowhere for anything to get stuck.
Click to expand...

Thank you for your input :)

Barbara
 
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