New Piggie Poop Problem

[aredgrave90]

Hi All,

I wonder if you can give me some advice.

Until a few weeks ago I had two piggies, Tracy and Elena. Tracy developed ovarian cysts and passed away during surgery. It was absolutely devastating. After Tracy passed, Elena struggled, so I took her to an independent rescue for bonding. At the end of last week she came home with a piggie called Annie.

Annie came from a hoarding situation (I think they said 26 piggies). I asked the rescue whether she had any health problems, and they assured me that she didn't. They said that some of the pigs had hair loss when they came in, but they had been checked and treated for mites, and I didn't need to do any follow up treatment. I noticed when I got Annie home that she seemed unusually bony, and resolved to feed her up immediately. She has a very healthy appetite as far as I can tell - she's always eating veggies and nuggets, and of course, I see her munching on hay. She is active and bright eyed, and seems to love exploring.

The concern that I have is that her poo is an unusual shape. It is fatter and almost teardrop shaped by comparison to Elena's. I am attaching pictures here for comparison. The one on the left is Annie, the other is Elena's poo. It is a normal colour, and doesn't smell, but is perhaps a little softer than I'm used to. Do you think I've gone overboard with the veggies in my efforts to help her gain weight, or is this more likely a sign that there is a problem?

I have only had her for four days now, so it's difficult to tell if their is weight loss occurring. All I can really say is that other than her poo, her behaviour, appetite etc seem normal.

Thanks for your help!
Amy

 

[Swissgreys]

Sorry for you loss but congratulations on your new addition.

Honestly I would say 4 days is far too early to be worried.
Any new foods (particularly fresh veg and grass) should be introduced slowly, so maybe cut back a little in that department and give her stomach a chance to adapt.

I know it is tempting when you adopt an under wight pet to want to fatten them up asap, but this is really a marathon not a sprint.
Feed a well balanced good quality diet and she will gain weight over time.
She is safe now, and will no doubt thrive in a new, loving environment.

 

[aredgrave90]

Thanks so much for your advice I think you're right and I've gone overboard with the veggies. I'll cut back a little and give her chance to get used to things. With losing a piggie so recently, I tend to over-worry.

 

[Free Ranger]

Firstly, I'm so sorry for your loss. it's awful when it happens but it does happen...

Second - I love poop pictures. As an ex-microbiologist I think poop is generally under-rated in life!

I have 3 pigs and they all have their own signature poops. Flora is long and thin - Louise definitely short and fat and yes, sometimes a bit teardrop shaped but she does have the more 'sensitive' digestion mainly because she's such a greedy cow. As you haven't had Annie very long you won't have had a chance to know whether it's normal for her but the advice above is spot on.

Louise has recently been a bit gassy (I've heard her f*rting placidly while at the bowl) because my old boy George has been getting extra veg and despite our best efforts she's been hoovering up his leftovers. Her poops haven't changed in size or appearance but (apols if you're eating) if you squeeze one they're less compact. Not so firm. Gassy poops! But that's a hobby best saved for those with a specialist interest

 

[aredgrave90]

Ha ha, I'm glad that the poo pictures have met with approval, I debated with myself before posting them It's good to know that there is natural variation, and that I don't necessarily need to be worried. They could even be perfectly normal for Annie, though I think that I probably should chill with the veggies. It isn't going to be easy though, she's such a sweet and timid little thing ❤ ❤❤

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks so much for your advice I think you're right and I've gone overboard with the veggies. I'll cut back a little and give her chance to get used to things. With losing a piggie so recently, I tend to over-worry.

Hi and welcome

I have adopted several underweight piggies (often multiple mothers) over the years.
Please don't think you can fatten them up quickly. It takes weeks and months for the nutrients to gradually filter through until you get a phase when they suddenly put on weight massively for a few short weeks usually several months in.
For the long term, it is worth to concentrate on quality and not so much quantity. You can give two tablespoons of pellets for the first month if you really wish to but slow and steady is more effective. The more good quality hay your girl is eating, the better. Keep in mind that veg and pellets together only fill the supplementary role of wild forage and that by overfeeding you'll take away from the hay/grass intake.

Rather than loads of veg, offer her a bit more herbs in the first 2-3 weeks to stock up on the various trace elements. Stay off loads of fruit, too much root veg - although a little carrot once a week is allowed in your case in the first month - but otherwise, please keep it green plus a slice of pepper every day.
Our diet guide looks at diet as a whole and at each food group in detail. Your once weekly health monitoring, which includes a weigh-in on the kitchen scales is the other part of what you need to do. As long as your girl's weight is stable and tending up, she is doing well. The big weight gain will come at some point before it flattens out.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Weight - Monitoring and Management

My Millyn (caught living wild with her family in late August and giving birth in rescue in September) has only just gone through this filling-out phase nearly 3 months after being rescued and about 7-8 weeks after drying up early - not that there has been much in the way of milk so soon after her rescue, seeing how small her pups are compared to those of her mother's who had hers nearly 6 weeks later and where all the rescue care did come through before she reached the last stages of her prgnancy. Her mother is currently very slim post-birth but she will fill out herself around Christmas time...

The good news is that it is not life-shortening so don't be tempted to throw the kitchen sink at it. Unless there were other factors in play (bad genes due to several generations of inbreeding), mine have all lived a normal to above average life span.
My Taffy had a bare spine a full finger's width down and she was just skin and bones due to an estimated 3-4 back-to-back pregnancies. It took her months to fill out again but she lived to celebrate her 5th adoption anniversary and presumably her 6th birthday before that.

It is your good normal every day care with unlimited hay, restricted pellets and a balanced veg diet that will ultimately carry the day. Don't think in terms of a quick fix but in terms of a marathon.

PS: Your girl has nice fat poos with the tiniest hint of a minute tummy upset but they look well within normal individual parameters to me. Personally, I would not worry. Fat poos are healthy; it is the thin poos that mean not enough food.

I hope that this helps you?

 

[Queenjellybeany]

My pig has very similar poos to this sometimes. Kind of depends what she's eaten (whether she's had too many watery food or if she's randomly decided to drink a lot haha). Mine have been checked multiple times but they are normal and healthy. As humans we get soft poos now and again, so unless it becomes more watery or there is no poo at all I wouldn't worry!

 

[aredgrave90]

Hi and welcome

I have adopted several underweight piggies (often multiple mothers) over the years.
Please don't think you can fatten them up quickly. It takes weeks and months for the nutrients to gradually filter through until you get a phase when they suddenly put on weight massively for a few short weeks usually several months in.
For the long term, it is worth to concentrate on quality and not so much quantity. You can give two tablespoons of pellets for the first month if you really wish to but slow and steady is more effective. The more good quality hay your girl is eating, the better. Keep in mind that veg and pellets together only fill the supplementary role of wild forage and that by overfeeding you'll take away from the hay/grass intake.

Rather than loads of veg, offer her a bit more herbs in the first 2-3 weeks to stock up on the various trace elements. Stay off loads of fruit, too much root veg - although a little carrot once a week is allowed in your case in the first month - but otherwise, please keep it green plus a slice of pepper every day.
Our diet guide looks at diet as a whole and at each food group in detail. Your once weekly health monitoring, which includes a weigh-in on the kitchen scales is the other part of what you need to do. As long as your girl's weight is stable and tending up, she is doing well. The big weight gain will come at some point before it flattens out.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Weight - Monitoring and Management

My Millyn (caught living wild with her family in late August and giving birth in rescue in September) has only just gone through this filling-out phase nearly 3 months after being rescued and about 7-8 weeks after drying up early - not that there has been much in the way of milk so soon after her rescue, seeing how small her pups are compared to those of her mother's who had hers nearly 6 weeks later and where all the rescue care did come through before she reached the last stages of her prgnancy. Her mother is currently very slim post-birth but she will fill out herself around Christmas time...

The good news is that it is not life-shortening so don't be tempted to throw the kitchen sink at it. Unless there were other factors in play (bad genes due to several generations of inbreeding), mine have all lived a normal to above average life span.
My Taffy had a bare spine a full finger's width down and she was just skin and bones due to an estimated 3-4 back-to-back pregnancies. It took her months to fill out again but she lived to celebrate her 5th adoption anniversary and presumably her 6th birthday before that.

It is your good normal every day care with unlimited hay, restricted pellets and a balanced veg diet that will ultimately carry the day. Don't think in terms of a quick fix but in terms of a marathon.

PS: Your girl has nice fat poos with the tiniest hint of a minute tummy upset but they look well within normal individual parameters to me. Personally, I would not worry. Fat poos are healthy; it is the thin poos that mean not enough food.

I hope that this helps you?

Thanks so much, this is great advice The nuggets I do restrict, but I've definitely gone crazy on the veggies. I need to slow down and think in the long term, rather than throwing everything at it. They are primarily on greens, with peppers and cucumber thrown in, but perhaps less cucumber and a greater variety of herbs, plus less overall, is the trick. The links will be super helpful! I'm relieved that her poops are withing the range of normal.

I'm so glad the Millyn and Taffy are fine too after all the trauma they've been through! Tracy and Elena were also rescues... I can never believe what these tiny animals go through.

 

[aredgrave90]

My pig has very similar poos to this sometimes. Kind of depends what she's eaten (whether she's had too many watery food or if she's randomly decided to drink a lot haha). Mine have been checked multiple times but they are normal and healthy. As humans we get soft poos now and again, so unless it becomes more watery or there is no poo at all I wouldn't worry!

Thanks for your reply, it's very reassuring! I think she has found the cucumber a little too enticing

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks so much, this is great advice The nuggets I do restrict, but I've definitely gone crazy on the veggies. I need to slow down and think in the long term, rather than throwing everything at it. They are primarily on greens, with peppers and cucumber thrown in, but perhaps less cucumber and a greater variety of herbs, plus less overall, is the trick. The links will be super helpful! I'm relieved that her poops are withing the range of normal.

I'm so glad the Millyn and Taffy are fine too after all the trauma they've been through! Tracy and Elena were also rescues... I can never believe what these tiny animals go through.

Please keep the cucumber; it is a good way of encouraging stronger pees in piggies that are not great drinkers and it helps with initially feeding a bit more greens, especially with the ones higher in calcium and oxalates. Just try to reduce the amounts while keeping the overall balance.
She will come right and - if below 2 years of age - still has enough flexibility to make up for lost ground even if she has already reached adulthood.

Seeing rescue piggies flourish and discovering happiness is one of the most precious experiences you can have in your life.

 

[aredgrave90]

Please keep the cucumber; it is a good way of encouraging stronger pees in piggies that are not great drinkers and it helps with initially feeding a bit more greens, especially with the ones higher in calcium and oxalates. Just try to reduce the amounts while keeping the overall balance.
She will come right and - if below 2 years of age - still has enough flexibility to make up for lost ground even if she has already reached adulthood.

Seeing rescue piggies flourish and discovering happiness is one of the most precious experiences you can have in your life.

Then the cucumber can stay - Annie will be happy!