Not sure what is wrong with my piggie- poop issues (diarrhea and stringed poo)

[GuineaPig Mom]

Hello,

My guinea pig, Coco is having some problems with his poo right now, and is even having stringed poo... here is an overview of any changes in his lifestyle during the past month.
- A month and two weeks ago, I started to have him lose weight little by little: he was 1450 grams
- A month ago and a week ago, his cagemate died (6-7 years of age)
- A month ago a week ago, his weight was now 1402 grams
- A month ago I started him on vitamin C supplements
- Three weeks ago his weight was 1334 grams
- Three weeks ago he started having diarrhea: he was pooping less and his poo was soft and deformed. I could see that he was also a lot less active (I found out my parents gave him a lot of sweets and he wasn't eating his hay well, so I assumed it was from excessive sugar intake and an upset stomach; I started him on some dietary supplements, and was recommended to stop feeding him veggies and treats so that he begins eating hay)
- Two weeks ago he was pooping normally again so I started him on veggies, less than what I usually feed him. I didn't give him any treats except for a piece of mandarin one time that week.
- Two weeks ago I was planning to clip his nails and bathe him, but I accidently cut the vein on his nail... I calmed him down and pressed down on it to stop the bleeding. Afterwards, I disinfected it and put a little bit of medicine on it.
- Two weeks ago I brought him a new cagemate (Though Coco wasn't too happy at first, they quickly got along well starting the next day)
- Two weeks ago I changed his cage to a cage triple in size to his original cage. Coco was a lot more active and was playing well with his friend
- A week ago I bathed him along with his cagemate, since I didn't last time
- A week ago he began to have diarrhea again. This time he was pooping more, but it was a lot softer, though it wasn't watery. I stopped feeding him veggies again, expecting him to eat more hay.
- His weight 4 days ago was 1286 grams
- Yesterday his poop became a little harder
- Today I found stringy poo in his cage. It meant his gut stopped working so I immediately started syringe feeding him pellets. However, he refused the syringe... instead, he went into the mushed pellet bowl and started chowing down.

I really have no idea what is wrong with Coco. I suspected many things- problem with his diet, bloat, problems with his teeth, depression, moldy hay, etc...
However, if you simply see him, not his poop, he is fine- he eats everything I give him (ALL EXCEPT FOR HAY), he runs around a lot, he squeaks frequently and grooms himself regularly.... the only problems he is having is that he is not eating hay, having diarrhea, and now, having stringed poo.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hay is essential to keep the gut functioning properly, it also keeps the teeth wearing down. If their teeth overgrow they tend to stop eating properly.

It looks as if you are doing what we would suggest in not giving him any veg. I would suggest further thought thwt you don’t give him fruit at all any more - it isn’t important in their diet in anyway.

Syringe feeding replaces the hay he isn’t eating for himself, so if he isnt eating any hay at all, then you are going to need to get between 60 ans 90ml of syringe feed into him in a 24 hour period. This could mean you feed little and often - every couple of hours. Weigh him every day so you can monitor his food intake - increasing the amount you syringe to him if his weight continues to drop. It may also be better if you get hold of a recovery feed such as critical care, supreme science etc, rather than using mushed pellets as the recovery feeds contain more fibre.

Please also have your piggy seen by a vet. Severe runny diarrhoea is an emergency. He will also need to have his teeth checked if he hasn’t eaten hay throughout all this time. The guides below will help you

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

 

[GuineaPig Mom]

Hay is essential to keep the gut functioning properly, it also keeps the teeth wearing down. If their teeth overgrow they tend to stop eating properly.

It looks as if you are doing what we would suggest in not giving him any veg. I would suggest further thought thwt you don’t give him fruit at all any more - it isn’t important in their diet in anyway.

Syringe feeding replaces the hay he isn’t eating for himself, so if he isnt eating any hay at all, then you are going to need to get between 60 ans 90ml of syringe feed into him in a 24 hour period. This could mean you feed little and often - every couple of hours. Weigh him every day so you can monitor his food intake - increasing the amount you syringe to him if his weight continues to drop. It may also be better if you get hold of a recovery feed such as critical care, supreme science etc, rather than using mushed pellets as the recovery feeds contain more fibre.

Please also have your piggy seen by a vet. Severe runny diarrhoea is an emergency. He will also need to have his teeth checked if he hasn’t eaten hay throughout all this time. The guides below will help you

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

Thank you, I'll start syringe feeding him every hour. I also ordered some critical care earlier and it will be coming tomorrow. He is having diarrhea, but it isn't runny- it still has a shape, but it is mushy and slightly wet.

 

[GuineaPig Mom]

Hay is essential to keep the gut functioning properly, it also keeps the teeth wearing down. If their teeth overgrow they tend to stop eating properly.

It looks as if you are doing what we would suggest in not giving him any veg. I would suggest further thought thwt you don’t give him fruit at all any more - it isn’t important in their diet in anyway.

Syringe feeding replaces the hay he isn’t eating for himself, so if he isnt eating any hay at all, then you are going to need to get between 60 ans 90ml of syringe feed into him in a 24 hour period. This could mean you feed little and often - every couple of hours. Weigh him every day so you can monitor his food intake - increasing the amount you syringe to him if his weight continues to drop. It may also be better if you get hold of a recovery feed such as critical care, supreme science etc, rather than using mushed pellets as the recovery feeds contain more fibre.

Please also have your piggy seen by a vet. Severe runny diarrhoea is an emergency. He will also need to have his teeth checked if he hasn’t eaten hay throughout all this time. The guides below will help you

Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Not Eating, Weight Loss And The Importance Of Syringe Feeding Fibre
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Digestive Disorders: Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement) And Not Eating
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

Also, I was thinking about maybe feeding him on probiotics (bene-zac) to help with his diarrhea... do you know if taking it would help him with his diarrhea a little?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Also, I was thinking about maybe feeding him on probiotics (bene-zac) to help with his diarrhea... do you know if taking it would help him with his diarrhea a little?

there is no harm in giving him a probiotic or poop soup from just produced poops of a healthy companion, but as he is ill then getting him seen by a vet is the first course of action. It may be that he needs a prescribed treatment first and foremost

 

[Wiebke]

with @Piggies&buns

Please take the time to read the information and please seek vet care over any ongoing digestive issues. The problem can sit in the mouth (dental overgrowth or oral thrush, which is a fungal candida infection) or can be often a pain issue somewhere in the body that is impacting on the digestion.
An unbalanced sugar/starch heavy fruit and carrot/root veg heavy diet can cause both long term digestive problems (dysbiosis = overgrowth of the wrong kind ob bacteria in the digestive tract) but also cause dental overgrowth and then dysbiosis as a result.

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