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Piggy Poo Problem - advice needed please

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Kimmy619

Kimmy619

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Hi everyone. I am hoping someone could make some suggestions to help my piggy Tweak feel better.

Tweak's poops haven't been totally solid for the last week or so and his bottom has been looking really dirty which is unusual. On Thursday night his bum was really bad so we decided to speak to the vet about it on Friday. The vet said that it may be something he has eaten and it should clear up over the next week - if it hasnt cleared up by then, we should go back. He also advised that we shouldn't give him any any fruit & veg as we don't wanna upset his tummy any more. He said that Tweaks bum muscles aren't that tight which proabably accounts for the build up around his bum :embarassed:

I'm still really worried about him as we have to keep cleaning his bum off. He really likes to cuddle which is difficult at the moment as we need to put him on an old towel first cos of the mess :( I think the fact that he isn't moving around a lot means that the poo is building up more as he is sat in it. Has anyone got any suggestions on how we can speed up his recovery?

He lives with 2 other piggys and they seem fine. Although they arent very pleased with the lack of veggies! :tickedoff:

Any thoughts and suggestions would really be appreciated! :)
 
It could be impaction which is fairly common in boars,especially older ones.Does the poop form a firm ball inside the anus which is rather smelly?.Also do normal pellets sometimes drop out as well?.This problem has nothing to do with diet,it is caused by slackening of the anal muscles.There is nothing that can be done,but the condition is only painful if the impaction is not cleared out on a regular basis.It is not a health threat.
If you think it is impaction give the normal amount of veggies.
 
Keep his bum and nedding extra clean while he has this problem. It sounds more like an upset tum than anal impaction. Get some bio lapis pro biotic from your vet, mix one sachet to 50mls water and give via syringe a few times a day for a few days. Keep him off the veg until his poos are normal again then re introduce slowly.

If he looks poorly or the diahorrea worsens, take him to the vet immediately :)
 
give him dry food like grass and hay, try some bananna as they is good for firming poops up. as you are in the UK and have your summer i would keep him inside to protect him from flys O0 you could put a divider up so the other two piggies get veggies. has there been a sudden change in diet or bedding or anything stress related happen?
how old is tweak as you mention he doesn't move around? sending many hugs and healing vibes and hoping tweak gets better soon :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Yeah I would lay off the veg and grass like others have suggested. He maybe had more than usual one day and it upset his tum slightly.
 
I agree with the postings above.
You don't say how old Tweaks is, however it does sound that he is either suffering from an impacted anus or upset tummy, or a bit of both.
Impacted anus is very common in older boars and something I have experienced (well, not me, my pigs! ;D) in the past and I have a problem with Joey which sounds extremely similiar to what is happening with Tweaks.

Joey is five years old. He doesn't eat much, although he is getting a little better and more active now that I am supplementing him with Vit C liquid by drops. Basically, he doesn't move about much and I have done a thread entitled Scurvy as he is so bad on his legs. He doesn't have hard pellet-like poos so he just sits, passes soft poos and squashes it against his bum and fur. Because he won't eat hay, I guess that is not helping so today I bought a tub of Pro-C Probiotic which has friendly bacteria and soluble fibre with vit c and glucose for digestive support.
Yes, keep him off the grass and try him with banana. I have corn-on-the cob for Joey for tea ... hopefully he will have a nibble at that and it should give him some fibre.

It is hard work keeping them clean when they are like this! Keep us posted as to how he goes along.

PS. Be extra careful at this time of year with him .... flies can get attracted to him!
 
Thanks everyone for your suggestions. He is just over 2 years old.

He isnt moving around a lot and I was getting concerned as I couldnt see that he was eating or drinking - although I spotted him having a drink a little while ago. :)

It is like he is pooing, but they dont come out totally which means everything gets a bit clogged up. He isn't smelling very nice either! I'm having to clean his bum a lot becuase as soon as I have cleaned it, it gets messy again.

He does look a bit brighter than he did yesterday, so I am hoping that he is getting better!
 
This still sounds like impaction to me, and there is nothing you can do except keep him clean which you are doing.Try and get him to move around more.
 
If Tweaks isn't moving around much that obviously doesn't help his poo problem!
Also if you are doubtful that he is eating or drinking as much as usual then I would seriously think about supplementing his diet, albeit temporarily, with some Vit C.

I started Joey on liquid Vit C 10 days ago and I have to say that he is much improved. He is moving around move ... he actually makes it to his bedroom ... more tempted to eat and his eyes are not as crusty. I give it to him by syringe twice daily and yesterday I noticed when I bathed him (yet again! ::))that he passed a few pellet poos! :) :)
 
Forgot to say ... Joey nibbled all of his corn on the cob. :)
Try Tweaks with one!
 
Think I may try him with some Vit C.

I have a hutch with a run attached to it for my 3 boys and Tweak is hiding in one of the houses in the run. I have put a spare water bottle near to where he is as he isnt moving enough to reach the one in the hutch.

I think you are right - I need to tempt him out of hiding with a tasty treat (hopefully it won't upset him tummy too much!) :)

He is very smelly, but I guess that I should wait until he is feeling a little better before giving him a bath?!
 
I find that Joey perks up after I have washed him and he is smelling all fresh. It can't be very nice sitting and smelling so I rinse Joey's bottom with warm water, quick splash of shampoo and rinse off ... then a lovely blow dry with the hairdryer. In-between times, if necessary, it is out with the wet wipes ;D
 
I hope your guinbea is feeling better. If he is still ill i would take him back to the vet.
 
He is doing a lot better now. Thanks everyone for your help.

Unfortunately, one of the other boars he lives with attacked him the other night so I have sepearted him from the other 2! It never ends....
 
am so glad tweaks is feeling better :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: was the attack a dominence thing or was it because tweak is ill? i ask as i remember when petal and rosie was alive petal was the dominant one but when petal got sick rosie just turned on her and wouldn't let up so they were seperated after 4 years together :'( :'( :'( hoping he feels better after his attack O0 sending hugs :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
I'm not really sure. I think it may be a dominance thing as Tweak was alone and then we introduced 2 brothers. . The brothers are about 6 or 7 months old so I guess it is because they are coming to that age. It is such a shame as Tweak is on his own again and he is so lovely and docile. One of the brothers, Chip gets on really well with Tweak and it is his brother, Dale who is the problem. I think that Dale would pine loads if I put Chip with Tweak so it is a lose lose situation at the moment!

He has full on attacked Tweak twice now and Tweak has bled both times so I dont want to risk him getting hurt :'(

My o/h is really angry with Dale, but in the long run, he is only doing what comes naturally to him so it isnt his fault. I think that Dale has been stressing Tweak for some time so I think that may have had something to do with his illness. :'(
 
could you perhaps get tweaks another friend? you could get tweaks fixed and get him a girlfriend though if your lucky there are some females out their that are fixed, they are rare as girls are only done if it is due to medical reasons, as it is a big operation for them O0 or you could put their cages together so they can see and smell eachother. and give tweaks a teddy to cuddle up too. if your cages are wooden, cut one wooden side and put wire on and then put the cages side by side. sending hugs to tweak and my OH knows what your's is feeling as jessie girl is always picking on zoe. >:( >:( >:( hugs to tweaks and hoping he finds a friend soon :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: or a nice teddy and seeing chip and dale(love the names love those chipmunks :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:) with cages seperating them O0
 
Dont think my o/h will be happy about getting another piggy :( Luckily, we have a hutch with a run attached so the 2 brothers are in the run and Tweak is in the hutch with the foor shut. This means that Chip and Tweak can talk through the wire. :smitten:

He is definately a lot better now and I havent had to clean his bum as much today! :)
 
just get one and tell your OH it followed you home 2funny 2funny 2funny so glad that tweak is feeling better and can still talk to chip, perhaps a teddy to cuddle upto at night for him O0 sending him hugs and healing vibes :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: and good job to you for being a good piggy mum :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
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