Poorly piggy?

[Kay701]

So a few weeks ago I asked about taking one of my piggies who had an upset stomach off veg; it turned out that I put her back on it too soon but unfortunately I saw the advice too late so she was fine for a few days, then early this week I started to see some abnormal poos again, so took her off veg again for over 48 hours, waited for I think 24 hours after poos had normalised before starting reintroduction with coriander.

However... after poos had normalised I then started to see some smaller, dryer poos. My big concern with taking waffle off veg is that she never drinks water. I was worried about the dehydrated looking poos so tried again (have tried many times with no success) to show her the water bottle and bowl. Fortunately this time she actually was interested and drank quite a lot - she had clearly been very thirsty and I'm not entirely sure why she didn't drink from the bottle and bowl before. I've moved them to a place in their cage that they might prefer and I think that should help? Waffle has been a bit less active and looking quite sorry for herself since I took her off veggies.

Poos are looking fine and properly hydrated now, but still smaller than usual (slightly thinner, a bit shorter) and I can see she drank overnight. However I weighed her this morning and she's 914g which is concerning given that the weights for the last few weeks have been 995g, 954g, 985g. I will weigh her again tomorrow and see how it goes. She does still have a bit of a mucky bum which I'll clean today, but oddly so does honey (whose poos are completely normal) but this could be because they need a bum hair trim!

The issue is that I am going away tomorrow, and cannot cancel this (for serious family reasons) or take the piggies with me. We have a lovely neighbour who looks after them but she's never held them and I don't want to ask her to weigh Waffle as I'm terrified that waffle would freak out totally and I don't think the neighbour could do it confidently/safely. I can weigh her tomorrow and will ask for daily pictures of the poo in the cage before she spot cleans. I am intending to take the piggies to the vets in about a week's time when I'm back for a check up anyway.

I just feel awful leaving them, I know it's relatively minor but still...

any advice appreciated

 

[Piggies&buns]

I’m sorry to hear this.

Given the amount of weight she has lost, she needs to be syringe fed to stop any further weight loss and she needs to be weighed daily to ensure she is getting enough syringe feed each day to stop the weight loss.

Unfortunately monitoring poop isn’t going to help you know she is eating which hay as there is a 1-2 day delay between food going in and poop going out. Daily weight checks are the only way to know what is happening with hay intake.
Small poops do indicate she isn’t eating enough and hasn’t been for a little while.

I don’t know what to suggest given your neighbour wont be able to do any syringe feeding but it is important that her weight loss is stopped.

All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures

 

[Wiebke]

So a few weeks ago I asked about taking one of my piggies who had an upset stomach off veg; it turned out that I put her back on it too soon but unfortunately I saw the advice too late so she was fine for a few days, then early this week I started to see some abnormal poos again, so took her off veg again for over 48 hours, waited for I think 24 hours after poos had normalised before starting reintroduction with coriander.

However... after poos had normalised I then started to see some smaller, dryer poos. My big concern with taking waffle off veg is that she never drinks water. I was worried about the dehydrated looking poos so tried again (have tried many times with no success) to show her the water bottle and bowl. Fortunately this time she actually was interested and drank quite a lot - she had clearly been very thirsty and I'm not entirely sure why she didn't drink from the bottle and bowl before. I've moved them to a place in their cage that they might prefer and I think that should help? Waffle has been a bit less active and looking quite sorry for herself since I took her off veggies.

Poos are looking fine and properly hydrated now, but still smaller than usual (slightly thinner, a bit shorter) and I can see she drank overnight. However I weighed her this morning and she's 914g which is concerning given that the weights for the last few weeks have been 995g, 954g, 985g. I will weigh her again tomorrow and see how it goes. She does still have a bit of a mucky bum which I'll clean today, but oddly so does honey (whose poos are completely normal) but this could be because they need a bum hair trim!

The issue is that I am going away tomorrow, and cannot cancel this (for serious family reasons) or take the piggies with me. We have a lovely neighbour who looks after them but she's never held them and I don't want to ask her to weigh Waffle as I'm terrified that waffle would freak out totally and I don't think the neighbour could do it confidently/safely. I can weigh her tomorrow and will ask for daily pictures of the poo in the cage before she spot cleans. I am intending to take the piggies to the vets in about a week's time when I'm back for a check up anyway.

I just feel awful leaving them, I know it's relatively minor but still...

any advice appreciated

Hi

If problems persist, please see a vet as there seems to be a developing problem that could impact on the appetite (my gut feeling is a developing pain issue somewhere inside the body or mouth rather than a primary tummy upset which is not necessarily visible to you).

The increasing weight loss is likely due to a reduced hay intake, which makes over three quarters of what a piggy eats in a day and which you cannot control by eye. Please step in with top up feeding support. Also keep in mind that the poo output always runs at least a day behind events. The weight loss has now reached a range where it should be checked.
Weigh daily first thing in the morning for best day to day comparison and to make it easier to plan out the day for the appropriate level of feeding support. The very practical links below with help you.

Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support
All About Syringe Feeding and Medicating Guinea Pigs with Videos and Pictures
How to Improvise Feeding Support in an Emergency
Signs of Pain in Guinea Pigs

Emergency and Crisis Care as well as Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment

 

[Kay701]

Thank you for the advice. I don't have a syringe, can order but won't arrive until tomorrow anything else I can do?

if her weight has gone up tomorrow do you think I would be safe to leave them? I'll be back on Sunday.

Only other option is to take them with me, but they'd have to be in a very small cage (lack of space as place I'm going has a dog and would need to make sure they're in a secure room away from it). I'm worried the journey (4hrs) and change of scene would make things worse.

 

[Kay701]

I could try to get an emergency vet appointment today but would be in the same boat regarding taking them with me or not as my neighbour couldn't do treatment.

 

[Kay701]

Have decided to take them with me, it will be difficult but better than leaving them. Went to the vets and the vet said she seems okay, possibly a bit bloated, and probably a bit constipated. She gave us lactulose. Does this sound reasonable? am nervous about the lactulose in particular. The scales at the vets put her at a significantly higher weight so idk what to make of that, maybe my scales are a bit dodgy. Poos are looking properly hydrated now but still far too small.

 

[Truffolo]

Lactulose seems to be a stool softener, but I don't know how it affects guinea pigs. I can only offer support. It's good that you are keeping them with you. Take care when driving and try not to worry too much. If they are thirsty they will drink. Good luck with your small patients

 

[Piggies&buns]

Piggies don’t get constipated.
A piggy who isn’t pooping at all or is producing small poop is not eating properly.

It’s not so much the actual weight it’s more the change to the weight. If you are finding she has been losing, then she is losing regardless of what the actual weight is.