Small poops

[piggl]

Can someone remind me what small poops mean.

My pigs have been having on and off small poops and I have no idea why.
I have attached images of my 5 year old boar, Winstons, poop. It goes this tiny and small amounts for a day and then back to normal for a day or two and then it goes funny again.

His stomach feels fine, he seems to be eating as normal. I need to weigh him tomorrow morning and see if there’s any change.
I’m just wondering why some are normal and some are small. They’re still a good consistency and colour.

He gets 1 tbsp of oats in a day, around a cup and a half of different veggies, constant access to hay and water and around 20 nuggets a day.

For example last night when I cleaned him out he had around 20-30 normal, healthy sized poops (after a 12pm clean up with around the same amount) and then this morning only like 3-4 small ones. I’ve then came back to clean him tonight and again i’ve only seen maybe 5 small ones. I went to check his bottom and he started to poop so I put him back in his cage, it was normal size but had almost a trench in it.

I’m just wondering why there’s so much changes with no obvious reason.

 

[piggl]

And now we’re back to normal, if not a little bit fat, after basically no poops all day (Pooped literally right now!)

I think he just likes to play with my emotions at this point!

 

[Julie M]

The top poops look pretty normal to me. The bottom ones look more hydrated, possibly eaten more watery veg the day before? They certainly don't look like small poops. Any poops in the cage are from the day befores food.

 

[piggieminder]

Small and/or not many poops usually mean they are not eating enough but those poops look pretty normal to me. I have also noticed that their poops tend to get smaller in senior boars. Both my oldies are now doing much smaller poops than my youngsters although they eat well.
Oldies are 5 & 6, youngsters 1, 2 & 3, size also varies from piggy to piggy. I seem to remember Winston is an older boar.

 

[Lorcan]

One of the goblins, and I've never been sure which one, has much smaller poop than the other - but it's consistently much smaller, it's just his regular poop. Was a bit weird at first because the size difference was that obvious but now, I don't worry about it. It's their normal.

 

[piggl]

Small and/or not many poops usually mean they are not eating enough but those poops look pretty normal to me. I have also noticed that their poops tend to get smaller in senior boars. Both my oldies are now doing much smaller poops than my youngsters although they eat well.
Oldies are 5 & 6, youngsters 1, 2 & 3, size also varies from piggy to piggy. I seem to remember Winston is an older boar.

He is! But my worry is that they are going from big to small to big again, with no real cause.

I wonder if there’s anyway he’s just generally eating more one day than another? and this is causing the lack of consistency.

 

[piggieminder]

I can't say I've ever studied them that closely!

 

[fluffysal]

George does HUGE poops while Boris does poops half the size. He makes up for it with volume though........

 

[Piggies&buns]

If his weight is stable then there isn’t an inconsistency as such. Poop output isn’t a reliable indicator of much other than small ones indicate lack of food intake 1-2 days ago (so quite delayed information) so if you are worried then weighing daily for a while would be the advice. The poops actually look fine to me though.

 

[piggl]

If his weight is stable then there isn’t an inconsistency as such. Poop output isn’t a reliable indicator of much other than small ones indicate lack of food intake 1-2 days ago (so quite delayed information) so if you are worried then weighing daily for a while would be the advice. The poops actually look fine to me though.

I wonder how I would know if he is struggling with impaction? When I look in his anal sack I can’t see much, and to look any further it feels like it would hurt, but when I press on the sides of the anal sack it almost feels as if there’s something hard.

His weight has actually gone up, but i’m not suprised at that due to the lack of poop.

I wouldn’t/couldn’t go too far, so i’m not sure if it’s worth the risk. When I get up in the morning he does look uncomfortable, hunched up and puffy hair.

I’ve taken a video (CW : Guinea Pigs Anal Sack), youtube has ruined the quality and i’m not sure if there’s much to tell from it anyway, but the front of his anal sack towards his penis is clear, but further back it looks/feels like there’s something there. I cant be sure it’s not another poop or just his testicles, lol.
What you can see in the video is about as far “down” as I could get, any further would likely be very uncomfortable for him, but I worry the impaction is deep?

I am aware that this is the way the anal sack goes generally, it’s not just straight back, but I am worried there is something blocking that I can’t see due to the curve, which is causing the puffed fur and lack of poops.
CW : Guinea Pig Anal Sack

 

[piggl]

Would impaction be obvious? I have gone over the impaction guide and the impaction looked very obvious when the anal sack is checked, but as you can see in the video there was no "obvious" obstruction that wanted to come out, but I worry its so big it just isnt visible from a quick check.

I do struggle with anxiety, so please excuse my many questions, but the lack of poops and puffed up hair when not on his painkiller (for arthritis) is worrying to me. I will continue to weigh him daily and see how he gets on.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Is he actually lacking poops?
Unless I’ve missed it, you’ve said it’s just that some seem smaller?

Piggies with impaction can still pass normal poops (unless the impaction is very very bad indeed)

The best thing if you are worried is to see a vet

Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.

 

[weepweeps]

I’ve had an older boar with impaction and you can’t miss it. lol. It’s like a large marble sized poop ball. It’s soooooo stinky. They can still poop normally though. It doesn’t block their anus.

 

[piggl]

Is he actually lacking poops?
Unless I’ve missed it, you’ve said it’s just that some seem smaller?

Piggies with impaction can still pass normal poops (unless the impaction is very very bad indeed)

The best thing if you are worried is to see a vet

Impaction - How To Help Your Guinea Pig.

Yesterday morning he had done like 4 small poops. Over 12 hours later he, again, had done only 4-5 small poops. Whereas on his "healthy" days I am cleaning up 10-30 healthy poops morning and night.

 

[Piggies&buns]

His weight is stable?
Fewer and smaller poops and one of the first thoughts is reduction in hay intake which of course would have occurred 1-2 days prior to noticing the reduction in poops.

I would go to daily weight checks and see a vet if you are worried.

 

[piggl]

His weight is stable?
Fewer and smaller poops and one of the first thoughts is reduction in hay intake which of course would have occurred 1-2 days prior to noticing the reduction in poops.

I would go to daily weight checks and see a vet if you are worried.

He technically gained like 10 grams since last week, but he hasn’t been pooping much so i’m not surprised.

Thanks for the advice, i’ll continue weighing him and see how he gets on x

 

[piggl]

Almost no poops in the last day and a bit, to now making his own mountain. A mixture of small, pointy poops.

He’s also not that interested in his vegetables and just sitting in the corner

 

[Piggies&buns]

Almost no poops in the last day and a bit, to now making his own mountain. A mixture of small, pointy poops.

He’s also not that interested in his vegetables and just sitting in the corner

On the face of the photo the poops don’t look too concerning but you know him best and if he seems out of sorts then do make a vet appointment

 

[piggl]

Okay there’s definitely something wrong, he’s refusing to eat and his belly feels really soft.
I can hear no sounds from his gut at all.

Can I give him more of his Metacam? It’s been over 12 hours since he last had. I really don’t want him to be in pain. He seems really uncomfortable and i’m scared he’s dying

 

[piggieminder]

Sending Winston healing vibes. I hope he is okay.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Okay there’s definitely something wrong, he’s refusing to eat and his belly feels really soft.
I can hear no sounds from his gut at all.

Can I give him more of his Metacam? It’s been over 12 hours since he last had. I really don’t want him to be in pain. He seems really uncomfortable and i’m scared he’s dying

I'm sorry to hear that but Please see a vet

 

[piggieminder]

You know Winston well and if you think something is wrong you should see a vet if only for your peace of mind.

 

[piggl]

You know Winston well and if you think something is wrong you should see a vet if only for your peace of mind.

Ive got an appointment for today!, I think he has gut stasis. He has very similar issues to what I lost his best friend to at the start of this year.
I just really hope it doesnt end like my last run in with stasis..

 

[Piggies&buns]

Ive got an appointment for today!, I think he has gut stasis. He has very similar issues to what I lost his best friend to at the start of this year.
I just really hope it doesnt end like my last run in with stasis..

Keep going with plenty of syringe feeding.

Sending huge amounts of good wishes for Winston and you

 

[iamclarinha]

olá, está tudo bem? Como está seu porquinho? Você o levou ao veterinário? meu porquinho está na mesma situação e gostaria de saber se voltou ao normal.

 

[Piggies&buns]

olá, está tudo bem? Como está seu porquinho? Você o levou ao veterinário? meu porquinho está na mesma situação e gostaria de saber se voltou ao normal.

Please could you post in English.

I have done a google translate of this though. Please do see a vet if you are worried about your piggy, switch to daily weight checks and step in with syringe feeding.
It’s also best to start your own post so you can have support on your specific situation.