Stinky piggy potty?

[Deleted member 145660]

Hi everyone! I have a a question about one of my boys, I’ve noticed that his pees and poos smell a lot different from all of the others (I have four others) they have a very strong smell and almost chemically(?) it’s very strange, I’ve never smelled anything quite like Cookies potty area. Cookie is tends to keep all of his bathroom in one area which I clean everyday but it still has an incredibly strong smell. He’s had this terrible smelling bathroom since we brought him home from the rescue and at first I just thought it was from something they fed him there and it would eventually pass though his system, well it never did and three months later he still smells horrid Cookie lives on his own and his cage smells significantly worse than the others despite me cleaning them all regularly and feeding them all the same foods. So I’m wondering if some pigs just have naturally awful smelling bathroom or is it something else?

Not sure if this is something even related or a problem at all, but to me Cookies bits do look different than the others do. They don’t look like girl bits but they definitely are different than the other boys. He also walks like a rat so I’ve had my suspicions that he could be mixed with something other than a pig. But those are not confirmed and I could just be reading into Cookies behavior to much.

He at least looks to be a pig from the outside

 

[WobblyPiggy]

Hi, some piggies do smell stronger than others...and every piggy reacts different to the same veg...both of mine love a little bit of celery but one id fine on it and ones pee will smell stronger...you could start with taking out certain veg for a week or so at a time...see if the smell changes if not then slowly reintroduce the veg and then restrict another...if still nothing changes you could have him seen by a vet for a just incase check up...you could also give him a booty bath...he may just have a build up as males if not neutered can get impaction high up...he could just be going through a phase my male piggy has stinky phases and he gets wiped down at least ever 2 days if he has a particularly bad case of impaction we switch to every day until it clears...but even if he is stinky he is gorgeous and you can't stay mad at that face...

 

[weepweeps]

If you are worried he has an issue with his bits you could post a clear picture and people may have some advice.

Is his weight stable? I’m thinking smelly pee could be a UTI in which case a vet trip would be in order.

 

[Claire W]

Some pigs pee does smell stronger than others but I’d have him vet checked to check for a uti. It could well be nothing but it will put your mind at rest

 

[Deleted member 145660]

Hi, some piggies do smell stronger than others...and every piggy reacts different to the same veg...both of mine love a little bit of celery but one id fine on it and ones pee will smell stronger...you could start with taking out certain veg for a week or so at a time...see if the smell changes if not then slowly reintroduce the veg and then restrict another...if still nothing changes you could have him seen by a vet for a just incase check up...you could also give him a booty bath...he may just have a build up as males if not neutered can get impaction high up...he could just be going through a phase my male piggy has stinky phases and he gets wiped down at least ever 2 days if he has a particularly bad case of impaction we switch to every day until it clears...but even if he is stinky he is gorgeous and you can't stay mad at that face...

I think I will try a bum bath and switching up his diet first and go from there A butt bath has been on my list of to-do’s with all of my rescues but I have been waiting for the cold weather to go away first thanks for the advice

 

[Deleted member 145660]

If you are worried he has an issue with his bits you could post a clear picture and people may have some advice.

Is his weight stable? I’m thinking smelly pee could be a UTI in which case a vet trip would be in order.

As soon as I can get him to be still enough for a picture of his back end I definitely will post! I almost wonder if his previous owners had him neutered or something and didn’t tell the rescue (or the rescue just didn’t tell me) because I definitely think it looks a little different his weight does seem to be stable, if anything he seems to be gaining which is common at the stage he’s at (he’s still a growing boy) but that his something I will definitely be monitoring! Everything about him seems fine other than the fact that the things that come out of his back end smell atrocious! I felt like I was dealing with a biohazard when I was cleaning his cage the other day

 

[Deleted member 145660]

Some pigs pee does smell stronger than others but I’d have him vet checked to check for a uti. It could well be nothing but it will put your mind at rest

If it doesn’t clear up after a change in his diet and a bum bath that is definitely my next step! I definitely want to ask my vet about his odd looking bits as well so I’m thinking a trip might be a good idea. All I’ll have to do is try and catch the little stinker (literally) he is impossible to catch because he’s so fast! It’s a real workout trying to get him back in his cage after floor time

 

[Claire W]

If it doesn’t clear up after a change in his diet and a bum bath that is definitely my next step! I definitely want to ask my vet about his odd looking bits as well so I’m thinking a trip might be a good idea. All I’ll have to do is try and catch the little stinker (literally) he is impossible to catch because he’s so fast! It’s a real workout trying to get him back in his cage after floor time

I hope the bum bath helps and yes, some piggies can be really difficult to catch

 

[Betsy]

I haven't a hope of catching Lexi so I encourage her into a hidey with a bit of coriander then pick up the hidey with her in it.

 

[Deleted member 145660]

I haven't a hope of catching Lexi so I encourage her into a hidey with a bit of coriander then pick up the hidey with her in it.

I’m definitely going to give that try! I’m willing to try just about anything at this point

 

[WobblyPiggy]

I think I will try a bum bath and switching up his diet first and go from there A butt bath has been on my list of to-do’s with all of my rescues but I have been waiting for the cold weather to go away first thanks for the advice

I have been trying to wait for warmer weather too...I have done mine in what I class as an emergency ie. Lying in a soggy patch and is now saturated...in the winter but I make sure heaters are on blankets are ready and hair dryer is to hand...hopefully a change in diet and a booty bath will help...

 

[FloofMomster]

After food goes in, it passes through the gut, and then it either pops out constantly and easily or it sits inside the piggy and ferments until it pops out. If you're noticing "Swedish meatball" poo balls on the cage floor (or when you pick him up), then it's a case of impaction. Some older piggies are prone to this - especially if they are inactive. One of my older boys (4 yrs old) has this issue. I have switched his pellets to Oxbow Garden Select, and I am constantly refilling the hay pile. Benebac Plus (a probiotic) might be helpful for your piggy. I have not needed to do this with mine (yet), but that will be my next course of action. Lots of info out there on the web about guinea pig impaction. Good luck

 

[Deleted member 145660]

After food goes in, it passes through the gut, and then it either pops out constantly and easily or it sits inside the piggy and ferments until it pops out. If you're noticing "Swedish meatball" poo balls on the cage floor (or when you pick him up), then it's a case of impaction. Some older piggies are prone to this - especially if they are inactive. One of my older boys (4 yrs old) has this issue. I have switched his pellets to Oxbow Garden Select, and I am constantly refilling the hay pile. Benebac Plus (a probiotic) might be helpful for your piggy. I have not needed to do this with mine (yet), but that will be my next course of action. Lots of info out there on the web about guinea pig impaction. Good luck

I haven’t been noticing any impactions or “Swedish meatball” (I absolutely love the name) poos. Cookie has a fairly small bum compared to other pigs I’ve seen so it would likely be noticeable if anything was caught up in there. Also he’s a fairly young pig - only about a year and four months and he’s really quite active. Always running around his house (and mine when I'm home to watch) creating whatever messes and chaos he can! A friend of mine has an older pig with impaction issues so I definitely know what to look for! Not something pleasant at all
Thank you so much for the advice and best of luck to you with your pig! You are a real trooper handling those (stinky) impactions

 

[Deleted member 145660]

I haven’t been noticing any impactions or “Swedish meatball” (I absolutely love the name) poos. Cookie has a fairly small bum compared to other pigs I’ve seen so it would likely be noticeable if anything was caught up in there. Also he’s a fairly young pig - only about a year and four months and he’s really quite active. Always running around his house (and mine when I'm home to watch) creating whatever messes and chaos he can! A friend of mine has an older pig with impaction issues so I definitely know what to look for! Not something pleasant at all
Thank you so much for the advice and best of luck to you with your pig! You are a real trooper handling those (stinky) impactions

I should also mention that I do check my pigs quite often for signs of anything wrong, I don’t just go by a quick once over One of my original pigs (Ozzy), who unfortunately passed had an abundance of health issues and ever since then I have been a little crazy about watching my boys like a hawk.

 

[Deleted member 145660]

I have been trying to wait for warmer weather too...I have done mine in what I class as an emergency ie. Lying in a soggy patch and is now saturated...in the winter but I make sure heaters are on blankets are ready and hair dryer is to hand...hopefully a change in diet and a booty bath will help...

It cannot come fast enough! My boys will be thrilled when they can go outside and munch on some fresh grass I’m a little afraid to do a bath with Cookie right now because he is quite skittish and won’t ever lay on anything soft or warm (very strange to me because all of my other boys love their soft blankets) he prefers to lay just on the fleece in the most open hut he can find I’m hoping the diet change and a good cleaning will help! Thank you

 

[WobblyPiggy]

It cannot come fast enough! My boys will be thrilled when they can go outside and munch on some fresh grass I’m a little afraid to do a bath with Cookie right now because he is quite skittish and won’t ever lay on anything soft or warm (very strange to me because all of my other boys love their soft blankets) he prefers to lay just on the fleece in the most open hut he can find I’m hoping the diet change and a good cleaning will help! Thank you

Have you maybe tried bath mats? One of mine hates fleeces but loves bath mats...plus they're a bit more absorbant...and as for not lying still if you can get a big cardboard box and lie a blanket over the top so he's covered then put the hair dryer on low at the opposite side to where he is for small intervals it may help him dry quicker...or if you have an electric blanket you can put it on a low heat under his normal blanket keep him warm...or even a hot water bottle keep him warm while he's drying...thats a few I've done in the past when building trust with piggies...one of mine loves the electric blanket on the lowest setting inside a hut and wrapped in a fleece...and she dries within an hour...