What is best to keep a piggy dry?

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Clover_kins

My little girl has always been kept on hay but for quite a while, her bum is getting really sticky/yellowed and just recently, it's got worse (under her tummy also). I figure because she is old (7 in a few months), she urinates where she sits. Also she has a lump just under her back end...which hasn't affected her as far as i can tell (she goes to the toilet as normal) Although, the vet said if she was younger, he'd remove it.. but its 'ok as long as she's not uncomfortable'. She's very active when i get her out and she still loves her food.

Do you think it could be due to the lump, that her back legs are getting sticky? or is it normal for old pigs? If so, what is the best bedding to keep her dry?

Thanks for any help!
 
Where exactly is the lump? if it is next to her girly bits it 'could' be a kidney stone that she can't pass and weeing is an issue so she has to do it when & where she can. Maybe try something more absorbant under her hay such as Megazorb which is about £5.80 for a massive sack 75litres I think. Getting hold of it can be a problem sometimes though because it is actually a horse bedding! If shee hasn't been on wood shavings I wouldn't start putting them in because of her age. There has been recent studys that wood shavings can cause upper respitory tract infections (URI's) & it also can dry out the natural oils from their feet & coat which can aggravate any dormant fungal infections.
I assume (bad aren't I!) that she's being tolerant of being bathed to clean her up.
I would give the CCT - Cambridge Cavy Trust a call - its free advice but the woman Vedra is literally an expert on Piggies & has saved many lifes of piggies who's owners come on here. It is a mobile number 07721026401 it probably won't be answered straight away because she's a busy woman!

Good luck & keep us posted :)
 
Hello :)
Good advice to ring the CCT, but if it is too far for you to travel to, do speak to your vet again, it's probably worth asking him if it's worth trying her on a course of antibiotics as it sounds as if she may have a urinary infection. If it is possible, take a urine sample from your girl along to the vets for them to test.

It might be worth bedding her on old towels, until you can hopefully resolve the problem. Also try and apply a soothing cream to the areas which get wet, maybe aloe vera gel, well rubbed in after washing her with a mild shampoo. It's important urine is removed from the skin regularly or she will get very sore, very quickly.

This isn't "usual" for old guinea pigs...in my opinion and experience... though of course each one is different :)
Like us, old age can bring with it a myriad of complaints and problems.

It's good to hear that she is still active and enjoying her scran, that's always a very positive sign!

Do let us know what Vedra or your vet has to say. It is also worth asking your vet exactly what they believe the "lump" to be.
Though I'd agree at almost 7, I would not be inclined to do anything drastic about it.

Good luck,
Barbara
 
Both my elderly pigs got like that. They got to the point where they wouldn't move much, and just layed where they pee'd/poo'd. Or actually become incontinent. Humans do it to, why not animals. I agree a vet would be a good idea for that lump. But for her age i can't imagine they'd suggest doing much. I hope she will be ok.
 
I think it can be too easy to put health problems simply down to old age (generalising here). Old age isn't a disease and incontinence isn't something that is inevitable. As a nurse, I know that one of the most common reasons behind sudden "incontinence" in the elderly is a urinary tract infection. That's why it is important to discount this cause by doing a urine test.
My vet agrees and never puts anything down to "old age" without trying to find the real cause and hopefully a treatment that will relieve it.

Yes, some people do develop true incontinence as they age as do some animals, but I'd never accept this personally as "one of those things" and nor would I do so for an animal. I don't want to be sitting in pads before I have to ::)

An interesting subject this! When is a guinea pig incontinent anyway? They seem to just pee and poo at will at the best of times!
I suppose true incontinence is when they more or less constantly dribble urine?

Anyway, hope this little girl can be sorted out :)

Barbara
 
cavykind said:
An interesting subject this! When is a guinea pig incontinent anyway? They seem to just pee and poo at will at the best of times!
Barbara
Click to expand...

True enough! ;D
I suppose i'm saying they have no control. They choose to pee and poo at certain times(i assume). Maybe they get to the point where they cant stop, or hold it in.
I too work in the health care sector, a lot of our patients can be incontinent for a lot of different reasons. I seem to find it is mostly old age with ours, their bodies dont work as good as they once did. Just my opinion on the situation. :)
Anyway, back to piggies. I would pop her in to see someone just to be on the safe side.
 
I would also go back to the vet or contact the CCT. Whilst I agree, I probably wouldn't opt to have the lump removed either, the apparent 'incontinence' might not have anything to do with it so it is best to have it checked.

I had a elderly piggy (she was 7 and a half when she died) who had tumours that in the end got so large they prevented her from being able to reach down and eat her caecotrophes properly so she did get a bit mucky on occassion. She used to have a 'spot bath' every day to keep her clean and she didn't mind me doing that. She never had any urinary problems though.

In regards to keeping her dry - I use vet bed for my arthritic bunny who has terrible toilet habits and it does keep him lovely and dry.
 
I put a post here a while ago (I'll try & do the link thing) where my old sow had -still has- ovarian cysts. Have a look at the before pics & see if they are similar lumps to your old girl...http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3083.0
Hope the link works! if it doesn;t its on the Health section about 3 pages in called Ovarian Cyst problem...
Hx
 
Another question: is she long or shorthaired?

I never had problems with my shorthaired ones, but my abyssinian Lily always had a yellow bum simply because her hair was longer and she was dragging it through every puddle she could find!
 
I'm sorry for the late reply! I feel so stupid, as soon as my old piggy got a wet bum, i took her to the vets! I think when i took clover about her lump, she was a bit sticky then but the vet didnt say anything. but i'll be taking her again asap!

I'm hoping it isnt ovarian cysts! She had that just over a year ago and was spayed as a result. She has got a bit of a middle age spread going on (the vet asked if she was pregnant) but i've been told old sows can go that shape?

Her lump is very soft/next to her important bits and hasnt grown since i noticed it (months ago) i know the vet wasn't too concerned over it. Ive been keeping my eye on her and she goes to the toilet fine and can still reach her bum. I don't think she is incontinent, as when she has a free run, she goes back to her house to wee (i noticed because she only got halfway into her house once and peed on the carpet :/)

oh and yes, i do bath her often :) she's quite used to it now and even grooms me back (i think that is what she is doing when she nibbles my arm!)

I will update when we've been to the vet, thanks for all of the advice!
Nici :)
 
How wonderful grooming you back! give Vedra a call at the CCT she'll give you all the advice you need.
 
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