I'd like to ask a serious question about my guinea pig's arse.

[Boco]

Which is ironic because when Thready's GPig died I wrote a poem about fecal impaction - and now I think my guinea pig may have just that. He's not been pooing much and the area around his bum is bulging in a very alarming way.

Has anyone experienced this,(not personally of course, just in their guinea pigs) and do you know what to do about it? I don't want him to explode or anything. And I don't really want to be doign things to his bum either. Is there a solution?

[guvk]

Poo unforthcoming:
The summer sun's hot hutch glare
Clenches Wilf's anus.

[sullysmum]

Do guinea pigs have anal glands like dogs could be an anal gland abcess, if they do and it is, bathe several times a day with fairly hot/warm salt water to bring to a head keep bathing to make it draw to a head and when it bursts wipe all the yukky stuff away and keep bathing it with the hot/warm salt water, also get anti biotics/pain killer from vets?

[EdwardBitMe]

A heat wave
Causes Boco unrest and
Stalls Wilf's stool

(not strictly haiku, but I can never remember the rules!)

[Blondeshavemorefun]

poor wilfred!!!

the indignity's he has suffered!!!!

hope you have managed to get to see a vet today

[snigger]

I'm getting quite concerned for Wilf.

It prompted me to upend, without due care or warning, all of our guinea herd in order to inspect their nethers - all's well here, no vaseline required.

Go on, Wilf, PUSH.

[Blondeshavemorefun]

and glad no insertion of cucumber!!!

wouldnt a gerkin be more their size



and yes dh and i love south park and that episode is very funny

[Boco]

I think we've had some success! This evening he was racing around the garden with his brother Morris - after a couple of days of lying down looking pained, and when I went to put him in his hutch his bum was a lot less bulgy and there was a pile of poos. So hooray, I think Wilfred has unplugged. I hope it wasn't the result of the perrineal massage because I really don't want to do that ever again. [haunted stare]

[Blondeshavemorefun]

fab!!

[snigger]

Boco, surely your lifetime's worth of therapy is a small price to pay for Wilf's free passage, as it were?

Bravo.

[guvk]

Congratulations on the happy event.

I hope you have noted the words 'on a weekly basis' in Meglet's post.

[EdwardBitMe]

Wilfred running free,
Pile of poo as evidence
Of anal rubbing!

(5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syllables!)

[Pyrocanthus]

We had our two boys neutered today - it's supposed to make them much less prone to anal impaction, as well as the more obvious consequence.

It can be a hazardous op though - we used a vet recommended by a gp rescue centre and our boys have come home safely, but I'm still concerned about infection, shock, etc.