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Small pets

Mumsnet does not check the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you're worried about the health of your pet, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

poorly piggy

22 replies

glenthebattleostrich · 14/08/2016 19:53

My boar George is not well :(

I've called the out of hours vet and left a message, looks like he has a blocked bottom. When I checked him he had some hard poop with what looks like fur in it stuck.

He's lethargic, not eating and just looks sad, not his normal shouty self. I'm making sure he has water and have him on my knee with some hay, banana (his favourite treat, and some kale if he wants some.

He was fine and happy this morning, we went out for the day and he seemed out of sorts when we got back at tea time .

Is there anything I can do whilst waiting for the vet to call back?

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/08/2016 21:02

Poor George

Is he dehydrated at all?
Boars can get impacted (stuck poo) and dehydration will make it worse.

I've had to manually extract a large dropping from GP2 (he was judgey at the time but grateful after) - if you can get some rubber/vinyl gloves and massage some oil (edible oil, cooking oil, almond,olive) round his anus and up into it , you might be able to ease the pooh out.
If its solid maybe sit him in warm water to soften it a bit.

My boar used to pop out poohs the size of a Ferrero Rocher without any issue (he did normal poohs, but once a week or so, one of his monster poohs, even the vet said he'd not seen one like it )

Lots of juicy veg like cucumber maybe?
Good Luck (and why do they choose Sundays or Bank Holidays to be ill ? )

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 14/08/2016 21:10

Finally spoke to the vet. He said it sounds like impaction.

We are syrynging diluted ribena and plain water every half hour and have an appointment in the morning. Trying to get his brothers fresh poo to make a poo shake to syringe in (never thought that'd be the way I spend my Sundays.

We gave George a warm bath and managed to get a little bit of poo out so now he feels a bit poorly, been forced into a bath and has had his bum squeezed. I'll be paying for this for months.

Hopefully his bed of fresh eating hay (oh yes, he has different eating and sleeping hay because Brown hay is for pooping in, green for eating, not that the lady in the pet shop laughs at me, oh no) with a bowl of kale, carrot, banana and Apple night cheer him up.

OP posts:

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 14/08/2016 21:11

Added some cucumber now too. Fingers crossed for a quick recovery :(

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/08/2016 21:27

Yes, he will bear this grudge forever for an unreasonably long time.

Hopefully getting some of it out will ease the way for more, They must get to a stage where they're just too knackered to push

(When I had to evacuate GP2 his pooh smelled worse than a dogs which is no mean feat for a veg eater , but he was too unpleasant to cuddle. Luckily it wasn't something we had to repeat too often)

Eating hay is much nicer than sleeping hay , (Woman in the PetShop, be told ) it's for savouring.

Hopefully plenty of roughage and liquids will get him moving.

Is he overweight or an older boy?

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 14/08/2016 21:51

Hes only a year old. He was very fat when we got him ( not that I'd dare tell him that!) .He was returned with his brother to the pet shop because he was too fluffy and big. We've been working on bringing his Weight down slowly over the last couple of months. They've only been here since March, controlling veg and dry food intake without limiting hay.

He's had more water, will give another bath in the morning and try another poo massage. Poor baby looks so sad :(

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PurpleDaisies · 14/08/2016 21:57

What kind of person returns a Guinea pig to a pet shop for being too fat?! Bless you for taking him in. I've had to to a bum clean out on a very miserable pig today. We're off to the vet tomorrow for his regular teeth filing so he's off his food anyway. He is giving me the stink eye for messing with his back end whole his mouth is sore as well. I can't even give him a treat to cheer him up.

Once you get used to it, clearing poo impactions (whilst not pleasant) isn't too bad. Sending good vibes to your little big piggy.

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 14/08/2016 22:08

I work with children, cleaning poo is normal!

My Poor boys were poorly treated. Fred is still a nervous little soul. It's taken a long time just to be able to cuddle him, let alone groom or clip nails.

They are big for pigs and very long haired but such little sweethearts. All the children adore them so hopefully the vet will do their magic in the morning.

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PurpleDaisies · 14/08/2016 22:10

at poo cleaning being normal! In a previous life I was a doctor so I'm used to uncooperative patients that occasionally try to bite me.

My four pigs are all unwanted rescue pigs. Mr pig was a bag of nerves to start with but three years later he's a big softy.

Buzzardbird · 14/08/2016 22:13

Coriander has saved my rabbit's life on more than one occassion in similar circumstances.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/08/2016 22:21

Coriander made my GP1/GP2 have the most vicious fight imaginable, it was banned after that but my current piggies hoover it.
Some piggies go ballistic with parsley though.

He's a baby at a year bless him.

Your vet might advice neutering - apparently neutered boars are less prone to impaction.
Not tested the theory myself - GP1 and GP2 were entire (GP2 was the one with the problem bottom) GP3 was neutered but died young ( horrible loose bowels poor thng) and GP6, also neutered (so far) has no problems.

But it might be an option to consider IF he's likely to have a recurrance?

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 14/08/2016 22:32

Aww at MrPig giving you stink eye Purple , Himmys are ace at The Death Stare.

I kept checking (for "checking" read prodding and anoying) GP5 today , she was in the rabbit hutch (aka The Summer Residence) hiding from the sun. I kept thinking she was suffering from the heat but as soon as it was dusk, she was prancing about in the run, giving me the ruby eyed stare.

glen do you keep their fur long or is it trimmed round their bottoms?
My GP8 (my newest pig) hoiked a piece of GP7 (DD newest pig) long fur out and ate it like spaghetti.
I was checking for furball pooh for days but it must've gone through her and out the end

I still adopted her after seeing this odd display !

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 14/08/2016 22:37

Their fur is long on top and trimmed around bottoms. They hate having a hair cut so we do the minimum to keep them clean and comfortable. Hair cut and manicure day is traumatic ( more for me)

Eating fur sounds more like a Fred thing to do. He's a bugger for nibbling hair of any description.

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PurpleDaisies · 14/08/2016 22:42

I definitely agree the ruby eyed Himalayas are the best at doing evil looks 70. I've just given him his final syringe feed before bed. Dh is away so I had fun and games trying to do it on my own. Both me and mr pig ended up wearing most of the food. Thank goodness he's having his teeth done tomorrow.

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 15/08/2016 06:41

Unfortunately George died last night.

He was perkier when I gave him water at 1:30 nibbling his favourite herbs but was very poorly when I checked him again at 4. He died about 4.20 :(

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PurpleDaisies · 15/08/2016 07:41

Oh that's such sad news. I'm sure you gave him a really happy life while he was with you.

Buzzardbird · 15/08/2016 18:59

So sorry to hear about George. :(

EastMidsGPs · 15/08/2016 20:48

RIP George 🐾🐾

froubylou · 15/08/2016 20:53

Oh no poor George. And poor you too. Piggies are fabulous pets.

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 16/08/2016 17:00

Fred is booked in for bits fixing tomorrow (pre arranged as we've always wanted more pigs and it would have to be girls ) but we have been offered an 11 week old boar who we are meeting tomorrow (he will also be fixed if he joins the family) and also had a call about a pair of girls who might be suitable so hopefully Fred won't be alone for too long after his recovery. He might forgive me then.

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PurpleDaisies · 16/08/2016 17:03

Aww, poor little fred! It'll be worth it when he meets his ladies. One of our boys was absolutely fine and apart from the slightly pathetic "why have you done this to me?" look he had for a day or two was straight back to normal. Another had a bit of post op swelling but came through it fine.

Just be aware you can't have more than one boar with girls or they'll fight.

Original poster

glenthebattleostrich · 16/08/2016 17:18

I've not mention the need for separating cages to dh yet :)

We will see how he gets on tomorrow before any decision is made. He is a stubborn little sod and knows what he likes (not me at the minute apparently!)

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70isaLimitNotaTarget · 16/08/2016 21:29

Unfortunately with guineas when they set their sights on The Rainbow Bridge you have a hard job beckoning them back. Especially if they stop eating, that's not a good Piggie sign.
His last hours sound like they were quiet and cosy so he would've slipped away from this world serenely.

If you can manage two boar/sow pairs (but you'd need to keep the two boars well away from the sows if they're together and that includes washing all the sow smells off your hands, handle the boars first so they can't get dizzy from the prescence of the females. Or have a sows cage and two seperate boar cages?)

Or get the females for Fred and side-by-side them till he's neutered and sterile.

Best of luck at the vets Fred. Hopefully he;ll be grumbling post op and quaffing painkiller soon (mine loved the painkiller )

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