Gassy Senior Pig

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Aug 12, 2019 11:31 pm


I don't want to speak too soon, but...so far, so good. Switched Harold over to fleece earlier this evening, and in the meantime I also added some 1st cut timothy to the mix and added the probiotic. This is the first evening in a week that his belly hasn't felt distended. I'm still thinking it could primarily be the bedding, but we'll have to see. Fingers crossed.

I'm going to keep up the probiotics and order a small bag of 1st cutting Rabbit Hole timothy. I'll be interested to see if it's the same quality as their 2nd cutting.

User avatar
ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:04 am


Could it be that he already had digestive distress and that was why he was eating paper? I don’t know if guinea pigs do that, but I have a dog that eats grass or pieces of hay when his stomach bothers him. It’s like he’s trying to get some fiber.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Aug 13, 2019 12:13 am


I don't think so, but I guess it's possible. If the problem seems to fix itself while he's on fleece, that may solve the mystery.

User avatar
Ibepatience
Supporter in '13

Post   » Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:19 am


One of my girls started eating the carefresh paper bedding when she was battling a stone. I read they will do that when they’re in pain or uncomfortable.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Aug 13, 2019 9:28 am


I can't say for sure that he's eating very much of the bedding, but everything goes in this guy's mouth (pig-proofing the house before floor time is a must!) Paper bedding is the only other thing I could think of that changed when we got him; he was on pine with his original owner; rescue had him on fleece.

He is very bright and active again this morning, whereas he is usually a little sluggish after breakfast. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that a combination of higher fiber hay, fleece bedding and a good daily probiotic (nod to Lynx for the suggestion) will help get his gut back on track. I lowered the Reglan a little this morning. My goal is to get him off the daily dose.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Fri Aug 16, 2019 10:11 pm


I wanted to post a quick update on this. It has been a week since I changed Harold over from paper bedding to fleece. Again, I hate to speak too soon, but *so far* he has not had a bad stomach episode since I made the switch. He has gotten a couple of small air pockets a couple of times, but nothing severe enough to cause major discomfort or make him stop eating (which had happened several times previously).

He's still on a low daily maintenance dose of Reglan, plus the probiotic. I have been mixing a little 1st cutting hay with 2nd cutting, just to help boost fiber. Hopefully this combination, along with fleece bedding vs. paper, will help prevent any serious flare-ups.

I would definitely recommend to anyone who has a pig with a history of gas/bloat/GI issues and who houses the pig on paper bedding to try switching to something else to see if it makes a difference. None of ours have ever had a problem with eating small amounts of the bedding, but I'm guessing a sensitive gut might somehow make it less digestible.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Aug 17, 2019 7:19 am


Hoping you see continued improvement/stabilization! I know how much you care about your guys!

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:38 pm


Update: Harold continues to do well on fleece and a daily probiotic, and I was able to wean him off the daily dose of Reglan last week. **So far,** he has not had another severe gas/distended stomach episode since making the switch almost three weeks ago. He's eating green leaf lettuce, celery, carrot, zucchini, cilantro, tomato and green beans without any issue. I have to think ingesting too much paper bedding was the culprit.

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Aug 31, 2019 10:44 pm


No matter what the cause, so glad he is doing better!

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Sep 02, 2019 7:20 pm


I spoke too soon. He had a bout this afternoon...distended stomach, not eating, obviously uncomfortable. I don't understand. Nothing in his diet has changed; still on fleece; still on the daily probiotic. Any other ideas? He's pooping and they are large and moist but have a little hook on the end.

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Mon Sep 02, 2019 8:17 pm


Also, could use any opinions on using peppermint tea to help treat abdominal pain and bloating for this guy. I've seen references everywhere to using simethicone, but my concern is that he already has a large gas bubble (sometimes two) when this happens. Do I really want to combine smaller bubbles into an even larger one and risk making the pain even worse?

Thoughts?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Mon Sep 02, 2019 9:54 pm


No idea on whether or not the peppermint tea might help. Do you have any kind of vibrator? BugsMom actually massaged the sides of the abdomen to help the large gas bubble to pass. You might have read about it:
https://www.guinealynx.info/records/view ... f=15&t=117

Post Reply