[Gpdd] (Health) Re: Obstruction/Impaction

[Stacy Harvey]

Yuka,
  I cried when I read your post. It does seem like that poor piggy could have been helped with a little more attention. When males get impacted, the impaction needs to be removed because the poop just keeps backing up inside him. Only so much bulges out, so I'm assuming the rest backs up into the intestines, which would continue to draw as much water as possible out of the food, leading to an obstructed bowel...I would look to Dr. Dudman or one of the other more knowledgeable folks on the digest for verification on this. Anyway, a build-up of fecal matter in anything, human or animal, can eventually be toxic.
   
  I have had two males that had an impaction problem; one lived to be 7 1/2 years old and the other lived to be 5 years old. Impaction happens in males when the muscles in the rectum weaken, usually due to old age or illness (or maybe in this other piggy's case, neglect). I've never known or heard of impaction happening in females. Supposedly, neutered males do not get impacted but I have never had any of my boys neutered so I don't know for sure. The cleaning isn't the most pleasant experience--very smelly and sometimes difficult with a wiggly pig--but it was a labor of love for me. It was helping my babies so I really didn't mind.
   
  I don't think that impaction is necessarily inevitable in males...is there a sure prevention for it? I don't know. I would think that a good diet with a quality pellet, lots of hay and plenty of exercise would help keep everything moving along properly.
   
  Hope this helps,
  Stacy and the Squee Squad

		
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