[Gpdd] HEALTH- make care & impaction checks

[Jaime]

  I found this very old file in my piggie info collection that has some male care tps in it, so I thought I'd post it:
  

 
    Impaction checks can be a pain, but are well worth the trouble to keep your piggie healthy. It is not hard to do, but (WARNING!) can be somewhat messy & smelly. 
  1st some info on general male care. Yep, like it or not, they have parts that need to be checked to keep them healthy!  I do this check on Albert about once a week or so:
  Have veg. oil & q-tips handy. Gently extrude the penis by 
pushing back at the base. Usually a gentle push at the base makes it pop right out!  If there is any resistance at all,
gently apply some oil and work your way back until the penis
is fully extended. Clean off any dried white mucus by gently
washing and rubbing the oil in until all is clean and unstuck.
Also GENTLY apply a LITTLE pressure to extrude any contents 
of the penis. Often you may find a mucus plug in some state 
of dryness. If there is anything really stuck you may need to
visit the vet, but usually a gentle application of oil gets 
everything out ok. 
Use a q-tip to clean the anal fold, again using oil as the
lubing agent.  

  Also here is a list of weekly piggie check procedures that can help you get to know what's normal for you piggie:
  WEEKLY PIGGIE CHECK-

Start at the head and feel for any lumps or scabs. Then look at the
eyes and make sure they look clear and are not runny or damaged, and 
that there is no debris in them. In older piggies you may see a white 
or cloudy spot in the cornea. This may mean the start of a cataract. 
If there is any crust in the eyes this could be the sign of a respira-
tory infection. For the nose, make sure there is no hay stuck up there,
and that it is not runny. Check the body by looking down to the skin 
and feeling for any lumps. Feel all over and look down into the fur for
any dandruff, a sign of dry skin or lice or mites. Check the feet for
lumps or cracks, cuts or sores. The nails should be trimmed about once
a month. The last area to check are the genitals. On females the area 
is usually dry unless she has just gone to the bathroom. Make sure 
there are no bedding pieces lodged in the vagina. Make sure the area
is not red or swollen indicating irritation or infection. Usually in
their menses there is no visible blood. For the males, the penis and
anus are in the same pouch. You need to check this area for lodged 
bedding, and as males get older they tend to get fecal impactions in
the pouch. Any fecal impaction or bedding should be cleaned out immed-
iately. Also you may use a small kitchen scale to keep track of their
weight. Any fluctuations of more than an ounce or two could be a sign
of illness. Any unusual findings during this weekly check should be 
reported to your vet right away.
  Ok, now that I've told you things you DIDN'T ask about, I'll tell you what I know about impaction. 
  WARNING: I am about to give details that definitely are gross! Proceed with caution! =)
I check Albert on an every- other- nightly schedule. I used to have my husband hold him, facing me & get up in there, but that was stressful for Albert (& me!), so someone told me of a system they use, & now I use it too. My husband puts a towel on his lap & we set Albert on it with his butt hanging off the towel & over the edge of my husband's leg. I then sit on the floor so I can look up at his butt! ( how's that for a hobby?). I have q-tips & mineral oil ready in advance & I wet the end of the q-tip with the mineral oil & basically open up his little bung hole so I can see inside it & use the q-tip to GENTLY wipe away any bedding that gets stuck & also any poo that has become lodged there. If you leave the q-tip in "the hole" & bring it up & back towards you, there is a little fold of skin right before you exit "the hole" that forms a little pocket type thing. That is the anal fold & poos will sometimes become stuck in there. I just wipe that out well too before I exit "the hole"! Them I take another clean q-tip & make sure there is no debris I might have missed the 1st time. This sounds complicated & nasty, but it only takes like less then a minute & shouldn't cause them any pain. Make sure to use plenty of mineral oil to lubricate so there's no discomfort for him. The worst part is the smell. It can be nasty! You WILL want to wash your hands well when you are done! Also there was a post on the digest today about impaction:
  Yuka, our hearts just broke when we read your posting about your friend 
with the piggie who died on Christmas Day.  It definitely sounds like the 
little guy had a major impaction problem that went unnoticed until it 
resulted in his death <sniff>.  Yes, we would say that this was a 
preventable death.

We agree with Stacy's advice (in GPDD 5) of good quality pellets and hay 
and lots of exercise to help prevent impaction.  We'd suggest that anyone 
who has a male piggie (especially an unneutered one) of two years or older 
should monitor him for any problems.  For example, do his poops look 
normal?  If he making any straining sounds when he poops?

We're not sure if impaction as such occurs in female piggies; however, they 
certainly can become constipated.  Again, close monitoring of all piggies 
is always a good idea, and may save a life.


~Jaime~
~Molly,Radar & Albert always in our hearts~