[Gpdd] [Health]: Rescued Guinea pig with impaction problems

[warmbreath at comcast.net]

 here is info I wrote recently about this prob  let me know if there are 
more
 questions.
With this boar, off the top I would improve exercise, make sure weight is OK
 and observe him closely to see if he is able to "assume the position" to
 snatch his cecals,  if this isn't occurring other arrangements will have to
 be made to get him the B Vit and other fauna and flora in those cecals or 
he
 will suffer and degenerate, he must have cecals. Note that weight reduction
 takes awhile if this is needed, coupled with exercise maybe he will improve
 slowly.
 My last article ( rewritten slightly):
 Some boars get anal impaction as they age and some dont, also they get it 
if
 they get ill.  I think it's due
 partly to genetics, other cases to weight and condition. The older the boar
gets the more likely the condition will develop but again that could be
 because of condition including weight gain decline in exercise. Also though
 I think they
 probably need more roughage in their diet and they will have to be swabbed
 out on a schedule you will discover, start with weekly.  For regular
 maintenance I use olive oil and cotton swabs, never use a lubricant that
 tastes bad as it might inhibit them from wanting to eat their cecals. You
 should also extrude the penis to make sure the works dont get gummed up in
 there too. We have had a couple bladder ruptures when that happens. Fully
 extrude it except for an almost invisible cartilaginous "hook" at the end,
 it is a natural part, not to be confused with something to be removed. 
Again
 I use the olive oil on my fingers, no swab for fear cotton be left in there
 and I do it after I have cleaned up the anal area and washed my hands, or
 else I use a new glove.

 I would add grass or timothy type hay to their diet, and switch to a 
timothy
 pellet or half and half pellet if they are eating alfalfa ones now. Also
 check their weight, if they put on even a little too much weight it makes 
it
 physically hard for them to bend enough to snatch the cecals so they not
 only pile up in the impaction, but the boars health declines as he is not
 getting the nutrients from the cecals. Also I use a bedding that doesn't
 show up often in the "slot"  I have good luck with a Carefresh knockoff.

 The lettuce it should be a deep colored romaine or red lettuce, mixed 
greens
 etc, avoid iceberg, little nutrition and way too much pesticide, serve
 greens wet and give extra water the next few days until you see a perfectly
 normal type of poop being produced. I use kale and cabbage but some piggies
 get urine that is too sludgy with high calcium veggies, or others get 
gassy.
 Add these foods very slowly so as not avoid upset, some dont need a ramp 
up,
 but others do, better safe than sorry.  Also corn and carrots are both high
sugar veggies, I would choose a couple Vit C greens like parsley, cilantro,
 peppers if organic, etc and cut back on the corn and carrots. We usually
 give the equivalent of one baby carrot a day with no other sweet veggie 
that
day. Sugars and alfalfa hay are too sweet and rich and add weight.

 The last suggestion goes with the grooming, they can be easily cleaned in a
 warm bath, and if a long haired variety I always trimmed their back hair to
 just above the floor, helps with the cleanliness, and if they have a
 forelock that gets in their eyes I trim it kind of punk looking so it 
stands
 straight up so they can see what they are doing and less hair gets stuck in
 the "slot".  Other hints on diet and care can be found on
> www.guinealynx.info.  good luck Sandy and Shipwreck Sam