Guinea Pig owners

[archoak]

Our one remaining guinea pig is now 7, she seems well in herself, eating and drinking and enjoys going out in her run for a few hours when it's fine. However lately she has had a couple of bouts of runny poo and I have had to clean her rear end as she was a bit dirty

Do you think it's time for the big hutch in the sky? It's happened about twice in the last week or so

 

[HorseS0S]

NO NO NO! Give the pig a chance. It is just the spring, lush grass. Take her off the grass for a day or two. Clean the rear end because if she gets fly-blown that is the end! gp go on for years and years, dont put her down. Just take her off the grass and monitor her!

 

[Kenzo]

orrh perhaps it may be just a dodgy tummy? or has your piggy geen eating alot of veg/fruit?
Sometimes they do go through the odd phase of the runs but it doesn't always mean it something really bad, however if its loosing weight because of the runs and seems quite dim that a trip to the vets is the best idea.

Hope your little piggy will be ok

 

[Demolition_Derby]

My guinea pig (bubbles!) was moved into the house when he was 8 years old as I didnt think he would survive the winter in the shed

. He lived till he was 11 years old

! He still went out every day and as HorseSOS has said, he used to get the runs when the spring grass came through.
But please do make sure her bum is cleaned when needed, it would be awful if got fly-strike.

 

[archoak]

Great replies thanks, I have been limiting her grass turnout

as thought it might be that and we are not giving her any fruit or veg just her dried food. I actually bathed her bottom half this morning, so she is not going out with a dirty bottom which will attract flies. She is very perky and does not appear to have lost weight, however she is a fluffy one so hard to tell.

 

[suestowford]

You are doing all the right things, I hope she soon picks up. I think that when they get older their digestions aren't as efficient and they do tend to get these problems. Seven is a very good age for a pig, although I heard of one the other day that had lived to be twelve!