Need some health advice

[bare2feet]

I have four piggies - over a two months ago, the oldest one (a male), started to make this sound and then he would have a few small poohs which he promptly ate. What is weird is that he made this sounds from his mouth - it was like ... (gas ??) or a mild discomfort. (I am totally at a loss here).
Anyway, it never seemed to get worse or change just stayed the same.
Well two days ago I noticed another pig (female) started as well. When she did it she was on my lap and thats when I saw what was going on. She had about 5 poohs come out that were molded together (they were not soft or hard - just normal), and then I saw a small amount of a brownish liquid on her blanket. She never ate or even attempted to eat these.
Now with thier cages I have never found any of this pooh mass or liquid but it was the exact same sound that has been worrying me with all the same actions as the male pig.
Today my young male (7 months old) did it for the first time - the sound - but nothing came out now did he look like he was waiting for anything.
There are no overly soft poohs in anyones cage - no visible signs of diahrrea.

What is wrong with my pigs?
Can pigs have gas?
What would be the cause of this?
How can I help them?

I haven't found anything anywhere about 'gas' in piggies - there are no impactions. Any one have any ideas at all ??

Please help ...

The only thing that I did notice is that the first mentioned male started getting like this when I increased the vegetables.

 

[TurboPiggy]

What kind of vegetables are you feeding them?

 

[bare2feet]

I feed them alot of hay - just gave them grass for the first time in the last three weeks or so, romaine or leaf lettuces - started some endive recently, carrots - 2 or 3 baby carrots a week, a piece of apple maybe twice a week, peppers maybe a quarter pepper in a week each, a slice if cucumber roughly once a week. I tried a small piece of tomato which they disliked. I also give them parsley (backed off that a bit when I noticed him doing the noise more often) and just started some cilantro a few weeks back.

Summed up - the older male was doing this once in awhile before some of the new veggies but the other ones were not. The older male had never had anything before except carrots everyday (not good as I learned from you all), pellets, hay and the odd piece of lettuce everyonce in awhile (rarely).

I got him from a pet store and was advised to feed him those things only. When I joined this forum and learned as much as I have from the members is when I started changing thier diets. But like I said the male was doing this before the diet changes.

I did notice that when the male starts doing it alot - if I give him a quater of an apple for two or three days, that he seems to not make the noise as much. (If that helps). Logic says to continue to do this but then he gets soft poohs. He has always gotten soft poohs easily but the other pigs have never really had issue with alot of veggies before. They actually love it. Well, so does he but they don't seem to love him ... poor fella ...

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Pigs can get gas. They can also get intestinal problems like bloat. It was probably gas in the boar, but your sow has me a slight bit worried if she is passing clumped up poos and a more liquidy poo (the brownish liquid). You may want to post this question on guinealynx.info.

 

[bare2feet]

Thanks for the info on the gas, finally having an answer as to whether or not it as possible is such a relief.

I have to register to post a question (would like to post there) but unfortunately my hotmail addy is not accepted. I opted not to set up an email account when I registered wityh my internet provider - unfortunately. I know that this would be a large imposition but is it possible that perhaps one of you could post this question for me ?? I am very worried about this even though she seems to be fine.

 

[critterlover]

I've posted your question on the guinealynx medical forum.

 

[bare2feet]

Thankyou so very much critterlover.

 

[bare2feet]

Critterlover ... I read thier replies and did go to the link they provided (just incase I had missed something in it), but all seems well except that I provide probobly about 2 cups of veggies a day per piggie. I will cut that down but I was also under the impression that they would not over eat.

Also I introduced Kale a little over a week ago and that very well may be the problem with my sow and young boar. The older male has had the problem long before the introduction of many of thier veggies.

Is it possible that you could post the diet part of this thread that I posted to that forum as well. I would like to see what they say about it since I am not seeing dietary problems other then excessiveness.

As to not troubling you anymore - they could email me personally at [email protected] - I so appreciate your taking the time to help me with this and your concern for my babies.

Thankyou again Critterlover​

 

[amfeider]

Does that mean two cups of veggies a day is bad? I thought they could have unlimited veggies. April gets two cups.

 

[bare2feet]

I kind of thought like you did but in the info section under diet it says 'one cup a day per pig' ??

For all those who have been rearing guineas for a long time - what is it -
One cup ? Two cups ? Unlimited ?
Somewhere in here on one of the threads I got the impression that the more veggies the better - trying to lessen the pellet intake with healthy natural foods ... was I wrong ?

 

[bare2feet]

To those posting on the guinea lynx forum for me

I will go back to basics like they have suggested and introduce the veggies again as they have stated. I do have alot of good hay (timothy hay) available to me and as for the vet - there is not a vet on this island that has any experience in guinea pigs. They are classed as 'an exotic pet' here therefore they just guess based on what they know about dogs and cats. The store owner that sells them here just tries to figure out problems for herself and the other pet stores just let them die.

'Simethicon' - what is this? And where would I find it? And what does it do?

((Thanks again all))

 

[Ly&Pigs]

You can get Simethicone drops at Walmart or at a drugstore in the pharmacy section. It relieves gas. You also know you need to get some plain Vitamin C tablets and supplement the pigs with it while you start over with the veggies.

Are the pigs related?

 

[bare2feet]

Thanks Ly&Pigs and the older boar and sow are not related - the olthers are thier off-spring.
Can alot of fresh gas or fresh hay give them gas?