Soft poop: what the vet said

Post Reply
HollyT
Get on your bike.

Post   » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:20 pm


somechick, severe issues would cause death. She's not at that point yet. I've used up to 1cc of simithicone.

User avatar
somechick

Post   » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:32 pm


Reading these links now. Therabloat is by Pfizer for bloat in cattle. As far as whats in it, all I can see is poloxalene.

About megacolon - is this something that could crop up out of nowhere one day? Because this is how it seems with PC. She's fine, then one day some soft poos, take her to the vet and now full blown disaster. And would an xray show a sign of this?

HollyT
Get on your bike.

Post   » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:34 pm


Megacolon can happen from stress, diet, some genetics are involved as well. It happens suddenly. She might not be able to tolerate greens at all.

User avatar
somechick

Post   » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:36 pm


HollyT - you don't think? I live in fear that each night will be her last. I'm sure I'm too close to the situation to think rationally about it though.

It's weird that she would suddenly not tolerate greens. Oh and looking at those photos of the rats, she's not nearly that boulbus on the sides.

HollyT
Get on your bike.

Post   » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:39 pm


Her sides and abdomen would be seriously distended with severe gas. Perhaps you're controlling it better than you think.

User avatar
somechick

Post   » Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:41 pm


Well shes very gassy, there's no doubt about that. All the x-ray showed was gas. It's the puffed up coat that upsets me the most for some reason. I don't like seeing her like that.

And shes eating everything shes's not supposed to! Eating the cozies, her wooden ramp, and carefresh (which I just replaced with hay). Short of taking everything out of her cage and leaving her on the coroplast, I can't think of how to stop this.

Talishan
You can quote me

Post   » Sat Oct 28, 2006 12:10 am


Our megacolon pig would fluff up and face the corner ... then pass some feces (often green and soft), then feel much better.

Give her some cardboard. A toilet paper roll cut lengthwise, with the corners nipped off to protect her eyes, is a good choice. If she has developed megacolon (and I have no idea whether or not she has), the cardboard may actually help her. It seemed to help ours. The inert fiber seemed to help, not hurt.

Everything HollyT has said agrees with my understanding of megacolon. Ours developed it very abruptly. It doesn't show up on x-ray per se; what shows up on x-ray is (guess what) gas.

Exercise helps.

klynne

Post   » Sat Oct 28, 2006 4:36 am


"It doesn't show up on x-ray per se; what shows up on x-ray is (guess what) gas."

Right, and another particular hallmark to look for is an enlarged cecum, possibly with other signs of abnormality, very assymetrical, thin walls at one point, etc. My vet had to use contrast to get that much detail, but you could see it.

Unfortunately, that type of confirmation about Megacolon usually only comes with necropsy.

Talishan, thanks so much for posting those links, was getting ready to do a search and gratefully saw you'd already been way ahead of me ;-)

ETA: What precisely are the pig in question's markings? (Did I miss this, if so, sorry.)

Is it known what colors/markings either or both of the parents were?

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Oct 28, 2006 8:58 am


Not re-reading -- has there been any clostridial bacteria noted in the poop? Did you reread the diarrhea page? At the bottom is a link to a product that will help with the bacterial overgrowth.

Give extra vitamin C too.

www.guinealynx.info/diarrhea.html

User avatar
somechick

Post   » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:09 am


The one with the probelms is my avatar pig on the left. White with different brown patches on its eyes and a big brown patch on her left rump. No idea about the parents. Looks like one of the pigs in Talishans avatar too.

Lynx, the fecal didn't come up with anything. I read the diarrhea page and see flagyl and baytril. I have Zeniquin and Nystatin here.

Im supposed to call the vet today but I don't even know what to say anymore.

User avatar
somechick

Post   » Sat Oct 28, 2006 10:29 am


Called the vet, the receptionist said he said to stop the reglan. Shes still puffy this morning, but less so.

I don't know if I should call the other vet I know of down in Cherry Hill or what. I haven't been to him yet so I don't know that I should vet hop, but at the same time, I don't know..

User avatar
Amy0204
We miss our sweet Oreo

Post   » Sat Oct 28, 2006 11:10 am


The only thing you have to lose by consulting another vet is a few more $$ but if it brings you peace of mind or a better outcome for your pig, it'll be worth it. Just tell him you've been working with someone else, but you're concerned that things are not improving and want a second opinion. Most vets are professional about that. Just make sure the Cherry Hill guy is knowledgeable about gps.

Post Reply