feacal impaction in guinea pigs - the unusual pet vets...the rectum. this collection of faeces then...
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![Page 1: Feacal Impaction in Guinea Pigs - The Unusual Pet Vets...the rectum. This collection of faeces then ‘dilates’ this area causing more faeces to accumulate in this area. The impacted](https://reader036.vdocuments.mx/reader036/viewer/2022071410/6105487ace85a9062e6a6a2a/html5/thumbnails/1.jpg)
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FAECALIMPACTIONINGUINEAPIGSFaecalimpactionisaconditionseenmostcommonlyinentiremaleguineapigsafter2-3yearsofage.Theexactreasonforitsoccurrenceisunknown,butitisthoughtthattheincreasedsizeofthetesticlesandfatdepositinthescrotalsacpreventsfaecesfromfallingoutoftherectum.Thiscollectionoffaecesthen‘dilates’thisareacausingmorefaecestoaccumulateinthisarea.
Theimpactedfaecesbeginstobreakdownandtheodourcanbesignificant.Normalfaecescanalsobeseenfromguineapigswiththiscondition.
Affectedguineapigscanshownosignsatallinsomecaseshowevermostshowsymptomsofstrainingtodefecateoranunusualodour.
Whatcanwedoaboutthiscondition?
Theoldsayingofpreventionisbetterthanacureholdstrueforthiscondition.Castration,ideallyatayoungage,helpstopreventthisconditionfromoccurring.Castrationaftertheconditionhasoccurredmaypreventitfromgettingworsebutgenerallywillnotalterthedilatedpocket.
Regularmanualcleaningofthispocketisoftenthebesttreatmentinolderboars(maleguineapigs).Cleaningtwicedailytoonceaweekisrequireddependingontheseverityofthecondition.