Illnesses

Guinea Pigs R Us Rescue

making a difference in animal life

Illnesses

Bonding Excercise Housing Nutrition Illnesses

Keeping guinea pigs clean, comfortable and well fed are important factors in maintaining long healthy lives. However, even with the best care some guinea pigs will develop diseases or conditions which require treatment. Illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, bladder stones, ovarian cysts in females and impaction in males are some examples of common ailments.

It is extremely important to be very aware of your guinea pigs' weight, behaviour and overall condition. Guinea pigs will hide early signs of an illness until it has progressed quite far. Unfortunately by the time obvious symptoms are noticed it can often be too late to help them. This is why it is so critical that guinea pigs see a cavy savvy vet at the very first sign of illness or discomfort. It is advisable to weigh your guinea pigs weekly and keep track of their ongoing weights. One of the first signs of illness is often weight loss! A 5 pound kitchen scale is an adequate tool for this job.

If your guinea pig is losing weight and/or not eating, it is imperative that start hand feeding him/her immediately and see a vet as soon as possible (same day/next day). Within a day of not eating permanent organ damage can occur, longer than that and that damage could be fatal, even if the illness is treated and the guinea pig starts eating again.

While seeing your vet he/she should recommend a supplement for feeding called Critical Care. If your guinea pig is showing signs of weight loss and not eating and your vet does not recommend Critical Care, please discuss this further with the vet. If the vet is unaware of Critical Care, it may be time to find a new vet.

Critical Care is made by Oxbow Hay Company and is available in Canada through vets and through the Canadian Pet Connection located in Oakville. CPC will deliver if you are unable to get to their store, although you may require information from your vet to place your order. Your vet can also order Critical Care for you if they don't have any on hand at the clinic.

For more information on hand feeding please visit www.guinealynx.info/handfeeding.html. If you are hand feeding your guinea pig and having difficulty, please let us know and we'll be happy to help.

We strongly recommended that all guinea pig owners have an experienced exotics vet lined up before their guinea pig falls ill. It is important as a guinea pig owner to be well informed about their common health problems and treatments. Unfortunately many vets are not well schooled in guinea pig care and it is often left in the hands of the owner to ensure their pet receives the appropriate treatments.

Visit guinealynx.info/vet.html for information about how to find an appropriate vet for your guinea pigs.

Visit www.guinealynx.info for lists of symptoms and common illnesses and their respective treatments.