Prey animals like guinea pigs conceal their sickness effectively, and attending to the vet early can save their lives! For this reason it’s so vital to know what to observe for at house so you may catch sickness when it happens.
Indicators of illness in guinea pigs embrace adjustments in habits, urge for food, or weight. Small, laborious, or delicate poops are indications of sickness as effectively. Look ahead to discharge from the eyes or nostril, sneezing, bloating, or hunching over in ache.
Above are only a few methods to know your guinea pig is sick. On this article, we’ll go over 21 indicators of illness in guinea pigs and educate you how you can carry out at-home well being checks. You can even obtain our guinea pig symptom checker printable and maintain it available for fast reference.
1. Lowered Urge for food
A piggy who’s normally tremendous excited for veggie time and doesn’t eat one evening could be very doubtless not feeling effectively. This will point out quite a lot of well being issues together with dental issues like overgrown tooth.
Guinea pigs can solely go 6-8 hours earlier than consuming earlier than they go into GI Stasis. That is when the digestive system slows or stops totally.
Indicators of GI stasis embrace:
- small poops,
- not pooping in any respect,
- lowered urge for food,
- bloating,
- hunching,
- tiredness,
- heavy respiratory,
- hiding,
- and tooth grinding.
It’s additionally vital to make sure your guinea pig is consuming their caecotrophs (a sort of guinea pig poop). Though that is gross to us people, guinea pigs not consuming their caecotrophs is definitely a well being concern.
2. Weight Loss
It’s attainable that your piggy eats their veggies, however not as a lot hay as they should keep wholesome. For this reason weighing your guinea pig commonly is so vital, as a result of weight reduction is usually the primary indication that one thing is flawed.
In case your guinea pig loses greater than 100 grams, they need to see a veterinarian immediately. As a result of they’re small, even tiny adjustments in weight could make an enormous distinction.
3. Extreme Consuming or Refusal to Drink Water
Modifications within the quantity your guinea pig drinks can point out kidney disease, dental issues, and quite a lot of different well being points.
Please needless to say many guinea pigs drink extra in the summertime and fewer within the winter, they usually may also drink much less in the event that they’re being fed plenty of veggies with a excessive water content material. Due to this fact, ingesting kind of water doesn’t all the time imply sickness–however can if nothing has modified of their setting to make them much less thirsty.
When doubtful, it’s all the time higher to see a veterinarian than to overlook an early symptom and remorse it later!
4. Irregular Respiratory
In case you can hear your guinea pig respiratory, that isn’t regular! It’s additionally not regular to listen to wheezing or rasping if you maintain them to your ear, or for them to take very shallow or speedy breaths.
Guinea pigs have delicate respiratory techniques and may simply develop upper respiratory infections (URIs). If untreated, these can result in pneumonia or dying.
It’s additionally vital to make sure you aren’t utilizing dusty hay or bedding, smoking round your guinea pigs, or utilizing scented merchandise like laundry detergent, cleaners, or candles in the identical room or in your piggies’ objects. These can all contribute to URIs.
5. Eye or Nostril Discharge or Sneezing
Runny nostril, sneezing, and watery or gunky eyes can all be signs of a URI, pneumonia or different critical medical situation.
In people, we are able to usually ignore these signs or dismiss them as a chilly, however in guinea pigs they’re very critical.
6. Boring, Tough, or Puffed-up Coat
Guinea pigs can puff up their coat when making an attempt to look greater, that means they’re intimidated (doubtless by their cage mates). They will additionally puff their coat after they’re chilly or sick.
In case your guinea pig has their fur puffed and a hunched again, or displaying different signs like bother respiratory, consuming much less, or not responding or interacting with you or their cage mates, these might be indicators of illness and intense ache. Please see a veterinarian immediately.
7. Hair Loss or Itchiness
Hair loss in guinea pigs generally is a signal of parasites, fungal infections, or ovarian cysts. Itchiness may point out parasites, fungal infections, or an allergy.
Your vet can prescribe drugs to deal with parasites and fungal infections. There are additionally shampoos in the marketplace that can be utilized to deal with fungus. Saskia from LA Guinea Pig Rescue usually recommends Davis Miconazole Pet Shampoo for this function!
It’s additionally vital to see a health care provider your self when you’ve been dealing with a guinea pig with ringworm or different fungi or parasites that may be transferred to people, and to clean your fingers after making use of remedies.
Ovarian cysts are usually handled with a spay surgical procedure, and hair loss brought on by cysts tends to be symmetrical and close to the decrease sides of the physique.
8. Boring, Sunken, or Bulging Eyes
Sunken eyes in guinea pigs can imply they’re dehydrated. Extreme dehydration can result in kidney injury.
Bulging eyes can imply your guinea pig has an abscess, tumor, or an an infection within the root of their tooth inflicting swelling behind the attention.
9. Bloating
Bloating or a swollen stomach can point out a life-threatening well being drawback often called Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV).
In case your guinea pig is bloated or displaying different signs like damp coat, lethargy, restlessness, and drooling, rush them to an emergency vet clinic immediately. GDV can progress in a matter of hours.
10. Poopy Butt or Diarrhea
Poop caught to your guinea pigs’ butt can imply that their cage isn’t clear, their bedding isn’t absorbent, or their poop is just too free.
Wholesome poops shouldn’t mush and get caught to your piggies’ fur or toes except they’ve been dampened by pee, which is a critical hygiene drawback–sitting in urine may make piggies sick.
Diarrhea in guinea pigs can imply they’re consuming too many veggies or not sufficient hay. It can be brought on by dangerous micro organism within the intestine, thyroid disease, dental illness, or extreme stress.
11. Arduous or Small Stools
Alternatively, laborious, small poops can point out dehydration, constipation, or issues within the intestine.
Small stools can be an indication of GI Stasis, particularly if there are only a few of them.
12. Constipation
In case your guinea pig isn’t pooping in any respect, or little or no, that is very critical and generally is a symptom of GI Stasis.
Constipation is critical in guinea pigs and requires an emergency journey to the vet for remedy.
13. Bloody Urine or Modifications in Urination
All the under might be signs of sickness in guinea pigs:
- Bloody urine
- Cloudy urine
- Crystals within the urine
- Painful or tough urination
- Kind of urine output
In case your guinea pig isn’t urinating in any respect, solely somewhat, or appears to have issue or ache urinating, these can all be signs of bladder stones. Elevated urination generally is a signal of kidney illness.
14. Lethargy
In case your guinea pig is extra drained than regular, they is perhaps sick or in ache. Sleeping is a approach for the physique to attempt to heal itself, and being sick or harm could make piggies very drained.
After all, a piggies’ physique usually can’t heal itself and it’s essential to see a vet in the event that they’re appearing sleepy or shifting round lower than is regular for them.
15. Hunched Posture
Hunching over whereas sitting in a nook and never interacting with cage mates or people as regular is an indication of sickness or intense ache.
16. Limping, “Bunny Hopping” or Lack of ability to Stroll
In case your guinea pig is limping or not placing strain on one foot, they is perhaps injured. “Bunny hopping” or shifting each again legs without delay can point out vitamin C deficiency, arthritis, or, extra hardly ever, satin syndrome.
Inability to walk or paralysis generally is a symptom of damage, arthritis, stroke, an infection, or vitamin C or calcium deficiency.
17. Drooling
Drooling in guinea pigs is usually a symptom of Gastric dilatation-volvulus (GDV). That is when a guinea pig bloats and their abdomen twists within their physique, which can rapidly minimize off their blood circulation.
GDV is a lethal situation and ought to be handled as an emergency–your guinea pig must be seen by a veterinarian immediately, as a result of it may progress in simply hours.
18. Incoordination
Stumbling, seeming dizzy, or lack of coordination can point out neurological problems in guinea pigs. Extra hardly ever, it could be an indication of an ear an infection.
19. Irritation Across the Joints
Irritation across the joints is often known as arthritis. Arthritis is a painful situation that could be very typical particularly in older guinea pigs.
If arthritis is affecting your piggy’s high quality of life, your veterinarian can prescribe ache meds or antiinflammatory treatment to maintain them extra comfy.
20. Squealing or Flinching When Touched
In case your guinea pig normally means that you can pet them and begins to flinch out of your hand, this can be a signal of ache. The identical goes in case your piggy squeals if you contact them in the event that they don’t normally.
These can be an indication of worry in new guinea pigs, however in case you have issues, it’s all the time greatest to ask a vet.
21. Behavioral Modifications
Behavioral adjustments like aggression, weak spot, tiredness, or adjustments in urge for food are all trigger for concern in guinea pigs. Typically a sudden change in character, like your usually-bold guinea pig appearing shy or your peacekeeper bullying their cage mates is the one signal of sickness a piggy will present.
It’s vital to observe for these indicators and name your veterinarian in case your guinea pig isn’t appearing like themselves.
Methods to Carry out Guinea Pig Well being Checks
We’ve gone over the signs to search for, however you’re solely going to identify them when you control your guinea pigs and carry out routine well being checks at house. This ought to be executed a minimum of as soon as a month, although some folks select to do it weekly.
Right here’s how you can give your guinea pig a well being verify:
- Weigh your guinea pig. Report their weight in a pocket book, in your telephone, or utilizing our Guinea Pig Care Planner together with the date you weighed them. For essentially the most correct outcomes, you’ll wish to weigh your piggy on the similar time of day, like proper earlier than dinner, and in the identical place, like on a desk.
- Have a look at your guinea pig’s eyes. They need to look clear and shiny. There shouldn’t be discharge, redness, or damage in or across the eyes. They shouldn’t seem sunken or bulging.
- Examine their nostril for discharge.
- Look into their ears and clear them if wanted. If there’s plenty of discharge or redness, your piggy might need an ear an infection. Bear in mind to by no means stick something into the ear; solely clear the surface.
- Examine their mouth and tooth. They shouldn’t be overly lengthy or damaged. Each prime tooth ought to be the identical size, and there shouldn’t be any redness or swelling within the gums.
- Look at their coat. It ought to be full, shiny, and clear. Half the fur all the way down to the pores and skin to search for parasites, redness of the pores and skin, or dandruff. In case your guinea pig has lengthy fur, you may wish to maintain it trimmed brief so it stays cleaner.
- Have a look at feminine guinea pigs’ nipples. Crusty nipples are an indication of ovarian cysts, and also you wish to catch these as early as attainable in the event that they happen.
- Examine their genitals. Each sexes can get poop and different particles caught round their genitals that can have to be cleaned. Males, significantly in the event that they’re older and unneutered, additionally want common boar cleanings.
- Have a look at their toes. The nails ought to be brief and trimmed commonly, and the toes ought to be clear and lack redness or accidents.
It’s additionally vital to watch your piggies day by day to make sure they’re consuming, ingesting, and behaving like regular.
As gross because it sounds, your guinea pigs’ poop throughout cage cleanings may inform you a large number about their well being. Piggy poops ought to by no means be runny.
If the poop is sticking to your guinea pigs’ pores and skin or fur, they is perhaps too delicate or wetted down by urine (which implies the cage must be cleaned extra usually or a extra absorbent bedding ought to be used).
If the poops are dry or have modified in measurement, this additionally is perhaps trigger for concern.
Guinea Pig Symptom Checker
Subscribe to our publication to obtain all our guinea pig care printables, together with the guinea pig symptom checker. This manner you may maintain the listing shut by for straightforward reference.
Now that we’ve gone over the indicators of illness in guinea pigs and how you can give well being checks at house, you’re prepared to watch your guinea pig’s well being! Bear in mind to see a vet rapidly when you’re frightened, since sickness in piggies can progress quick.
