All of these are best done in a veterinary clinic. Treatments may include hydration and pain management as well as nutritional supplementation. The vet may also want to do some x-rays or an ultrasound to see what’s going on inside your sick guinea pig. Your vet may advise that you separate sick guinea pigs from other healthy guinea pigs that you have, to avoid spreading any infection. Other symptoms can include roughening of the fur, weakness, grinding teeth, lack of fecal output, abdominal swelling (bloating), and pain when you touch the abdomen. The most common symptom of gastric distress in guinea pigs is diarrhea, as they are unable to vomit. That’s why it’s essential to get your sick guinea pig to a vet as soon as you suspect a stomach bug or any type of GI upset. These, if left untreated, can claim your guinea pig’s life in a matter of hours or weeks, depending on the severity and type of stomach bug they have. Guinea pigs can also be affected by stomach bugs, most notably caused by salmonella. Therefore, even small changes in diet can cause GI upset. Guinea pigs have specialized GI tracts, designed to process a high fiber diet. The good news is that most guinea pigs can recover from pneumonia, if caught in time. Your vet may also advise that you disinfect your guinea pig’s cage. Your vet will conduct a physical exam and might also want to run some laboratory tests, including blood, mucous and urine to determine whether your sick guinea pig has pneumonia.īroad-spectrum antibiotics are the most common form of treatment for guinea pig pneumonia, and these should help your sick guinea pig back to health. Luckily, she soon regained her strength and went back to running the show! The vet prescribed antibiotics, and for the next few days I hand fed her, away from Boo. She also said Georgie had lost weight (with her long, red fur I hadn’t noticed, though I did think that Boo was looking chubbier than usual!). I remembered that she had sneezed a couple of times over the preceding two or three days (unusual for her), too. She had hardly any other symptoms and seemed to be acting normally, except around food. That first day I let it go, but after the second day I was convinced something was wrong with Georgie. One morning, in a complete break of character, Georgie let Boo get first dibs on breakfast! It’s important to also use your own judgment when deciding if your guinea pig is sick, as she may not always display these common signs.įor example, several years ago I had a lovely pair of female guinea pigs: Boo and Georgie.īoo was always submissive to Georgie, even though Boo was the larger of the two. Your sick guinea pig may also eat less and move around less often as she begins to feel lethargic. Signs of pneumonia (or any respiratory disease) include sneezing, nasal discharge and coughing or noisy breathing. So it’s important that you act on signs that your guinea pig may have a respiratory disease and get him/her to a vet as soon as possible. Though most pneumonias are bacterial, and therefore helped by antibiotics, not all are. This condition can be life-threatening to a sick guinea pig. Pneumonia is the most common respiratory disease in guinea pigs. Pneumonia and Respiratory Problems in Guinea Pigs Here are some of the most common guinea pig diseases and some top tips on how to pick up on the cues that you have a sick guinea pig.
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