Health check for guinea pigs – Foundation for Animal Welfare in Germany
- Control eating behavior: Guinea pigs are not dieters. They love to eat and almost non-stop. Care should be taken if he has not had a meal for eight hours.
→ Visit the vet immediately! - Pay attention to breathing: Respiratory diseases are extremely common in guinea pigs and can be life-threatening for the little friends. Extreme caution should be exercised if it is breathing heavily. → Immediate veterinary treatment!
Other signs include sneezing, watery eyes and a runny nose
→ Get treated by a veterinarian within 24 hours! - Listen for unusual vocalizations: If guinea pigs scream during normal processes such as urinating and/or defecation, this indicates, among other things, urinary tract diseases and gastrointestinal problems.
→ Visit a veterinarian within 24 hours! - Watch out for blood: Blood is often a warning sign. It can be an indication of uterine inflammation, bladder and kidney diseases, disorders of the gastrointestinal tract and many other things. Leaks blood from the mouth, rectum, and genital areas
→ visit the veterinarian immediately! - Controlling excretions:
- Changes in the urine (consistency, smell, blood admixture) can indicate bladder gravel, infections, bladder stones.
→ Have it checked by the vet as soon as possible! - Changes in the consistency, size and quantity of the faeces allow conclusions to be drawn about too much yeast bacteria in the intestine, lack of liquid and reduced feed intake.
→ Have it checked by the vet as soon as possible! - It becomes life-threatening if the guinea pig cannot urinate and suffers from severe diarrhea.
→ Visit the vet immediately!
- Changes in the urine (consistency, smell, blood admixture) can indicate bladder gravel, infections, bladder stones.
- Check fur and skin: Hair loss and changes in the skin such as scales and scabs can have many causes. This includes malnutrition, vitamin deficiencies, parasite infestation and much more.
→ Visit the vet as soon as possible! - control eyes: Healthy guinea pig eyes are clear, bright, and alert. If they are crusted, watery, dull, cloudy, protrude or show other changes, the animal must definitely go to the vet. The changes have causes that require treatment, such as (bacterial) infections, dental problems, diabetes, eye injuries.
→ Have it checked by the vet as soon as possible! - look at ears: Dirty and/or encrusted ears and head tilted are indications of mite infestation and inflammation, among other things.
→ Have a veterinarian treat you as soon as possible! - Check teeth: : Dental disease in guinea pigs is common. Too long teeth or tooth fractures are only part of it. Changes to the incisors (strong increase in length) are clearly visible. Other dental diseases can only be guessed at by signs such as refusal to eat, preference for soft food, salivation, weight loss, etc. Since symptoms such as weight loss can also have other causes, the animal must be examined by the veterinarian.