Common Guinea Pig Health Issues

American Guinea Pig Taking a Trip to the Vet

Health Problems in Pet Guinea Pigs

Just like every animal, guinea pigs are prone to certain health issues. As a piggy parent, it's crucial to have an understanding of the guinea pig health problems that your guinea pigs may be at risk of, the typical symptoms they present and ways they can be prevented. 

Scurvy

Scurvy is a condition that develops due to prolonged vitamin C deficiency and can be fatal if left untreated. Guinea pigs are one of the few animals that aren't able to produce their own vitamin C, so require outside sources of it. Common symptoms of Scurvy include swollen feet, loss of appetite, a rough coat and diarrhoea.

Diarrhoea

A guinea pig may develop diarrhoea because of an upset stomach. A guinea pig's digestive system is very sensitive, and being fed the incorrect foods, incorrect hay or too little hay may cause bouts of diarrhoea as toxins begin to build up. It may also be a symptom of other guinea pig health problems, so it's a wise idea to get your piggy to a vet if they're having consistent diarrhoea over several hours.

Ringworm

Ringworm is a common fungal infection that can also affect guinea pigs and most animals. Luckily, it rarely comes with complications and often goes away on its own. It can cause discomfort for your piggy, and common symptoms include bald patches, irritated skin and excessive scratching. Ringworm is zoonotic, meaning it can pass from guinea pigs to humans, so when handling infected guinea pigs, you may want to take extra precautions, such as wearing gloves and washing clothes immediately after contact.

Bumblefoot

Bumblefoot is an infection of a guinea pig's feet and often occurs through abrasions caused by wired or mesh flooring in their cage or unsanitary conditions. Bumblefoot can become quite severe if left untreated and requires treatment from a vet to resolve. To prevent instances of bumblefoot, it's vital to provide pregnant guinea pigs with pig's soft bedding and clean their enclosures daily.

Guinea Pig Pair at the Vets

Pneumonia

Pneumonia is one of the most common health problems in guinea pigs. It's a bacterial infection that affects the respiratory system. A healthy guinea pig can often carry the bacteria that causes pneumonia without showing signs of infection. However, there are instances where an infection can later develop; if a guinea pig falls ill with another condition, it can occur as a secondary infection or a guinea pig experiencing high levels of stress.

Respiratory Infection

Respiratory diseases are common in guinea pigs and can affect both the upper and lower respiratory tract, presenting symptoms such as discharge from the nose and mouth, loss of appetite and sneezing. Unmanaged infections have the potential to evolve into pneumonia, so any suspected respiratory infections should be looked at by a local vet immediately.

Abscess

Abscesses are pus-filled sores that often formed over open wounds that have become infected. Abscesses can quickly grow and become painful so it's crucial to have a vet drain it, or in some cases, they may need to be surgically removed. The vet will often prescribe the appropriate antibiotics to remove any intense itching afterwards. You may need to take on syringe feeding for a few days.

Infection

A guinea pig may have a general infection. Infections can be bacterial, viral or fungal, and in most cases affected guinea pigs will need to be treated by a professional. Infections can have a wide variety of causes, with the most common being open wounds, dirty cages or being housed with other sick animals. You might notice symptoms like weight loss pressure sores, swollen joints, or your guinea pigs may stop eating. If you notice any odd behaviour, it's best to take them for a physical examination.

Malocclusion

Malocclusion is the condition where a guinea pig's teeth become misaligned from overgrowth. Malocclusion is a dental disease that will worsen over time if left unmanaged and can become extremely painful for the animal creating hugely overgrown teeth and other dental problems. It can be treated early on by providing an adequate amount of hay and toys for the piggy to naturally shave down their teeth. However, in severe cases, a vet will need to file down the teeth or possibly have them removed to take away further dental problems.

Salmonellosis

Salmonellosis, commonly known as salmonella, is a bacterial infection caused by eating contaminated food. In guinea pigs, it can present as an acute or chronic illness. Acute cases will last a few days at a maximum, while chronic cases may last for several weeks. They can develop intestinal parasites as a result which could cause more severe issues, especially in a baby guinea pig.

Ovarian cysts

Ovarian cysts are one of the guinea pig health problems that exclusively affects females and have been found in about 75% of intact mature females. Cysts can grow throughout the reproductive system and cause discomfort and pain for guinea pigs. It's most likely they will grow over time, and will need to be surgically removed. If your female guinea pig develops any skin tumors or growths, you should take the affected animal to the vet.

Guinea Pig Getting a Health Check

Urinary Tract Infection

A urinary tract infection (UTI) is an infection of the lower urinary tract. Both male and female guinea pigs are susceptible, but they're much more common in females. In many cases, a UTI can resolve itself within a few days. However, if symptoms persist without improvement then veterinary intervention will be beneficial. The typical symptoms include discomfort when urinating, dehydration, lethargy and blood in the urine.

Hair Loss

Hair loss, or alopecia, can occur for many different reasons and mostly in guinea pigs with a rough hair coat. In some circumstances, hair loss can be caused by parasitic infections such as mites or ringworm or sometimes can be inflicted through overgrooming from other animals or guinea pigs. The majority of the time alopecia is a symptom of an illness.

Gastrointestinal Disease

Gastrointestinal disease, commonly known as GI Stasis, is when the bacteria in the gut becomes unbalanced and can be fatal if prolonged. A guinea pig's gastrointestinal tract is made to be constantly processing food, and guinea pigs with a condition that causes a loss of appetite can often lead to developing GI stasis. Common gastrointestinal diseases are caused by a lack of fibre, blockage, stress or dental issues.

Bladder Stone

Bladder stones are caused by an excess of calcium that has built up within the bladder. These can be quite uncomfortable for a piggy, and they will often present signs of pain when urinating, lethargy and blood in the urine. Bladder stones can be prevented by ensuring the guinea pigs are receiving a low-calcium diet.

Cute baby guinea pigs

Fungal Infection

There are a range of fungal infections that may cause guinea pig health problems, such as ringworm. Most fungal infections will appear the same way, with patches of hair loss where the skin seems to be irritated and sometimes crusting. These skin problems can be straightforward to treat once a vet can establish the type of infection.

Kidney Stone

Kidney stones are quite similar to bladder stones as they are both composed of a build-up of calcium and other minerals in the body. As the name suggests, kidney stones occur when this mineral buildup happens within the kidneys. Luckily, guinea pigs' can pass kidney stones unassisted in most cases. 

Myiasis

Myiasis, or Flystrike, is a parasitic infection that can progress rapidly and is often fatal. Flystrike is when flies lay eggs within a piggie's fur and the maggots proceed to hatch, eat away at the skin and eventually release toxins that are highly potent. The risk of Myiasis can be greatly reduced by ensuring the enclosure is fully cleaned frequently, the guinea pig's fur is clean and not soaked with urine and setting up fly traps to deter flies from your guinea pigs. This is mostly found within the hot summer months, so it's best to keep a closer eye on your guinea pigs around this time.

Enteritis

Enteritis is an infection of the small intestine. The bacteria that causes this infection is typically found in contaminated pellets and unwashed vegetables, so it's important to thoroughly wash all veggies and research the integrity of the pellets they are provided with.

Lice

One of the major health problems in guinea pigs is lice. They're an ectoparasite that most animals are at risk of catching in some form. Infestations can often go unnoticed until they are more severe, so regular grooming is crucial to have guinea pig owners catch any lice or eggs early on before they have the opportunity to reproduce. Lice can be treated and prevented through topical treatments from a vet.

Guinea Pig Feeling Better After Treatment

Heart Disease

Heart disease is mostly seen in older male guinea pigs as their body generally begins to deteriorate. This is when the muscles of the heart begin to weaken and become increasingly ineffective at pumping blood around the body. Common symptoms include difficulty breathing, lethargy and overall weakness.

Mastitis in female guinea pigs

Mastitis is an infection of the mammary glands that happens primarily during the time period when a guinea pig is breastfeeding. Bacteria enters the glands through open cuts surrounding the nipples, and if left untreated can spread into the bloodstream. 

Pre-eclampsia

Pre-eclampsia, otherwise known as pregnancy toxemia, occurs during pregnancy when the uterus is lacking in blood supply. The exact cause of this condition is unknown, but certain factors such as obesity and stress are notable factors that increase the risk. A guinea pig will show signs of exhaustion, poor appetite, overall weakness, and uncoordinated movements.

Heat exhaustion

Guinea pigs are sensitive to extreme temperatures and ideally should be kept in an area about 15°C to 25°C. If guinea pigs remain too hot for long periods of time, they are at risk for heat exhaustion which can potentially be fatal. To prevent heat exhaustion, it's vital to ensure their enclosure has effective airflow and the temperature is carefully monitored daily.