Health checking your guinea pigs is the best way to ensure they’re in tip top condition. Guinea pigs can be very good at hiding any health issues until they’re really suffering!
Make sure you health check your guinea pigs weekly and look out for any changes in their behaviour every day. Sometimes even the smallest thing, such as their poo looking a little smaller than normal or not rushing out to receive fresh food straight away, can be a clue they’re poorly.
If you have any concerns, act quickly and contact a guinea pig savvy vet. Here are some things to look out for and how to health check your guinea pigs.
Watch our video on how to health check them, signs to spot and how to clip their nails.
Ideally, bring your guinea pigs indoors for this and sit them on a towel so they’re comfy.
Adult males will usually weigh between 800-1200g, and females 800-1000g. Use some small scales, like kitchen scales to monitor their weight. The UK Pet Food size-o-meter can help with visually checking their size.
Should be clean, clear with no cloudiness and bright with no wetness or discharge around the eye.
Should be clean, free of any discharge, flaky and scabby patches. No noisy breathing.
Top and bottom incisors (front teeth) should be white, smooth and wearing evenly against one another.
Should be free of any lumps or bumps. These often appear under their chin, along their back or in their armpit area.
Should be:
Should be clean. Adult males over one year of age will need their genitals checking and cleaning regularly. For more information, see below.
Should be free of any sores and dry patches.
Nails will need to be clipped every four to six weeks once they have reached around one year old. Watch our video above on how to do this, or contact us if you would like more support, or even a free mini lesson.
It’s really important to find a vet in your area who has lots of experience with small pets like guinea pigs. Most vets will see cats and dogs on a daily basis and will have an extensive knowledge of their needs. Other species such as guinea pigs will rarely be seen by most vets. So finding someone who is experienced in seeing, diagnosing and treating this species is essential.
Long-haired guinea pigs need daily grooming to avoid their fur from becoming matted. This can happen pretty quickly if bedding becomes tangled within their fur. You may also notice the fur around their bottom becoming discoloured and tangled.
Regular grooming, and bathing if they get particularly dirty, will help with this. Trimming the long fur a little bit around this area to prevent it from dragging along the floor will also help.
Despite popular belief, guinea pigs do not need to be bathed (unless they’re particularly dirty). Like a lot of other pets, they do a great job of keeping themselves clean. Bathing them can strip the fur of its natural oils, so it is best to leave them be (unless advised to by your vet).
It’s quite common for guinea pigs to suffer with various skin issues including fur mites, running lice, burrowing mites, fungal infections and ringworm.
As you can imagine, these types of skin issues can be extremely uncomfortable for your little piggies and in extreme circumstances, some issues can be life threatening. If you spot any of these symptoms, it’s best to contact your guinea pig friendly vet:
Housing your guinea pigs in suitable accommodation is key to reducing their risk of developing skin conditions. You should make sure their accommodation is kept dry and clean with the correct bedding.
At Woodgreen, we recommend Ivermectin. This helps prevent parasites and keeps your guinea pigs healthy. Make sure you carefully follow the recommendations on the package on how to use it. And if you notice any signs of disease, get your guinea pig checked by a vet – they will be able to advise you on the best treatment.
Most male guinea pig owners don’t realise they need a little extra care and attention. Males over a year old need to have their penis cleaned every few months. This involves gently pushing down above the exposed skin and cleaning with damp cotton wool. Watch our video above on how to do this. This area is prone to a build-up of cheese-like discharge, which can eventually prevent your guinea pig from weeing normally.
Large dominant males can also be prone to ‘impaction’ from around three years old onwards. This is a rather smelly situation that can be fatal if not spotted and managed correctly. Impaction causes the anus to bulge, and a large ball of faeces will appear to be blocking him – despite a few normal poos in the cage. Speak to a guinea pig savvy vet if you spot this.
Both male and female guinea pigs are prone to cystitis and stones. Keep an eye on them for any wetness around their back end, weight loss, odours and small amounts of blood in the urine or a single painful squeak when toileting. A vet with experience in guinea pigs will happily give you advice and support with both issues.
Some guinea pigs can be more prone to dental problems than others, although it’s not as common as with rabbits. When giving your guinea pigs their weekly health check, take a good look at the front teeth or incisors. You’ll see two teeth at the top and two at the bottom – they should be white and smooth and clearly wearing against each other.
If you notice any of the following signs, contact a guinea pig-friendly vet:
A guinea pig’s diet should be made up of 85% hay. Generally, we say they should be eating a pile of hay the same size as themselves each day. Not only will this help keep them in good health, it’s also great for keeping their teeth in good condition and helps prevent them from overgrowing.
Teeth problems, such as overgrowing, can sometimes be genetic, which means they cannot be prevented, But the good news is that a lot of teeth issues can be avoided with a good diet! For example, we wouldn’t recommend feeding your guinea pigs muesli mixes as they are high in sugar and can lead to dental problems. A good swap for this is an egg cup of pellets each per day.
Providing them with fresh forage including apple branches and willow twigs, as well as giving them opportunities to graze on grass, will help keep their teeth in good shape. For more advice, check out our article on how to look after your guinea pig’s teeth.
Learn all about what guinea pigs need with this interactive online course. Whether you are thinking of getting guinea pigs or want to know if yours are happy, this course will help! Suitable for all the family.
Read more about 'An introduction to guinea pigs – Online family course'
A self-led online course suitable for anyone with guinea pigs, thinking of them as pets or who would simply like to learn more.
Read more about 'An introduction to guinea pigs – Online course' Here we look at how to keep your guinea pig’s teeth in good shape, what to feed them and what checks you should be carrying out.
Read more about 'How to look after your guinea pig’s teeth'