Your guinea pigs' health: what to look out for

How to health check your guinea pig

Ideally, bring your guinea pigs indoors for this and sit them on a towel so they are comfy.

Weight

Adult males will usually weigh between 800-1200g, females 800-1000g. Use some small scales, like kitchen scales to monitor their weight. Use the PFMA size-o-meter to help with visually checking their size.

Eyes

Should be clean, clear and bright

Ears, nose and mouth

Should be clean, free of any discharge, flaky and scabby patches. No noisy breathing.

Teeth

Top and bottom incisors (front teeth) should be white, smooth and wearing evenly against one another.

Body

Should be free of any lumps or bumps. These often appear under their chin, along their back or in their armpit area.

Skin and coat

Should be:

• clean and healthy looking
• no fur loss
• no red, flaky skin/dandruff
• no wounds
• no matted fur

Bottom and genitals

Should be clean. Adult males over one year of age will need their genitals checking and cleaning regularly. For more information, see below.

Feet and toes

Should be free of any sores.

Nails

Nails will need to be clipped every four to six weeks once they have reached around one year old. Watch the video above on how to do this, or contact us if you would like more support or a mini lesson.

 

Finding a vet

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 has lots of experience of seeing, diagnosing and treating these species is essential.

• Look for an Exotics Veterinary Practice – they may have more experience and might be cheaper than other vets.
• Talk to friends and family who own or have owned guinea pigs to see if there are any vets in particular that they recommend.
• Talk to veterinary practices to find out if there are any guinea pig savvy vets within the practice. Don’t be afraid to ask them how many they see on a weekly basis to help you decide whether they are the right vet for you.

 

Grooming and bathing

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. It’s worth grooming them regularly and bathing them up to twice a year 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.

All guinea pigs can be bathed once or twice a year in piggy safe products. This helps to keep their coat clean and healthy, and can help protect them from skin issues. Guinea pigs have a grease gland in the spot where a tail would normally be. Male guinea pigs can get quite greasy in this area and their fur can become matted. When bathing, make sure you give this area a good clean as well. Trimming the fur carefully around here for particularly greasy guinea pigs can help keep the area ventilated protected from fungal conditions.

Visit Gorgeous Guineas for more advice, guinea pig safe skin care products and a whole page dedicated to identifying skin problems.

 

Skin conditions

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, any of these skin issues can be extremely uncomfortable for your little piggies and in extreme circumstances, some issues can be life threatening. It’s best to contact your guinea pig friendly vet if you spot any of these symptoms:

• Fur loss
• Red or flaky skin and dandruff
• Itching or suddenly biting you
• Unexplained open wounds
• Unable to gain weight
• Scabby patches around face and ears
• V-like shape of chewed fur down back
• Dull, dry-looking coat – your piggy may appear puffed up

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. It’s best to bathe your guinea pigs twice a year in piggy-safe products to protect their skin.

A product we recommend at Woodgreen is Ivermectin. It 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.

 

Looking after boys’ bits!

Most male guinea pig owners don’t realise they need a little extra care and observation. Males over a year old need to have their penis cleaned every few months. This involves gently pushing down above the exposed skin and cleaned with damp cotton wool. 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 but 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 your guinea pig savvy vet if you spot this.
 

Urinary health

Both male and female guinea pigs are prone to cystitis and stones. Keep an eye on them for any wetness around their back end, 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.
 

Dental health

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 your piggy is missing a tooth, or you notice that one or more are a lot longer, or they’re wearing down at an angle, contact your 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. 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 information, check out our article on how to look after your guinea pig’s teeth.