Great Guinea Pig Guide

Recognition of clinical signs of disease in guinea pigs (cavies) can be difficult for both the pet owner and the veterinarian. As such, diagnosis and treatment are frequently hampered by disease progression to advanced clinical stages by the time the pet is presented to the veterinarian. Many guinea pigs may not be regularly examined in the veterinary clinic due to a perception that they are “disposable” or “replaceable” pocket pets with short life spans. Accordingly, the cornerstones of good guinea pig care should include correct diet, appropriate husbandry, and quick identification of illness. Dwellings should be small, well-ventilated cages with solid plastic floors and appropriate temperature control. Guinea pigs are messy, and structures should be regularly cleaned and stocked with plenty of fresh hay and other substrate or bedding material. As highly social animals, they thrive when housed with other guinea pigs. A balanced diet with exogenous vitamin C supplementation is also necessary to prevent scurvy (vitamin C deficiency). Commonly diagnosed medical conditions include lower urinary tract disease (including urolithiasis), diarrhea, heat stroke and dehydration, pododermatitis, pregnancy toxemia, and dental disease. Appropriate husbandry can result in prevention and early detection of many of these clinical conditions, resulting in more favorable clinical outcomes, a longer life for the guinea pig, and a stronger owner–pet bond.

Commentary**:** This article is a great primer for practitioners interested in adding guinea pigs to their practice. There is good husbandry information that can be shared with new guinea pig owners. In fact, this article fits somewhere between a very detailed husbandry article for a lay person and a superficial introductory article for the veterinarian. Some of the more common problems encountered in guinea pigs are described but basic techniques like venipuncture, fluid administration, and oral examination are omitted. Also, it would have been useful to describe how to supplement vitamin C, including warnings about not adding it to the water supply because it is quickly denatured and then not available for ingestion.—Karen Rosenthal, DVM, MS

Management of husbandry-related problems in guinea pigs. Fawcett A. IN PRACT 33:163-171, 2011.