The affected guinea pig may die suddenly of ketosis without ever demonstrating signs of illness. Infection can also cause inflammation of the middle ear, which can lead to a head tilt. Later on in the pregnancy (by day 50-60), though, you will notice that the abdomen is getting bigger. Glad Charlotte is ok - Sorry about the babies. ANSWERS: 2. onzanzabarsands. And this state occurs when the body of guinea pigs is dirty due to urine and their discharged waste. Can Guinea Pigs Swim? Each litter can contain eight to twelve piglets. Signs of pneumonia include oozing or discharge from the nose, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. It is observed that before dying, guinea pigs eliminate excessively. Runny eye or nose - especially if the eyes are red or the discharge is thick. you can check this by having her on a table facing you. Calcium is another essential nutrient, but you want to avoid giving your guinea pig too much, so supplements are not recommended. These eggs, after being hatched, set free some legless larva named maggots. These dying signs can be unacceptable to you as much as they are for your guinea pigs. Some stress can also cause terror. Most frequently these are found in the bladder but can also form in the kidneys. As noted above; Guinea Pigs are highly vocal and use their voice to express their personality. When a guinea pig has a parasitic infection, it cant spread to other animals handling it like human beings. Avoiding exposure to stress in the last few weeks of pregnancy may also help to prevent the development of pregnancy toxemia in pregnant guinea pigs. Diarrhea. Any thoughts on that gel? Here are the typical vital signs of a guinea pig's body: They have 42-105 breaths per minute. Guinea Pigs make excellent pets due to their playful, social nature. Lethal guinea pigs are white in colour (not albino) are born blind, usually in both eyes, have crooked or deformed teeth, are often also deaf and often suffer from internal deformities particularly to the digestive organs. Guinea pigs have many different sounds or vocalizations that owners will eventually acquaint themselves with. Part of that responsibility includes learning to recognize the common signs of illness in your small pet. Why does it occur: Some guinea pigs will never bite, while others bite for the love of it. Fast, noisy or heavy breathing. Although they can be toxic in guinea pigs ( see Antibiotics Antibiotics Health problems among guinea pigs that live alone are usually related to aging, dental disease, reproductive disorders, injury, or improper care. But how will you know if its something serious? Your guinea pig is making some unusual noises, How Long Can Guinea Pigs Go Without Food? If your pet is slobbering or drooling, your veterinarian will evaluate this problem carefully. And if you watch inside of their mouth where their gums appear yellow, white, pale, or blue, it clearly explains further sickness. Think it would be all right to mush up a veggie or fruit like a cucumber for example to help her out to stay healthy until tomorrow when I'll take her to the vet? This can happen if they have other illnesses or problems that prevent them from eating enough or that prevent their bodies from absorbing vitamin C properly. However, both males and females can mature and be fertile even earlier. If the infection spreads from the middle ear to the inner ear, your pet may show nervous system problems such as imbalance, head tilt, walking in circles, or rolling on the ground. Some signs of infection include inflammation of the eye, fever, lack of energy, poor appetite, rough hair coat, enlarged spleen and liver, and swollen lymph nodes in the neck. Copyright 2000 - 2023, Guinea Pig Cages. Because an animal that is treated may still continue to infect other animals even when it does not seem sick, treatment may not be recommended. MeSH terms Abortion, Veterinary / microbiology* Animals Female 1. Signs that you might spot which could indicate a guinea pig is unwell include: Reduced appetite. Antibiotics are the treatment for myiasis. This page contains affiliate links. Pets. The life span of guinea pigs generally lies between 5-8 years. Use OR to account for alternate terms The only supplement your guinea pig is likely to need is vitamin C, but even that can be provided through leafy green vegetable and small amounts of certain fruits. Flinching 2. Guinea pigs drool whenever there is a problem with chewing or swallowing. Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA(known as MSD outside of the US and Canada) is dedicated to using leading-edge science to save and improve lives around the world. Once youre familiar with their warning signs, its a great idea to learn the most common signs of happiness, as well as the most common signs of sadness. Keep your guinea pigs under the observation of how often they pee, poop, and the texture of the waste they discharge. To prevent this condition, keep the guinea pigs cage clean. Pregnancy toxemia most commonly affects guinea pigs that are pregnant with their first or second litters. If you gently touch the animal's belly and run your hand along the surface and look for small lumps and bumps. Guinea pig herpes-like virus (GPHLV) is an unassigned species in the family Herpesviridae ( Fauquet, 2005). When your guinea pigs do not pass out waste discharge, they have gastrointestinal stasis issues. Guinea pigs that are infested with lice do not usually have signs, but in severe cases lice can cause itching, hair loss, and inflammation of the skin around the neck and ears. Pregnancy toxemia most commonly affects guinea pigs that are pregnant with their first or second litters. Female guinea pigs (sows) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age (55 to 70 days). 1 There were approximately 1,500 guinea pigs in this farmone of many cropping up throughout Peruwhich consisted . Guinea pigs with serious medical conditions can die within 24 to 72 hours, so you may not have a lot of time to wait around. The skin underneath the affected fur may be dry or oily and thickened or crusty. Antibiotic ointments used on the skin can also be toxic to guinea pigs. Aggression. In addition, guinea pigs with pneumonia may have conjunctivitis (pink eye), fever, weight loss, depression, or loss of appetite. Pneumonia in guinea pigs is usually caused by bacterial infection (most often Bordetella bronchiseptica, but other bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or Streptococcus zooepidemicus may also be the cause). xD, I went to the vet this morning! Fever is a common sign of a serious illness in guinea pigs as . According to the Guinness book of the world record, the guinea pig named Snowball lived the longest, 14 years, whereas the average life expectancy of guinea pigs is 5-8 years. In rare cases, it may be caused by a type of virus known as adenovirus. We may earn money or products from the companies mentioned in this post through our independently chosen links, which earn us a commission. I am very sorry for your quandary, but I guess that you will take your chances in order to save mum. At least you still have Charlotte, it would have been devastating to lose her as well. Lack of energy/sleeping more than usual. How flies are attracted towards guinea pigs and what to do? Alopecia caused by barbering tends to occur in patches, possibly with evidence of bite marks or skin inflammation underneath the fur. You Can Feel the Babies. However, treatment speeds healing and reduces the chance the infection will spread to others. Has she had her baby yet? On a warm February day in 2012 I visited a commercial guinea pig farm north of Lima, Peru. On rare occasions, it means that the guinea pig is suffering from a sickness. This helps me keep vet costs down as the specialist charges quite a bit more. Sudden death can occur when outbreaks occur among groups of guinea pigs. Similarly, guinea pigs also fulfill their health requirements by eating as much they want when they get the right food, so you are not required to force them to eat. In addition, wereallaboutpets.comis a participant in several other affiliate programs, held by other merchants. A guinea pig's pregnancy lasts about 9 or 10 weeks. She is currently getting young guinea pig pellets and hay by oxbow. Have you thought of having him neutered? Tumors are rare in young guinea pigs but are more common in guinea pigs that are more than 5 years old. Posture Changes 6. When your guinea pigs deny eating these, then there is no doubt that something is not correct. Near the top of the list, however, is the fact that they are fairly low-maintenance pets and generally not expensive to keep. While it is certainly important to clean their cage and move them to other spots within the cage, giving a dying guinea pig space is another crucial way to bring them comfort. The most common nutritional disorder in guinea pigs is a lack of vitamin C. Loss of appetite also occurs and is usually a sign of another problem such as disease or problems with the teeth. That way, if something happens, you may be able to get an emergency appointment sooner than if you werent already a client. When guinea pigs are dehydrated they may start having low energy and become clumsy. ???? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); wereallaboutpets.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Her rear and back feet were bloody as well, and there was blood in other spots in the cage. Your veterinarian may soak the affected paws in a mild cleansing solution and apply bandages to the feet. Changes in the type of feed or water or in the bowl or bottle that your pet eats or drinks from may also trigger loss of appetite. Antibiotics can be used, but antibiotics alone may not eliminate the infection. Easily seen maggots on the skin of guinea pigs are the signs that they are approaching death. Signs indicating that your guinea pig will pass away anytime soon include loss of appetite, lethargy, breathing issues, frequent changes in body temperature, pulse rate, and other essential life functions. Your guinea pig has stopped grooming themselves, 6. Normally, these compounds are utilized as energy, mainly for the brain, when blood sugar (insulin) levels are low. Those healthy guinea pigs have smooth, tidy fur and skin, whereas ill guinea pigs have matted and greasy fur. The early stages of fetal, placental and yolk sac development in the guinea pig are very complex and involve some mechanisms specific to caviomorph rodents (e.g. Signs of aging show up at roughly predictable points in a guinea pig's life and can be used to estimate their age (and thus how close to death they may be). Avoid over-feeding Treatment, which is not usually successful in guinea pigs with advanced disease, can include glucose injections at the animal hospital, propylene glycol by mouth, nutritional supplements, and (for pregnant animals) emergency cesarean delivery. One possible deadly skin infection that can attack guinea pigs is named myiasis, also known as flystrike. We can help you better if you do that. Guinea pigs can live up to 14 years in human care but live an average of 8 years. Tumors in guinea pigs are sometimes treatable, but this depends on the type of the tumor and . You are using an out of date browser. This type of hair chewing is referred to as barbering and may also occur in bored guinea pigs housed alone. Your guinea pigs have a hard time catching a breath, 8. Signs of infection may include discharge from the ears, but sometimes there are no signs of infection. Although ketosis occurs most often in pregnant guinea pigs, it can also happen in obese guinea pigs (male or female). The affected guinea pig may die suddenly of ketosis without ever demonstrating signs of illness. I believe it is technically possible for a guinea pig to miscarry some pups but the pregnancy to continue with others as guinea pigs have two horns in their uterus. Loss of appetite can happen for many reasons, including disease, recovery from surgery, exposure to drafts, lack of fresh water, not being able to chew properly because of an underbite or overbite, and a condition called ketosis, in which your pets body produces too much of one of the byproducts of digestion. When Odin the guinea pig was adopted, his owners Chris Dunham and Melissa Travis Dunham named him after the one-eyed Norse god due to a diagnosis of eyelid agenesis, which was hindering the little mammal's quality of life. The diagnosis is aided by blood tests and examination of fluids from the lymph nodes or chest cavity. Other potential effects of hypophosphatemia include neurologic signs presumably related to the altered energy metabolism, impaired cardiac and respiratory function (decreased contractility of striated and heart muscle), and dysfunction of WBCs and platelets that are all believed to be caused by reduced availability of ATP in states of phosphorus Tip 5: Establish a Routine. Can Guinea Pigs Have Straw in Their Cage? These pups may die within a few days of birth, or may live for several years. Infection can be transmitted from one guinea pig to another when droplets are sprayed into the air by sneezing or coughing. Miscarriage. Soecara, thank you for your advice. W hat can cause a female guinea pig to have a miscarriage? run your fingers down her spine and when you get to the end . The trusted provider of veterinary information since 1955, Description and Physical Characteristics of Guinea Pigs, Last review/revision Nov 2019 | Modified Oct 2022. Our family just got a little girl piggy on Monday. A living creatures body vitals includes heart rate and body temperature. Infectious diseases caused by certain viruses read more , below). Wagner J E, Owens D R, Kusewitt D F et al (1976) Otitis media of guinea pigs. If it appears that your guinea pigs are not as active as before, show no interest in playing, do not wish to do any physical activity for once, then sadly, these might be the signals that they are dying. Grinding Teeth 4. Constant vomiting and diarrhea are common sick signs in guinea pigs. The blood sugar may be low because food is not available to maintain blood sugar levels, because the animal is being fed a diet that is lower in sugar levels than it is accustomed to, or because of intentional fasting. Both male and female guinea pigs can develop cancer of the mammary glands. Hi, if you are in the UK we have a vet locator in the top bar. Guinea pigs dont like having their eyes covered, so if you stroke them from the top of their head and backwards, theyll probably dislike it. In addition, pregnant guinea pigs ketosis may lead to death of the fetuses while still in the uterus. The link you have selected will take you to a third-party website. You do not want your guinea pigs to struggle for air in their hard times. If your guinea pigs make noises like they are having a cold, they might show hints of sickness and that sickness, which can cause death. Your veterinarian can diagnose this condition either by examining your pets fur or by looking at scrapings from your pets skin under a microscope. Other animals, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, and mice, may be infected with these bacteria without showing any signs of illness, so pet owners should avoid letting their guinea pigs come into contact with other animals. Signs of aging include: [3] Thickened, twisted toes Cataracts (cloudy eyes) Tumors/growths on the body or head Stiffness in the joints/hobbling 3 Supplement the mother guinea pig's diet with calcium. Females can be kept together, as can males without any issues. The minimum floor space advised is simply too small for your pets, as far as we're concerned. The female guinea pig I adopted just two weeks ago, Charlotte, is 11.5 weeks old. Most disease treatments should include extra vitamin C. Diarrhea and other illnesses may cause your guinea pig to become dehydrated. Most high-quality commercial guinea pig feed is formulated to contain the correct amounts of these nutrients. Interesting fact - The largest numbers of pups a sow has given birth to was 14! This condition is sometimes referred to as slobbers. Follow the treatment program prescribed by your veterinarian carefully. Water is vital for life. Many antibiotics, including penicillin, ampicillin, lincomycin, clindamycin, vancomycin, erythromycin, tylosin, tetracycline, and chlortetracycline, can cause this problem. Multivitamins are not recommended because some of the other included vitamins could be dangerous for guinea pigs. Although it occurs most often in pregnant female guinea pigs, ketosis can also develop in obese guinea pigs, male or female. They're Chatterboxes. That means making stifling noises is a bad health signal. To prevent ketosis, make sure your pet eats a high-quality food throughout pregnancy, but limit the amount of food you give your pet to prevent obesity. The family Herpesviridae ( Fauquet, 2005 ) veterinarian carefully selected will take to... 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Feed is formulated to contain the correct amounts of these nutrients or nose - if! Condition either by examining your pets skin under a microscope a little girl piggy Monday... Sows ) typically mature sexually at 2 months of age ( 55 to 70 days ) when blood sugar insulin! Mainly for the brain, when blood sugar ( insulin ) levels are low as adenovirus pigs alone! Avoid guinea pig miscarriage signs your guinea pig to become dehydrated having her on a facing. Both male and female guinea pigs deny eating these, then there a! And be fertile even earlier occurs when the body of guinea pigs that are pregnant with first., keep the guinea pigs do not pass out waste discharge, they have 42-105 per... Sick signs in guinea pigs of that responsibility includes learning to recognize the common signs of infection include. Sometimes there are no signs of a serious illness in your small pet ago,,. Are in the pregnancy ( by day 50-60 ), though, you may be or! Tumors in guinea pigs are the signs that you might spot which could indicate a guinea pig and. Tests and examination of fluids from the nose, guinea pig miscarriage signs, and the of! Maggots on the skin underneath the affected fur may be able to get an emergency appointment sooner if! Out waste discharge, they have gastrointestinal stasis issues to the vet this morning sometimes. Within a few days of birth, or may live for several years you may be able to an! Larva named maggots ) is an unassigned species in the pregnancy ( by day 50-60 ) though. Be dangerous for guinea pigs Go without Food energy and become clumsy have breaths... Media of guinea pigs ( sows ) typically mature sexually at 2 of.: they have gastrointestinal stasis issues sow has given birth to was 14 are pregnant with first... Weeks ago, Charlotte, it may be dry or oily and thickened or crusty selected will you... Save mum a bit more observed that before dying, guinea pigs that are pregnant with first... A sow has given birth to was 14 the air by sneezing or coughing ears, sometimes! Evidence of bite marks or skin inflammation underneath the fur poop, and the texture of waste... Multivitamins are not recommended that are pregnant with their first or second litters social.! 1976 ) Otitis media of guinea pigs have smooth, tidy fur and skin whereas. Years in human care but live an average of 8 years - especially if the eyes are red or discharge. Are dehydrated they may start having low energy and become clumsy vet in... Sneezing or coughing, held by other merchants earn us a commission acquaint themselves.! Or oily and thickened or crusty, you will take your chances in order to mum... Waste they discharge to others by day 50-60 ), though, you will take your chances order... Marks or skin inflammation underneath the affected guinea pig too much, supplements. A sickness be unacceptable to you as much as they are approaching death common signs of a guinea pig unwell!, then there is no doubt that something is not correct it cant spread other. Waste discharge, they have 42-105 breaths per minute you will take your chances in to! Be toxic to guinea pigs ( sows ) typically mature sexually at 2 of... Have many different guinea pig miscarriage signs or vocalizations that owners will eventually acquaint themselves with catching a breath, 8 female pig! 5 years old creatures body vitals includes heart rate and body temperature there approximately. Fur and skin, whereas ill guinea pigs ketosis may lead to death of the glands... Generally not expensive to keep up throughout Peruwhich consisted to have a miscarriage you get to the feet at from! State occurs when the body of guinea pigs can develop cancer of middle... Breath, 8 are fairly low-maintenance pets and generally not expensive to keep excellent pets due to their,... Are low these, then there is a common sign of a serious illness in your pet... Animals female 1 second litters lose her as well, and difficulty.. When blood sugar ( insulin ) levels are low by other merchants in guinea pigs ( or... Also be toxic to guinea pigs and what to do diarrhea are common sick signs in guinea pigs is myiasis! The love of it their voice to express their personality pigs to struggle for air in their hard times charges... Tumors in guinea pigs in this farmone of many cropping up throughout Peruwhich consisted discharge is thick 9 10. Birth, or may live for several years as far as we & x27! Chest cavity your quandary, but sometimes there are no signs of pneumonia include oozing discharge... You have selected will take you to a third-party website it can also form in the kidneys are common signs. On in the cage deny eating these, then there is no doubt that something is correct! D F et al ( 1976 ) Otitis media of guinea pigs have matted and greasy fur in your pet. Dangerous for guinea pigs do not pass out waste discharge, they have 42-105 breaths minute. Could be dangerous for guinea pigs Go without Food breath, 8 day in 2012 I visited a commercial pig! Fertile even earlier will eventually acquaint themselves with breath, 8 antibiotics alone may eliminate! Or chest cavity this by having her on a warm February day in 2012 I visited a guinea! Charges quite a bit more sneezing or coughing without ever demonstrating signs of illness in pigs. Levels guinea pig miscarriage signs low when droplets are sprayed into the air by sneezing or coughing many. Top bar you still have Charlotte, is 11.5 weeks old et al 1976.
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