Guinea Pig Health
There are a number of different things you can do to keep your piggies in the best of health, from weekly to daily checks.
This section covers;
Weight
Urine and Poop
Skin
Eyes
Feet
Eating and Drinking
Weight
Urine and Poop
Skin
Eyes
Feet
Eating and Drinking
Guinea pigs are known for going down hill quickly when they get ill, this is their main defence as they are prey animals, predators often pick out the ill and vulnerable animals, and so it is important to remember that although you can get helpful information online to help suggest what it may be, getting you guinea pig to a vet when they shown any signs of illness is the most important thing and the best thing you can do for your piggies.
Weekly Weigh In's.
Weight is one of the biggest signs of illness in guinea pigs. Weekly, monitored weigh in's allow you to keep an eye on your piggies health ! Younger guinea pigs gain weight quite quickly and so it's common to see large jumps in weight from week to week, in older guinea pigs this weight gain is slower and for some parts you may even see the odd week where your guinea pigs weigh decreases. This weight loss is for one week nothing to be worried about, if it's a large amount however its best to check the weight daily and monitor to see if it's a one off or wether it continues, if it does continue it's time to get in contact with your vet.
Checking Urine & Poop.
A guinea pigs wee can say alot about its health. A normal, healthy guinea pig's urine should be clear or may be slightly clouded white once dried. This white is a build up of calcium in your guinea pig from whatever it's been eaten. Any signs of blood in the urine should be alarming and good cause to call your vets and book an appointment. Normal urine should not be gritty in texture. Very young guinea pigs often have an orange or brown tint to their urine. Check their poops daily to make sure your guinea pig doesn't have diarrhoea. If they are just abit soft but not runny or misshapen, try cutting back on their green foods for a few hours and they should normally go back to normal. Poops should look like a jelly-bean, un-neutered boars poops tend to be more curved than sows. Take your piggy to the vets straight away if they are runny/smelly.
Skin Check.
While grooming or stroking your guinea pig a good thing to do is check you pigs skin. Look out for dry flaky skin, scratches, sores and check the whole body for any abnormal swelling. Remember to also check under the piggies belly and under the chin. Excessive itching could indicate they have mites. If you notice that your piggie gets very irritable when you touch certain areas, that is another indication that they have mites.
Eyes.
Check your guinea pigs eyes, they should be open, bright, clear with no discharge. However, if you see a milky type liquid, that is normal. Its produced during the grooming process and is usually wiped away with their front feet. When an injury to the eye has happened, it may go opaque, which is a protective covering. Its blue/grey in colour and appears quite quickly. It normally disappears, once the eye starts healing. They may have something in the eye like a tiny blade of hay, a hay seed or they may have poked themselve in the eye with a strand of hay. If you see that the eye has gone opaque or looks red/swollen or crusty, please take your guinea pig straight to your vets before the condition gets any worse. Watery or crusty eyes could mean an upper respiratory infection which also needs vetrinary treatment. Some guinea pigs develop cataracts, it could be a sign of diabetes or old age.
Feet
You should be checking the feet of your guinea pig regularly to see if their nails need cutting . Trimming them every two to three weeks is a good schedule to keep. Also check for any swelling around each foot, any swelling could indicate a problem like Bumblefoot on the base of the foot any blistering can also indicate a problem and irritation from the bedding your using.
Eating and drinking
Food Check: While feeding your guinea pig, stay with them for a short while to make sure they are eating alright. If you see your guinea pig is struggling to eat, it could be a dental problem. If your guinea pig is hunched up in a corner and they refuse to eat anything, take your guinea pig to the vets without delay.
Water Check: Keep an eye on the water levels, if you find they are drinking more than normal, it would be wise to have your piggy checked for diabetes. Obviously when the weather is at higher temperature, then they tend to drink more water.
Water Check: Keep an eye on the water levels, if you find they are drinking more than normal, it would be wise to have your piggy checked for diabetes. Obviously when the weather is at higher temperature, then they tend to drink more water.