Guinea Pig Fun


skin problems/scratching

Skin problems and scratching can be a common problem with guinea pigs. If left untreated, depending on the diagnosis, a guinea pigs can die without treatment. It is important to know what you are treating so that the proper medication is used. Common skin problems are mites, lice, and fungal infections, all of which are treated differently. Please see your vet to get a proper diagnosis and treatment plan so that treatment can be started.


~ PLEASE SEE YOUR EXOTICS VET IF YOU HAVE ANY MEDICAL CONCERNS ABOUT YOUR PET


teeth

Many times teeth problems are suspected when a guinea pig has trouble eating certain vegetables such as carrots or if the chin and throat area are wet or the guinea pig is drooling. The photo on the immediate right shows broken incisors. The next one shows incisors that are slanted where they meet which can be an indication that the molars need to be trimmed. The photo on the far right shows peg teeth. It is important to see a vet ASAP if teeth problems are a possibility. The top molars can grow into the inside of the cheeks or the bottom molars can grow over the tongue to entrap it and impede the ability to eat and swallow. Please note that it is very important to free feed hay so that the teeth are properly worn down.


seizures

Seizures can be caused by various reasons. The ones that have occurred here have been due to untreated mites and also due to neurological problems. Oscar in the photo on the far right had a bad case of untreated mites and he was in constant pain and had seizures for awhile until the treatment eased his symptoms. Precious also had untreated mites but hers were less obvious yet she did have one seizure. Emma Lou, on the immediate right, and another guinea pig each had a permanent head tilt and ended up having seizures which caused them to end up turning quickly in a circle and also falling over on her/his back. The cause of the head tilts were unknown and they was humanely PTS after they kept getting worse.


medical cases 6