Guinea Pigs & Health Problems

Cavies who become sick or injured usually go from bad to worse in a matter of hours. Having the phone number and address on hand of a small animal or "exotic" veterinarian can mean the difference between life and death for your guinea pig.

 

An animal that lives as long as a guinea pig does needs to receive good medical care to keep it a happy member of your family for a long time. Waiting until after your pet has become to sick to find a vet can end up costing you precious time.

Find a good vet, who knows your animal, before you are in the middle of an emergency.

Find a good vet, who knows your animal, before you are in the middle of an emergency.

Even though a guinea pig does not require shots once a year like a cat or dog, they still need a regular yearly check-up with a vet who knows how to care for cavies. Also, right after bringing your new pet home, a through check-up will ensure that she is not pregnant or bringing any illness into the home.

Not all vets know how to take care of a guinea pig. For instance, penicillin-based drugs are toxic to a cavy. Does your vet have experience diagnosing and treating guinea pigs? If not, ask them if they know of a vet who does. You can also check your yellow pages or search for a guinea pig vet on the Internet. Type in, "Small animal vet" into a search engine or go to an online vet finder such as

http://www.aracnet.com/cgi-usr/seagull/vetfinder.cgi

As you may be learning for the first time, caring for a cavy is a fine art. One important skill you will need is the ability to spot signs of illness. In the wild, predators pick off sick guinea pigs. As a result, they have learned to hide the fact that they are sick. You will have to use your detective skills or by the time you realize that the animal is ill, it may be too late.