The guinea pig needs thoughtful care every day to stay healthy. If he starts to experience any symptoms of illness, such as loss of appetite, wheezing, sneezing, crusty eyes, hunched over posture, alopecia, shaggy or swollen fur, diarrhea, blood in the urine or loss of balance, you should take him to the vet immediately. A sick guinea pig can get worse very quickly if not treated by a doctor.
Steps
Part 1 of 3: Have your pet checked by the vet
Step 1. Take the guinea pig to the vet as soon as it starts showing signs of illness
When unwell, this little rodent can quickly get worse and die within 20 hours of the first symptoms; if you see any signs that indicate poor health, take them to the vet right away.
Step 2. Review your pet's symptoms with your doctor
Often, this creature can get sick because you don't care for it properly, because of a wrong diet, or if it comes into contact with another guinea pig that has an infectious disease. You should inform your veterinarian about the symptoms of your pet and the care you have given her, so that the causes of the disease can be determined. This small rodent is susceptible to the following diseases or ailments:
- Digestive disorders, caused by bacteria, viruses or parasites. Symptoms include diarrhea, weight loss, dehydration, loss of energy and appetite.
- Dental problems, which lead to excessive salivation. These can be caused by a misalignment of the teeth, which makes it difficult to chew or swallow and which forces the pet to produce too much saliva or drool. weight loss, bleeding from the mouth or abscesses in the oral cavity may also result.
- Nutritional disorders, such as vitamin C deficiency. As with other small mammals, the guinea pig is unable to produce this precious element on its own and must take it through food. If your furry friend suffers from a vitamin C deficiency, he may be unable to walk, limp or have little energy.
- An adverse reaction to antibiotics. This rodent is very sensitive to certain drugs, and penicillin-based ones, such as amoxicillin, are toxic to him. If your specimen exhibits an allergic reaction to antibiotics, it will likely suffer from diarrhea, loss of appetite, dehydration, or a drop in body temperature. Sometimes, the active ingredient in these drugs can be deadly to domestic guinea pigs.
Step 3. Get the correct instructions for providing care and treatments for your pet
The vet visits him, notes the symptoms and prescribes the appropriate medications for his disease; he can also advise you on some practices to put in place at home, to try to make your little friend feel more comfortable and help him heal.
Make sure he does not prescribe any oral penicillin medications, including ampicillin, lincomycin, clindamycin, vancomycin, erythromycin, tylosin, tetracycline and chlorotetracycline, as they can harm the guinea pig. The vet should prescribe antibiotics that are gentler on his body, which do not cause toxic effects
Part 2 of 3: Giving the Drugs to the Guinea Pig
Step 1. Use a syringe to give the rodent liquid medications
Medicines in this format are prescribed to treat respiratory diseases with bacterial etiology or for gastric disorders. If your vet has recommended a liquid formulation product to treat your little friend's condition, you should use a needle-free 1cc syringe to administer the therapy. Shake the medicine before transferring the correct dose indicated on the prescription into the syringe.
- Hold the domestic guinea pig on your lap, with its back resting on your chest; support her with your left hand, grabbing her by the abdomen and use your thumb and forefinger to hold her head and jaw just below her eyes. Keep a firm grip on the head so it can't shake it.
- Use your right hand to insert the nozzle of the syringe into the side of the rodent's mouth, just behind the incisors; move the syringe down and towards your back teeth until you feel some friction.
- Slowly press the plunger. Stop if the guinea pig stops chewing, as this movement indicates that it is swallowing the drug; move the syringe slightly until he starts chewing again and has swallowed all the medicine.
Step 2. Have him take the pills with a vascular clamp
The pet may need to take vitamin C pills if it is deficient. A vascular clamp is a forceps with a handle similar to that of scissors, which is used to compress blood vessels; you can find it in medical supply stores or online. The shape and size of this tool are perfect for administering the pills to the guinea pig as they fit into the space behind the molars.
Hold the small rodent as described for the syringe technique for administering liquid medications. Use the vascular clamp to insert the pill behind his molars, making sure he is chewing, that is, swallowing the medicine
Step 3. Administer fluids subcutaneously using a butterfly cannula needle
This therapy is often only prescribed if the animal is unable to take oral medications. Your vet can show you how to insert it and you will need to use it every time you need to give your guinea pig subcutaneous liquid medication.
Step 4. Place the pet on a table, making sure it has its back to you when you need to instill it with eye drops
You can give him eye drops by placing him on a table with his eyes away from you; afterwards, hold the bottle with the dropper in one hand above the guinea pig's head. Open his eye with one hand, while dropping the eye drops from above; in this way, you can be sure that the animal cannot see the dropper clearly and that it is not frightened when you try to give it the medicine.
Part 3 of 3: Giving Homemade Care
Step 1. Place the guinea pig on folded and flat towels
Although this pet often lives in the loose substrate inside the cage, folded towels can help you monitor its urine and feces production. in addition, the small rodent may feel more comfortable lying down and walking while sick.
Step 2. Keep it warm by wrapping it in thermal cloths
He may be shivering and suffering from the cold from the disease, so you can use these fabrics to soothe his muscle aches. Thermal cloths heat up when exposed to air and maintain the temperature for up to eight hours; make sure they are not too hot or do not wrap them too tightly around the animal.
- You can also cover a hot water bottle with a towel and place it on one end of the cage to provide some warmth.
- Guinea pigs with respiratory problems and digestive disorders should stay warm, in a clean environment and rest well during the recovery period.
Step 3. Monitor reaction to drug therapy
You should take note if symptoms worsen while taking the medications, especially if it is antibiotics. Many drugs of this type cause diarrhea and alter the intestinal flora of the small rodent. If you see any signs of a negative reaction to antibiotics, you should take your pet guinea pig to the vet right away.
Your doctor will likely stop antibiotic therapy and prescribe an alternative
Step 4. Hand feed him if the rodent has no appetite
If the disease causes him to lose appetite, you must offer him food with your hand to induce him to eat; many individuals also stop urinating or defecating due to malnutrition. It is essential for your little friend to feed and drink to heal.
- Adult animals should consume 6 g of dry food for every 100 g of body weight and 10 to 40 ml of water for every 100 g of weight. You should try to offer simple pelleted food softened in water with your hand, along with chopped parsley, vegetables and carrots. You can also enrich softened food with wheatgrass juice or natural cranberry juice to make it more palatable.
- To feed the pet with your hands, check that it is upright on a flat surface or that it is lying on its stomach; do not keep him supine, because there is a risk that he will suffocate. You can also put it in a small bag or wrap it in a cloth; it can be helpful to have your back to you.
- Hold some food in your hand and place it in front of the guinea pig's muzzle; Feed him slowly so that he has time to chew and swallow.
Step 5. Weigh it once a day
You should monitor his weight with a kitchen scale once or twice a day; in this way, you can understand if the feeding technique works and if the animal is gaining weight despite the disease.
You can use a chart to write down the values daily and see if your health is improving
Step 6. If he shows no signs of recovery, take the rodent to the vet
If symptoms do not subside despite medications and home care, you should go back to the doctor for other treatments.
