Guinea Pig Flashcards
What is the suborder of the guinea pig?
Hystricomorpha
Complete the sentence for the suborder hystricomorpha:
- (Shorter/Longer) gestation periods
- Produce (precocial/altricial) offspring at birth
- Cellular membrane closed over vaginal opening during (estrus/diestrus) and parturition.
- Longer gestation periods
- Produces precocial offspring at birth
- Cellular membrane closed over vaginal opening during estrus and parturition
What are the three main biomedical research uses of guinea pigs.
Pregnancy toxemia/ketoacidosis
Scurvey
Tuberculosis
(T/F) Guinea pigs have predominant incisor teeth, no tails, 4 digits in both front and hind legs, and their mouths do not open wide.
False - everything is true except they have 4 digits on the front feet and 3 on the hind feet
Why do guinea pigs not do well with systemic antibiotic administration.
Large cecum present (with taeniae)
It is 65% of total GI tract capacity
What do both sexes in guinea pigs have that is different than other species?
Inguinal mammae
(Male only has the os penis with two styles)
(T/F) It is fine to scruff the neck of a chinchilla and support the rear quarters.
False - Should not scruff the neck
Proper handling: Support chest and rear quarters
How long do guinea pigs live for?
5-7 years
What is different of the urine in guinea pigs than other species?
Normally thick and cloudy, pH alkaline
(will eat away at metal cages cause it is caustic)
In comparison - they do not pee a lot
Guinea pigs will (run/freeze) with loud sounds and (run/freeze) with motion.
Freeze - loud sounds
Run - Motion
(T/F) Guinea pigs HATE diet changes and just changes in general
True
Guinea pigs are strictly ____ when it comes to their nutrition.
Herbivores
(T/F) Guinea pigs do not partake in coprophagy practices.
False - they do
What vitamin do guinea pigs require in their daily intake because they cannot make it?
Vitamin C
If the cages have wires in guinea pigs what can this lead to?
Pododermatitis and finger injury
What is unacceptable bedding for guinea pigs?
Cedar and saw dust
How do you sex guinea pigs?
Females: Y shape opening
Males: Might be able to extrude penis
Why do guinea pigs have to be bred and deliver their first litter before 6-8 months of age?
Permanent fusion of pubic symphysis
What age should guinea pigs should be weaned?
3 weeks
Which two locations would you take blood collection for guinea pigs?
Lateral saphenous/Cephalic vein
Jugular vein
What are the differences between rats/mice and guinea pigs on hematology results?
Lower RBC
Lower hemoglobin
Variable amount of erythrocytes
If you do a smear of a guinea pig blood what is a different cell they have that might confuse the tech?
Kurloff cells - Mononuclear leukocyte with oval inclusion bodies
What main bacteria can cause respiratory disease in guinea pigs?
Bordetella bronchiseptica
(can also have strep. pneumonia)
What clinical sign can Strep pneumonia can cause apart from resp disease in guinea pigs?
Abortion
What deficiency do guinea pigs have to have to get scurvy (Ricketts)?
Vitamin C deficiency
Who are the ones that get clinical signs of scurvy? (guinea pigs)
Young (2 week old) guinea pigs
In what disease do guinea pigs get rosary bead disease (multiple bumps along costochondral junction ribs)?
Scurvy
Who (what population) needs more vitamin C to not get scurvy in guinea pigs?
Pregnant females need 3x more Vit C
What bacteria is associated with antibiotic associated enterotoxemia in guinea pigs?
Clostridium difficile
What are the two treatments of antibiotic associated enterotoxemia in guinea pigs?
Re-establish normal GI flora:
Lactobacillus
Transfaunation
Why is it important to know if a guinea pig has salmonellosis?
Zoonotic and they can be asymptomatic carriers
What are the two urogenital diseases of guinea pigs?
Urinary calculi and ovarian cyst
In an ovarian cysts in guinea pigs have a specific clinical sign that you can see when they come in to the clinic, what is it?
Bilateral symmetrical alopecia
Gotta do an OHE to treat
What is the difference between type 1 and 2 of pregnancy toxemia in guinea pigs?
Type 1: Pre-eclampsia/circulatory form
Happens in multiparous, obese and under stress
Type 2: Fasting ketosis/metabolic or nutritional form
Fasting resulting in hypoglycemia/lipid metabolism
Last trimester/obese
What is the organism in guinea pigs that causes cervical lymphadenitis?
Strep zooepidemicus
What does cervical lymphadenitis cause and how is it treated in guinea pigs?
SQ cervical masses which yield yellow/white exudate and they might have no other signs.
Lance/flush surgical excision and systemic antibiotics
(T/F) Cervical lymphadenitis is zoonotic.
True
