Guinea Pig Husbandry & Diseases Flashcards

1
Q

What order and suborder are guinea pigs a part of?

A

order: rodentia
suborder: hystrichomorpha

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2
Q

T/F: guinea pigs come in many breeds similar to dogs.

A

true
common ones: american/english, abyssian, peruvian, hairless

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3
Q

T/F: guinea pigs do not have premolars

A

false – they do!
they have prominent incisors and premolars.

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4
Q

Why are oral exams difficult to do on guinea pigs?

A

their mouths do not open very wide

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5
Q

T/F: the guinea pigs cecum is 34% of its GI tract capacity

A

false – 65%

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6
Q

What is the BEST way to restrain a guinea pig?

A

DO NOT scruff them
support their chest and rear end.

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7
Q

What is the lifespan of a guinea pig?

A

5-7 years

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8
Q

What is unique about guinea pig urine?

A

they pee a lot and their urine is normally thick, cloudy, and has a pH of 9. This means that it is caustic and can degrade surfaces!

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9
Q

T/F: guinea pigs are adaptable to change

A

false – they do not like change. They establish rigid habits early on. This is why it is recommended to introduce new foods/things regularly during their early life.

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10
Q

What is the diet of guinea pigs?

A

herbivores!
They are very resistant to changes in their food though, so establish them early in life.

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11
Q

What vitamin/mineral is required to be supplemented in the guinea pigs diet?

A

Vitamin C – can be included in their food, supplemented via leafy greens, or added to their water.

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12
Q

what type of housing is MOST appropriate for guinea pigs?

A

solid bottoms/floors, NO WIRE!
bedding should be newspaper, shredded paper, non-pine wood shaving, corn cobs, or straw.

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13
Q

Which bedding types are NOT appropriate for guinea pigs?

A

cedar
sawdust
pine

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14
Q

How do you sex guinea pigs and at what age are you able to?

A

You are able to sex them immediately after birth.
You sex them by applying digital pressure to extrude a male’s penis and see a straight opening OR the female will have a “Y” shaped opening.

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15
Q

What is a vaginal closure membrane and when does it open for hystrichomorphs?

A

its a membrane that opens during estrus and closes. It will reopen during parturition or next estrus. It remains closed anytime in between.

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16
Q

Why should guinea pigs be bred and deliver their first litter prior to 6-8 months of age (at their first estrus)?

A

If not, they will experience permanent fusion of their pubic symphisis and this will result in future dystocias requiring c-section for birth.

17
Q

At what age are guinea pigs weaned?

A

They are born precocious. They wean at 21 days on avg. Note that they will immediately be ready to breed once weaned, so difference sexes need to be separated ASAP.

18
Q

What does it mean for a hystrichomorph to be ‘precocious’?

A

born with:
eyes open
ears open
have teeth
have full hair coat
eat solid food within hours after birth

19
Q

T/F: kurloff cells are mononuclear leukocytes with oval inclusion bodies that represent tick-borne illness in guinea pigs

A

false – they are normal cells.

20
Q

What are the 2 MOST common etiologies of respiratory disease in guinea pigs?

A
  1. bordetella bronchiseptica
  2. streptococcus pneumonia
21
Q

What is the typical tx for respiratory disease in guinea pigs?

A

its typically bacterial in young, stressed animals, so enrofloxacin is a safe antibiotic to use for tx. However, relying on culture is better.

22
Q

What is scurvy?

A

Vitamin C deficiency which causes impaired collagen synthesis and leads to a plethora of problems (resp dz, malocclusion, diarrhea, pododermatitis, etc.)

23
Q

T/F: if you have one guinea pig, its a smart idea to stock up on a 90 lb bag of food that way you dont have to keep going to the store for more (:

A

false – the vitamin C in this food will degrade within 90 days of purchase.

24
Q

What organism is associated with antibiotic-associated enterotoxemia in guinea pigs?

A

Clostridium difficule (a normal inhabitant of the GI tract, but proliferates and colonizes when Abs kill of resident GI flora)

25
Q

which antibiotics commonly cause antibiotic-associated enterotoxemia?

A
  1. penicillin
  2. streptomycin
  3. chlortetracycline
  4. clindamycin
  5. erythromycin
  6. lincomycin
26
Q

how can you treat a guinea pig with antibiotic-associated enterotoxemia?

A

Restablish their GI flora – give lactobacillus, transfaunate, give fluids, food.
Suppress clostridial overgrowth with SAFE antibitoics (TMS, chloramphenicol, or enro)

27
Q

What should you tell clients if you suspect their guinea pig has salmonellosis?

A

this is a zoonotic disease and hte guinea pigs should either not be handled until well again OR extra careful hygiene should take place.

28
Q

what is the tx for salmonellosis in guineas?

A

supportive care and Abs (enro)

29
Q

How do you dg and tx urinary calculi in guineas?

A

radiographs
retrograde flushing or surgical removal

30
Q

A 6 yo female guinea pig presents to your clinic with bilaterally symmetrical alopecia and abdominal distention. The owners report that she has not eaten today. What is your presumptive diagnosis and how would you definitively diagnose and tx this condition?

A

presumptive: ovarian cysts
def dg: ultrasound/xray
tx: OHE

31
Q

How can you avoid guinea pigs developing pregnancy toxemia?

A

avoid obesity (>500g)
avoid stress during pregnancy
avoid fasting during pregnancy

32
Q

What is the cause of cervical lymphadenitis in guineas?

A

Streptococcus zooepidemicus (ZOONOTIC)

33
Q

How do you treat cervical lymphadenitis in guineas?

A

lance and flush + add/leave in drain.

prescribe systemic antibiotics + transfauntate/give lactobacillus

34
Q

T/F: guinea pigs are prone to pododermatitis

A

true – use solid bottom surfaces instead of wires.