Guinea Pigs

Question 1

Guinea pigs belong to the class Mammalia, order____ and family ___

Answer 1

Order rodentia

Family caviidae

Question 2

True or false

Guinea pig incisors and molars grow continuously through life

Answer 2

True

Question 3

Why do Guinea pigs require a dietary source of Vitamin C, what can they get if they do not have this source?

Answer 3

Because they cannot synthesize their own (like humans)

Can lead to Scurvy

Question 4

What do Guinea pigs have in the area if their dorsal tail (no actual tail)

Answer 4

A sebaceous gland

Question 5

True or false

Like rabbits, Guinea pigs produce and ingest cecotrophs

Answer 5

True

Question 6

When is the best time to breed Guinea pigs, why?

Answer 6

Best done before 6 months of age

Their pubic symphysis closes at 6-9 months of age and can cause dystocia

Question 7

What is a Guinea pigs gestation period

Answer 7

59-72 days

Question 8

What is a Guinea pigs life span

Answer 8

5-6 years

Question 9

What are some common disease or problems seen in Guinea pigs

Answer 9

Scurvy 
Antibiotic associated enterotoxemia 
Dental malocclusions 
Bloat 
Cystic ovaries

Question 10

Describe scurvy in Guinea pigs

Answer 10

Vitamin C deficiency

Guinea pigs require 15-25 mg/kg/day (up to 50-100 mg/kg/day if treating the deficiency) (can’t over dose on Vit C -it is water soluble and will get excreted by kidneys)

Leads to defective collagen in the body causing bleeding into the joints and SG and loss of teeth

Supplement diet with human grade vitamin C tablets (cheap and have higher doses)

Question 11

What is antibiotic associated enterotoxemia in Guinea pigs

Answer 11

Same as seen in rabbits, they have sensitivities to oral medications as well

From clostridia overgrowth (clostridium dificile) (produces a toxin)

Severe watery often hemorrhagic diarrhea

Can be fatal

Treat with metronidazole if caught early

Question 12

Describe common dental problems seen in Guinea pigs

Answer 12

Same as rabbits

Teeth grow continuously, if not worn down they over grow and can cause ulcerations/laceration in the mouth and anorexia due to reluctance to eat (can lead to GI stasis)

May have a genetic component

Upper cheek teeth may grow laterally, lower cheek teeth may grow medically (uneven wear results in sharp edges of the teeth and cause damage to the mouth -like seen in horses)

Question 13

Describe GI bloat in Guinea pigs

Answer 13

Usually due to a diet change

Diagnosis: can see gas in radiographs and feel on palpation

Treatment: pain meds, force feeding, fluids

Prognosis: guarded to poor

Question 14

What are cystic ovaries in Guinea pigs

Answer 14

Very common (>75% of females between 1.5-5yo)

Signs: abdominal distension, possibly bilateral alopecia

Diagnosis: ultrasound

Treatment: ultrasound guided drainage or surgical ovariohysterectomy

Question 15

Why do most diseases seen in Guinea pigs have a guarded to poor prognosis

Answer 15

They die very easily

Question 16

Describe housing husbandry for Guinea pigs

Answer 16

Simple housing (no elaborate platform, ramps or wire flooring)

Should be minimum 36 in or 3 feet long

Need at least one hiding area/box

Using wire siding for good ventilation, easy cleaning and protection from other pets (no aquariums due to ammonia and nitrogen accumulation that will cause respiratory disease)

Substrate: newspaper or aspen shavings (no cedar or pine shavings -will irritate the lungs)

Use food hopper and supper bottle

Urinate and defecate without preference so bowls will get dirty

Question 17

What’s important to know about guinea pigs water needs

Answer 17

Need large amounts of water

Dehydrate easily and quickly so monitor water bottle

Drink with mouth fulls of food so check for dirty or blocked bottles often

Question 18

Describe handling and restraint of Guinea pigs

Answer 18

Easy to handle and enjoy interactions/handling (not common biters but they are very vocal)

Fully support then when lifting/holding or they will struggle (one hand under throat and one under hind end and hold close to your body)

Never scruff (scary and painful)

Have very poor eyesight and depth perception be careful on high surfaces

Use towels to wrap and make surfaces less slippery

Question 19

Describe blood collection in Guinea pigs

Answer 19

Small fragile blood vessels (easily collapsed-worse than rabbits)

Small volumes: lateral saphenous and cephalic

Larger volume: jugular and cranial vena cava (requires sedation)

Use insulin or tuberculin syringes

Question 20

Describe fluid therapy in Guinea pigs

Answer 20

IV catheters are very difficult (use IO into greater tubercle of the femur)

SQ fluids are more painful than in other species due to fat pad between scapulae and little SQ space -will vocalize

50-100ml/kg/day

Monitor for over hydration

Isotonic fluids most commonly used

Question 21

Describe general anesthesia in guinea pigs

Answer 21

Difficult to intubate (small and long/narrow oral cavity) easiest to mask down

Once in proper GA plane need to swab out oral cavity

Question 22

Why should you only fast a Guinea pig for 2-4 hours prior to surgery

Answer 22

Prone to GI upset/stasis, blood sugar issues

Fasting for these guys is normally just to get food out of the oral cavity

Question 23

Why should you decrease intubation time and handling in order to reduce stress

Answer 23

Stress can cause catastrophic results and even death

Question 24

What should be used with radiography in Guinea pigs

Answer 24

Sedation and positioning aids