Info about Pigs
Guinea Pig Ailments
Though not particularly prone to illnesses you do need to watch pet guinea pigs closely for signs that they may be ill. Guinea pigs hide any ailments well. This is a habit that evolved to help the survival of the species. Any guinea pig which appeared ill or slow would be easy prey for predators and so they learnt to hide problems so that they wouldn’t be preyed upon. Unfortunately this means that by the time you notice that your pig is ill it may be quite serious and so vigilance is of the utmost importance. A good
pet grooming guide will give you advice and tips on how to care for your animal.
Start by checking your guinea pig cage. Is the food bowl emptying as usual? If not then your guinea pig needs to be taken to a vets straight away as not eating can cause a guinea pig’s health to decline rapidly. Diarrhoea is generally the result of a bacterial infection and may need antibiotics. Blood in the urine is very serious as it can be caused by problems with the liver, kidneys or urinary tract.
While pet grooming your guinea pig, inspect it carefully for other signs of illness. Crusty eyes and a runny nose may be caused by a respiratory infection or an allergy. Sometimes guinea pig bedding can cause allergies and so if you have recently changed your type or make of bedding you may want to try changing it first. If you are using hay for your bedding then make sure that it is one that doesn’t have seeds in it, as these can cause real irritation to your pig’s eyes.
Good
guinea pig care must include nail clipping as if you leave the nails to grow too long then they can cause damage to their feet when they curl round and cut into the soles.
If your guinea pig is itching or has developed bald patches then he may have contracted parasitic mange caused by mites. This cannot be caught by humans but is highly contagious between animals. The treatment for this is a course of injections, which will need to be administered by your vet.