Sick Piggie

Cavies are suceptible to many diseases from repiratory infections to cancer. The most common however are respiratory infections, malocclusion (not really a disease), urinary tract infections, and abcesses.
REMEMBER! I am not a vet and all I can offer you here is my general knowledge and experience. Only a licensed CAVY vet can correctly diagnose a problem in your guinea pig. If you think they are sick, take them to the vet NOW. Do not rely solely on the Internet to diagnose your guinea pig. You may be too late if you do.

Respiratory infections: These are very frequent in cavies--in fact my Coco had one in the summer of '01. It is basically like a cold or strep throat, however in cavies it can be deadly. It is usually recognized by lethargy, runny nose or eyes, labored/sniffly breathing, coughing, and sneezing. If a cavy is kept in a drafty area, it is more likely to get sick. Vitamin C helps keep cavy's immune systems strong so a cavy should get MORE vitamin C while sick. Cavies can catch colds as well as strep throat, pnemonia, and bronchitis from humans as well. So if you're sick, please be careful around your cavies. Respiratory infections are treated with antibiotics but be careful which ones you use. (See Antibiotics below)

Urinary tract infections: Diets too high in calcium can cause stones to form in your cavy's bladder or just cause discomfort while peeing. You can recognize this by watching your piggy 'go.' If they seem to be in a lot of pain, squeak, or have blood in their urine, they may have a urinary tract infection. You should take them to the vet for a proper diagnosis. To prevent these, don't give your cavies salt or mineral licks--they don't need them and don't give them too many foods that are high in calcium (spinach, parsley, clover, etc.).

Malocclusion: Although not a disease, many cavies suffer from malocclusion. Malocclusion is when their teeth grow too long and they no longer have the proper bite. They can't eat and are generally uncomfortable. This problem can easily be prevented by giving your cavy many things to chew on to wear down their teeth. It is easy to see if your cavy's front teeth are the proper length just by looking in their mouths. However, only a vet can see if the molars are overgrown.

Abcesses: These are puss-filled sacs that may occur anywhere on the cavy's body. Only a vet can properly tell the difference between an abcess and a tumor. Abcesses are easily treated by removing the puss from the sac and antibiotics (see Antibiotics below). Tumors, however, are not as easily treated.

Antibiotics: Never give your cavy any penicillin-based drugs--it will kill them. A proper cavy vet will know what drugs are safe for your cavy. If you're not sure, search online and get a list of what drugs are safe so that when one is prescribed, you will know if it's safe. (That's what I did). Coco was on Baytril and it's probably the most common antibiotic used on cavies (however it shouldn't be used on young pigs). For a more complete/informative list and how to pick a cavy vet, click here. This also shows a way to syringe-feed/administer medicine to a cavy. (Two ways I have used to syringe-feed/medicate) While your cavy is on antibiotics, you will want to supplement them with good bacteria during the course of their treatment. Yogurt with active cultures is one way to do so.

If you think your cavy may be sick, does he/she display any of these symptoms:
--runny nose
--clouded eyes
--discharge from eyes (an occasional white discharge is normal)
--lathargic
--sitting in the corner with their fur puffed up
--not eating *** major warning sign
--sneezing or coughing
If they display any of these symptoms, get them to the vet now!

I am not a vet so please don't email me asking questions about your sick cavy. I am sorry, I cannot offer you more information than what is on this page. The best of luck to you both.