Guinea Pig Husbandry & Diseases

Question 1

What order and suborder are guinea pigs a part of?

Answer 1

order: rodentia
suborder: hystrichomorpha

Question 2

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

Answer 2

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

Question 3

T/F: guinea pigs do not have premolars

Answer 3

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

Question 4

Why are oral exams difficult to do on guinea pigs?

Answer 4

their mouths do not open very wide

Question 5

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

Answer 5

false – 65%

Question 6

What is the BEST way to restrain a guinea pig?

Answer 6

DO NOT scruff them
support their chest and rear end.

Question 7

What is the lifespan of a guinea pig?

Answer 7

5-7 years

Question 8

What is unique about guinea pig urine?

Answer 8

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!

Question 9

T/F: guinea pigs are adaptable to change

Answer 9

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.

Question 10

What is the diet of guinea pigs?

Answer 10

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

Question 11

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

Answer 11

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

Question 12

what type of housing is MOST appropriate for guinea pigs?

Answer 12

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

Question 13

Which bedding types are NOT appropriate for guinea pigs?

Answer 13

cedar
sawdust
pine

Question 14

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

Answer 14

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.

Question 15

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

Answer 15

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

Question 16

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

Answer 16

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

Question 17

At what age are guinea pigs weaned?

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

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

Answer 18

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

Question 19

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

Answer 19

false – they are normal cells.

Question 20

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

Answer 20

1. bordetella bronchiseptica
2. streptococcus pneumonia

Question 21

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

Answer 21

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

Question 22

What is scurvy?

Answer 22

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

Question 23

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 (:

Answer 23

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

Question 24

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

Answer 24

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

Question 25

which antibiotics commonly cause antibiotic-associated enterotoxemia?

Answer 25

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

Question 26

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

Answer 26

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

Question 27

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

Answer 27

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

Question 28

what is the tx for salmonellosis in guineas?

Answer 28

supportive care and Abs (enro)

Question 29

How do you dg and tx urinary calculi in guineas?

Answer 29

radiographs
retrograde flushing or surgical removal

Question 30

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?

Answer 30

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

Question 31

How can you avoid guinea pigs developing pregnancy toxemia?

Answer 31

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

Question 32

What is the cause of cervical lymphadenitis in guineas?

Answer 32

Streptococcus zooepidemicus (ZOONOTIC)

Question 33

How do you treat cervical lymphadenitis in guineas?

Answer 33

lance and flush + add/leave in drain.

prescribe systemic antibiotics + transfauntate/give lactobacillus

Question 34

T/F: guinea pigs are prone to pododermatitis

Answer 34

true – use solid bottom surfaces instead of wires.