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Nursing, pregnant or baby guinea pigs (under two months old) should never have a bath.
You can teach your child to bathe the guinea pig and allow them to do it on their own, provided that you are always very close and watching what they do.
Chapter 10 – Guinea Pigs & Health Problems
Cavies who become sick or injured usually go from bad to worse in a matter of hours. Having the phone number and address on hand of a small animal or “exotic” veterinarian can mean the difference between life and death for your guinea pig.
An animal that lives as long as a guinea pig does needs to receive good medical care to keep it a happy member of your family for a long time. Waiting until after your pet has become to sick to find a vet can end up costing you precious time.
Even though a guinea pig does not require shots once a year like a cat or dog, they still need a regular yearly check-up with a vet who knows how to care for cavies. Also, right after bringing your new pet home, a through check-up will ensure that she is not pregnant or bringing any illness into the home.
Not all vets know how to take care of a guinea pig. For instance, penicillin-based drugs are toxic to a cavy. Does your vet have experience diagnosing and treating guinea pigs? If not, ask them if they know of a vet who does. You can also check your yellow pages or search for a guinea pig vet on the Internet. Type in, “Small animal vet” into a search engine or go to an online vet finder such as
http://www.aracnet.com/cgi-usr/seagull/vetfinder.cgi
As you may be learning for the first time, caring for a cavy is a fine art. One important skill you will need is the ability to spot signs of illness. In the wild, predators pick off sick guinea pigs. As a result, they have learned to hide the fact that they are sick. You will have to use your detective skills or by the time you realize that the animal is ill, it may be too late.
Here are signs to watch for:
1) Loss of appetite
No food intake for twenty-four hours or less, depending on other symptoms. Check your guinea pig’s teeth. Are they so long that she has stopped eating? If they are, or you suspect something else is wrong, call your vet immediately.
Guinea Pigs Previous Page (30)
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