Diseases of guinea pigs: symptoms and treatment
The content of the article
- 1 What diseases guinea pigs exist
- 2 When and who to contact if a guinea pig fell ill
- 3 The most common disease of guinea pigs
- 4 Can people get infected by mumps
Guinea pigs have long captured the hearts of many. It is extremely difficult not to fall in love with these beauties, the more that breeds them there is a large number. You can pick up your peteven the most capricious lover rodents.
Live pigs on average 8-10 years old. But that’s how it will live animal in your home, in almost all cases, it depends on the conditions of detention, the right care. If the feed and care for rodent wrong, he will definitely get sick. How do I know that the guinea pig was ill and she needed help a vet?
What diseases guinea pigs exist
Pig diseases can be divided into 5 groups:
- The first group – a disease caused by malnutrition and content. The most common health problems.
- Genetic defects. They are recorded in those cases where the mating male and female, who are the bearers of “defective” gene. Often on the “wet markets” sold just such “defective” pigs, as sellers do not follow the line of purity, striving only for profit.
- Infectious diseases (bacteria, viruses, fungi). Fortunately, infectious disease in guinea pigs are registered does not happen very often, because the streets are rarely withdrawn, there is no contact with other animals. But do not relax and assume that once your pet is sitting in a cell for days, then nothing contagious and dangerous he is not sick.
- Parasitic diseases. As cutaneous and intestinal parasites can cause the guinea pig does not eat, became lethargic and sad, skinny. The appearance of the animal is not pleasing to the eye.
- Injury. Voles are small, fragile, thin bones, so rude and careless handling can result in serious injury. For example, if you leave the pig to run on the floor, you can accidentally step on it. Or rodent on your hands take a child who wants to cuddle, resulting in not specifically can break bones, strongly squeeze internal organs, or even dropping to the floor.
When and who to contact if a guinea pig fell ill
If you have a home toothy pet, the first thing you have to provide him with the right content and find a doctor. The veterinarian may not need you, but if something suddenly happens to your hissing beast, you’ll be ready and know what to do, where to call if the pig is not eating anything. So to whom do apply and when?
Not every vet will treat guinea pig. It is very difficult specialty. So look for a clinic with ratologom (called the vet for rodents).
But refer to it should be, and when you notice the symptoms of the disease in the animal, and when you want to make sure that overseas darling all right. What symptoms should alert the owner of the rodent
Some symptoms should immediately alert the owner of the rodent. Spotted them, you must immediately contact the veterinary clinic to a doctor ratologu that already by clinical diagnosis and prescribe treatment. It is not necessary to neglect a situation, hoped that he would recover the pet. The same applies to the treatment: Do not give yourself any medication. With such a small beast is a risk of exceeding the dosage is ten times or at all give what will kill a rodent.
Here are the symptoms of the animal should alert the person:
- loss of appetite or a marked deterioration in his (not eat anything);
- discharge from the eyes (tears, pus);
- sudden weight loss;
- hair loss, its sticking, there may be a superfluous disheveled (visibly, that animal is not healthy);
- skin covered ulcers, crusts, or as flakes (like dandruff);
- the curvature of the bone;
- staggering gait;
- lethargy, or rodent constantly lies, without opening his eyes;
- cough, constant sneezing, discharge from the nose;
- breathing problems (too frequent or, conversely, very rare, difficulty with wheezing);
- tremor, although the room is not cold, in pigs can be paralysis or, conversely, a spasm;
- presence of skin parasites.
Noting at least one of the above, immediately ask for help! No need to wait until all signs of “gather” at once or very small animal poploheet. Many drugs are lethal for guinea pigs, so the treatment can only be a veterinarian.
The most common disease of guinea pigs
- Most often in rodent recorded eye diseases. This conjunctivitis and cataracts (often the diabetic). In pigs often bone formation appears on the outer surface of the eye, which is called the limbus.
- Another disease that is registered in the overseas rodents – a pseudotuberculosis (sore bacterial etiology). When it on the affected organs / tissues formed nodules. When pseudotuberculosis loss of appetite in an animal (followed by depletion), diarrhea, even paralysis. animal treatment must take place exclusively in a hospital, not at home!
- Sometimes svinochek register paratyphoid, in which at pet appetite disappears (the animal does not eat anything), ruffles wool, dim eyes, there is diarrhea and lethargy. As soon as the owner will notice these symptoms, he should immediately make sure that zhivotinku vet examined. The physician will select the treatment prescribe antibiotics and a preparation which will destroy causative agent (so-called phages).
- If the animal becomes wet hair near the nostrils, there is coughing and sneezing, baby t nose paws, breathing with wheezing and difficult, it can be pasteurellosis (a person may also be a disease). What to do in this case? Immediately contact a veterinarian (alas, but will have to euthanize the animal, because the treatment is almost always no results)!
- Not only affects the respiratory system in the guinea pig, and the digestive system is often “fails.” It’s one thing if the problem is in the wrong feeding, in this case, to change the diet is sufficient. But diarrhea, vomiting and loss of appetite (pig does not eat anything, even the most favorite snacks) are associated with a much more serious illnesses (eg, infectious diseases).
- Rickets is registered and dogs, and guinea pig, and human. With a shortage of dietary calcium and vitamin D bones become soft, fragile, easily bent and broken. And if a rodent to feed properly, do not produce vitamin feeding, keep in a dark corner, then quickly Nibbler sick.
Can a person be infected by mumps
Maybe, but not all the problems. Although the list of ills, that a person can become infected by a pig, is not small. Here and parasitic, and viral and bacterial, and fungal diseases.
- Parasitic. The man most often infected with strongyloidiasis, giardiasis (caused by protozoa).
- Bacterial. Tuberculosis, brucellosis, leptospirosis, listeriosis, salmonellosis. As you can see a list of ills is not small, so people should always be on guard. Once pigs appeared suspicious symptoms immediately to the vet, not delaying the visit even for an hour!
- Fungal. Trihofitia mikrosporiya or, in common herpes. Not so easy then it will bring the fungus for a long time the animal remains sporonositelem (even if not sick self). And all this time people will be in danger.
- Viral. Influenza is transmitted as from animal to person, and vice versa. Treatment should be initiated immediately, and choose drugs should only be a veterinarian.