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Health And Wellness
How To Conduct A Cavy (Guinea Pig) Health Check
Tara Hess
Cavies like Donald mask signs of illness, so regular health checks are imperative! Photo: Leilani Farm Sanctuary
This resource was updated as part of the veterinary review process. It was originally published on April 14, 2021.
Veterinary Review Initiative This resource has been reviewed for accuracy and clarity by a qualified Doctor of Veterinary Medicine with farmed animal sanctuaryAn animal sanctuary that primarily cares for rescued animals that were farmed by humans. experience as of December 2023. Check out more information on our Veterinary Review Initiative here!
Cavy? Wondering why we are using the term ‘cavy’ instead of ‘guinea pig’ throughout this resource? Check out our explanation here.
Much like the common advice given to humans, it’s important to regularly evaluate the health of cavies with a routine health checkThe Open Sanctuary Project uses the term "health check" to describe health evaluations performed by caregivers who are not licensed veterinarians. While regular health checks are an important part of animal care, they are not meant to be a replacement for a physical exam performed by a licensed veterinarian. rather than waiting until a cavy is showing signs of distress or illness. Conducting regular health checks will help you get to know what all aspects of a healthy cavy look and feel like and will also help you to establish a baseline for what is “normal” for each individual in your care. Not only this, but regular handling may help residents become more comfortable with restraint and human handling. Be prepared to check cavies over at least every six to eight weeks*! Cavies who spend time outdoors during fly season will need more regular checks to prevent dangerous issues like fly strike. For more information on why regular health checks are important, check out our resource here.
*A Health Check Every Six to Eight Weeks Means Daily Observation Our recommendation to conduct routine health checks every six to eight weeks must be done in conjunction with daily observations. Caregivers should be trained to observe residents both for behaviors that are abnormal for the species and also for behaviors that are abnormal for each individual, keeping in mind issues that are common in a particular species and their warning signs. Thoughtful observation plays a crucial role in catching health issues before they progress into more serious situations. While this is true for all species, it is particularly true for cavies because many health conditions can result in them progressing very quickly from seemingly okay to critically ill. You can read more about daily observation for cavy health and well-being here.
Residents With Challenging Backgrounds Close daily observation can be difficult with certain individuals or groups who come from challenging backgrounds. They may be more likely to hide signs of illness or injury or, depending on their setup, may not allow you to come close enough to them to thoroughly assess their well-being on a regular basis. Challenging backgrounds may include individuals who are not socialized, have lived feral, or were abused or malnourished. If you care for individuals who come from a challenging background, it is imperative to make time to foster a bond of trust so careful observation is possible. Adjusting the frequency of health checks may be necessary for these individuals until they exhibit signs that they feel safe and you are confident that close daily observation is possible.
New Resident? Conduct An Intake Evaluation! If you are conducting an initial health evaluation on a new resident, check out our intake evaluation resource to learn about what you should check for and document!
Supplies
Before conducting a health check, it’s helpful to gather any supplies you may need and have them arranged nearby for easy access. Having everything you will likely need nearby can make the process go more smoothly and can reduce the amount of time the individual needs to be restrained. If you are performing a health check on someone with additional care needs, such as a resident with an overactive grease gland, you may need other supplies, like those to bathe and dry them. Otherwise, supplies to have on hand during cavy health checks include:
Recordkeeping supplies
Nail trimmers (such as small dog or cat nail trimmers or human nail clippers)
Styptic powder or other blood stop product
Gauze squares (non-sterile is typically fine, but there may be times when sterile gauze is necessary)
Exam gloves
Cavy-safe topical disinfectant (such as dilute chlorhexidine gluconate or dilute betadine)
Saline flush
Cavy-safe ointments or creams such as silver sulfadiazine cream 1% (SSD)
Cotton-tipped applicators
Mineral oil or olive oil
Tweezers
Scale
Headlamp, penlight, or flashlight
Washcloths and/or towels
Brush
Cavy-safe fly deterrent (during fly season)
Conducting The Health Check
Ask An Expert Prior to regularly conducting cavy health checks, you should have a veterinarian or compassionate care expert give you hands-on training in order to be the best cavy health advocate possible. Being trained to rapidly distinguish abnormalities from normal anatomy and healthy conditions can be crucial in early health problem detection, and the sooner you are able to bring concerns to your veterinarian, the sooner they’ll be able to work towards making a diagnosis and recommending any necessary interventions!
When In Doubt… Unless you are a qualified veterinarian or have been trained to handle specific conditions, The Open Sanctuary Project strongly advocates that you promptly report any concerns you find during the course of a health check to your veterinarian (if you aren’t sure if what you are seeing is cause for concern or not, a more experienced caregiverSomeone who provides daily care, specifically for animal residents at an animal sanctuary, shelter, or rescue. may be able to help you, but if you are ever in doubt, we recommend erring on the side of caution and reaching out to your veterinarian). You should be the resident’s advocate, not their doctor! Additionally, routine health checks performed by a caregiver are not meant to be a replacement for a veterinary exam. The goal is to catch potential signs of concern as early as possible so you can bring concerns to your veterinarian. If necessary, they can then perform a more in-depth physical examination of the individual and can conduct diagnostic testing as needed.
Before beginning the actual health check, it’s a good idea to observe the individual without restraining them. Take note of their behavior, activity level, breathing, general appearance, how they are standing, and how they are moving. You can read more about “normal” versus potentially concerning cavy resident observations here.
During regularly scheduled health checks, your goal is to check the cavy’s whole body in a systematic order. It’s helpful to have a general order and routine that you follow each time because this can help ensure you do not miss a step. We recommend finding a system and order that works for you.
Up next, we’ll go over important components of a cavy health check:
Check Their Head And Neck
Certain areas of the head require a closer look and are discussed in detail below, but you can start by checking their head for any sign of asymmetry, facial swelling, head tilt, or frequent head shaking. Then, feel around their neck and under their jaw for any lumps.
Check Their Ears
A cavy’s pinnaeThe visible part of the outer ear (plural) (external part of the ears) are naturally hairless. The inside of their ears should be clean (though a small amount of waxy build-up may not be cause for concern), and the skin should not be oily or flaky. If they have dirty ears or have a build-up of earwax, you can use a cotton-tipped applicator with a drop of mineral or olive oil to gently clean them (donot put the cotton-tipped applicator into the ear canal). If ears are excessively waxy, have an odor, or have a reddish-brown crust inside of them, contact your veterinarian.
Check Their Eyes
Their eyes should be bright and clear. A small amount of white discharge while grooming can be normal, but they should not have any other discharge or crustiness. Eyes should not be dull, sunken, bulgy, squinty, or cloudy. If one eye is cloudy, squinty, and runny, or if they are holding it shut, they may have a piece of hay stuck in their eye which will need to be removed. Gently pull back their eyelids to thoroughly check for a piece of hay. In many cases, once the hay is removed, the issue will resolve, but you should ask your veterinarian about using an antibiotic eye ointment and should have the individual evaluated if the issue does not resolve. Cavies have a rudimentary nictitating membranea thin membrane found in many vertebrates at the inner angle or beneath the lower lid of the eye and capable of extending across the eyeball, but this should not be visible in healthy cavies. Eye issues should be evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Check Their Nose
Their nose should be dry and should not have any discharge or crustiness. Their breathing should be quiet.
Check Their Mouth And Teeth
Check their lips for any swelling or sores, and check under their mouth for wetness from drooling, which could be a sign of a dental issue. While a full dental exam is beyond the scope of a caregiver-performed health check and should be reserved for your veterinarian, during the health check, you can carefully check the front incisors for signs of overgrowth or breakage, as well as any food matter that may be stuck here. Gently lift their upper lip so that you can see the gum above the top incisors, and then do the same with the lower lip. If you notice an abnormal odor coming from their mouth, this could be a sign of a dental issue or infection. Bring any concerns, including overgrown incisors, to your veterinarian’s attention (keep in mind that as rodents, their front incisors are supposed to be long). While there are some exceptions, generally, a cavy on an appropriate diet will not need to have their teeth trimmed, so if overgrowth is an issue, be sure to discuss possible causes with your veterinarian. Trimming of teeth should only be done by a veterinarian.
Check Their Feet And Nails
Check their feet for any redness, flakiness, heat, swelling, or scabs, which could be a sign of pododermatitis (bumblefoot). Be sure to contact your veterinarian if these signs are seen. The prognosis is much better when caught and addressed early! Some individuals may develop tough flaps of skin on their foot pads – these are often called spurs. This tough flap of skin can be trimmed, but you must be careful not to trim down to soft, delicate skin. Trimming spurs helps prevent this skin from being torn, which could damage the foot pad and make them vulnerable to infection.
Ensure that the cavy’s nails are a reasonable length, trimming them as needed (usually at least every 6 weeks). Cavies have four nails on their front feet and three on their back, though some individuals may be polydactyl. Trimming a cavy’s nails is very similar to trimming a cat’s or dog’s nails. Like cats and dogs, cavies also have a sensitive area made of soft tissue in the center of their nail known as the quick. Cutting the quick by accident can be painful, bloody, and understandably stressful to the individual, so it’s important to be very mindful about how much you trim. In cavies with dark nails, the quick may be more difficult to identify, but shining a light underneath the nail can help illuminate the quick.
If you accidentally draw blood, you can use a styptic pencil, styptic powder (such as Quick Stop), or cornstarch to stop the bleeding. Lacking these tools, you can also use a piece of toilet paper or cotton ball as if you’d nicked yourself shaving! If the bleeding doesn’t stop, you can use the tip of your finger to apply pressure for up to a minute, repeating until any bleeding stops.
Check Their Legs And Joints
Feel their legs and leg joints for any inflammation, swelling, or sensitivity.
Check Their Underside
Feel their abdomen for any unusual lumps or other abnormalities, and look at them from above for any signs of abdominal distension. Check their nipples for thickened and/or discolored skin, crusts, swelling, or lumps. In some cases, if an individual has a stone in their urethra (urinary calculi), you may be able to feel it in the area above their genitals. If you suspect one of your residents has a stone, be sure to contact your veterinarian immediately.
Male cavies, especially individuals who are older and unneutered, need a bit of extra attention paid to their penis and perineal sac. Properly checking and cleaning this area is something that should be shown to you – not because it’s necessarily difficult, but because of the importance of being thorough while being gentle and because proper restraint during the procedure is imperative. We recommend asking your veterinarian or a cavy care expert to demonstrate this procedure and talk you through doing it yourself, but if that’s not possible, there are numerous “boar cleaning” videos available online.
To check their penis, hold the cavy in a vertical position with their back supported and against your body, and apply gentle pressure to the area just above the genitals to get the penis to extend. The penis should be clean – any excessive smegma (which is typically a white creamy substance but can also harden into a solid mass), as well as any hair, hay, or other debris, should be very gently removed using a moistened cotton swab or washcloth. Gentle pressure applied to the sides of the penis will extend the penile stiles (which look like little prongs). If any bedding, hay, or hardened semen (also called “sperm rods” because it can harden into a rod shape that may protrude out of the penis) is built up in the urethra, this will be apparent during this part of the health check and should be gently removed.
Next, check the perineal sac (sometimes called the anal sac), which is located between the scrotal pouches. In older unneutered males, this pocket often becomes full of smegma, poop, and debris. This build-up is referred to as an impaction. To check this area, gently open the pocket just below the penis. If there is material present, you may be able to express it with gentle pressure, or you can use a cotton-tipped applicator and a little mineral oil to gently remove the contents. If you are struggling with thoroughly checking your male residents, be sure to work with your veterinarian or an experienced cavy care expert to learn the proper technique.
Check Their Grease Gland
Cavies have a small gland at the base of their spine (just above the anus) that produces oily secretions. Some individuals have very active grease glands (males tend to have more active grease glands than females). If the hair in this area becomes sticky, it will need to be gently cleaned with warm water and a washcloth, and if the hair in this area is long, it may need to be carefully trimmed (we recommend using blunt-tipped scissors, such as bandage scissors). If the area is caked with grease, you can apply a little bit of coconut oil to loosen it, followed by a warm washcloth to wipe away the coconut oil and grease. If this does not work, you can bathe this area or trim away affected hair. If soap is needed, opt for a mild shampoo designed specifically for cavies or, if you cannot find this, you can substitute a gentle shampoo formulated for kittens or human babies. Never submerge a cavy in water, and avoid getting water in their eyes or ears. Be sure to dry them thoroughly to prevent them from becoming chilled.
Check Their Hair And Skin
Feel their entire body for any lumps or abnormalities. Common areas for lumps include the skin behind the front legs, under the chin, and near the nipples. These lumps may be benign, but veterinary assessment will be necessary.
Unless they are a breed that normally has kinked fur or rosettes, their hair coat should be smooth and shiny. Look for bald patches/hair loss, which can have many causes, including external parasites. Hair loss or areas of very short hair could also be the result of barbering, where a cavy chews and pulls out their own hair or that of a companion. Barbering is often the result of boredom (such as a cavy living alone or cavies living in a barren space), but can also be due to other stressors or unhealthy social dynamics. Be sure to investigate the cause so you can address the issue. In female cavies, hair loss along their sides with no signs of itchiness could be a sign of follicular cysts.
Check long-haired cavies for mats in their hair. With the exception of hairless breeds, all cavies will benefit from at least weekly brushing, and this can be a great way for caregivers to bond with their cavy companions. Long-haired cavies will need to be brushed more often, perhaps even daily. If an individual is developing mats, be sure to re-evaluate your brushing schedule. If the hair on their bum is getting peed on, consider carefully trimming it.
Next, part their hair and check their skin, looking for dry, flaky skin, discoloration, crusts, or other issues. Lice are large enough to be seen with the naked eye, but the mites they are most commonly affected by are microscopic. Signs of a mite infection include scaly skin or yellow crusts.
Cavies can also get ringworm, which manifests as circular, scaly, bald patches, which typically start out on the nose or around the eyes or ears and can spread to the back. Ringworm is zoonotic, so be sure to wear gloves and protect your skin when handling a cavy with signs of ringworm.
In hairless cavies, be sure to check them over for any sign of skin irritation, which may indicate that their bedding or other elements of their living spaceThe indoor or outdoor area where an animal resident lives, eats, and rests. must be changed.
Check Their Weight And Body Condition
It’s a good idea to weigh your cavy residents weekly, if at all possible, as this will allow you to catch weight loss early. A healthy, mature cavy should maintain their weight. They should not feel bony and should feel dense. If one of your residents is losing weight or feels bony, even if their actual weight is not fluctuating, be sure to contact your veterinarian right away.
Isolate If Necessary
If you notice that a cavy is unhealthy, it’s crucial to consult with a veterinarian or compassionate care expert and prioritize accurately diagnosing the problem. Depending on the health concern, it may be necessary to temporarily isolate the individual in order to protect other cavy residents from a potentially infectious disease. However, with some illnesses, often by the time a cavy is showing symptoms, other residents in the same living space have already been exposed. We recommend consulting with your veterinarian about whether or not isolationIn medical and health-related circumstances, isolation represents the act or policy of separating an individual with a contagious health condition from other residents in order to prevent the spread of disease. In non-medical circumstances, isolation represents the act of preventing an individual from being near their companions due to forced separation. Forcibly isolating an individual to live alone and apart from their companions can result in boredom, loneliness, anxiety, and distress. is recommended, making sure you understand the reason behind isolation and the potential risks of continuing to keep them together so you can make an informed decision. Consider that a sick cavy who is isolated from their companions may become more stressed, which could delay recovery, and in some cases, re-introduction to their companion(s) may be difficult.
Though it may seem like an overwhelming amount of factors to be aware of, once you’ve gotten to know a cavy and what good cavy health looks like, you’ll be an excellent cavy health ally in no time!
