Laura-CCC4
20-08-09, 06:06 PM
First Aid Kit for Guinea Pigs
Please Note:
Please be aware that a veterinary diagnosis and advice is extremely important, whether you use anything in your first aid kit or not. It's best that everyone views their first aid kit as just that - first aid. Things that will help until you can get to a vet, and then you can discuss treatment with those "qualified" and if necessary continue with the same treatment.
Do make sure you have a good vet though - don't wait until you actually need the vet to find out whether s/he is experienced enough in guinea pig medical care to save your guinea!
Useful Tools in a First Aid Kit
1ml syringes
2ml syringes
5ml syringes
Nail clippers
Pill crusher (pestle and mortar)
Pill cutter
Tweezers
Round-end scissors
Towels (hand-towel or tea-towel size)
Cotton pillowcases
Kitchen Roll
Cotton wool pads
Cotton buds
Gauze
Soft, flexible, wrap bandages
Disposable gloves
Weighing Scales
Bowls and spoons
Animal-safe heatpad
Useful Medications
You can buy most of these medications from a human pharmacy. Do not state that you are buying for your guinea pigs - none of these items are licensed for guinea pigs and the pharmacist is not allowed to give them to you if s/he suspects you are not intending to use the product on humans.
Very few of these drugs listed are veterinary medications, or Prescription-Only Medications (POMs), for the simple reason that these are remedies that should only be used to tide you over until you can visit a veterinarian or seek the advice of a professional. The vet may feel you can continue to use the items throughout your guinea pigs treatment, in which case it should be beneficial.
Some of these are not medications at all, but supplements and complementary products. These should still be used under professional supervision and guidance, as some require specific amounts or careful administration techniques.
Please note that quantities stated relate to use in adult guinea pigs and therefore advise should be sort before administering treatment to smaller/younger animals as dosages may need adjustment.
- Vitamin C
For all poorly piggies, especially those not eating their fresh veggies.
Ill guineas need 50mg a day - find a Vitamin C supplement with as low a dose as possible, to allow you to dose 50mg accurately.
- Syringe-feeding formula
For guineas who are eating with difficult, smaller amounts than normal, or not at all.
Oxbow Critical Care, Science Recovery or Galen’s Garden NutriPowder are all nutritionally complete. A guinea who is not eating at all will need a minimum of 60ml per day.
- Probiotic
For piggies with digestive upsets, particularly diarrhea. Useful to give alongside antibiotics.
UK brand preparations include Bio-Lapis, Vetark Pro-C Probiotic, Avipro Plus. In other countries, Bene-Bac Mammal gel and Acidophilus powder are just as adequate.
- Saline
For cleansing and flushing wounds.
- Styptic powder
For stemming the flow of blood. Especially useful to have to hand when clipping nails.
Styptic powder sometimes comes under the name “Veterinary Wound Powder”, or it can come in the form of a “styptic pencil”.
- Optrex Eye Wash
For cleansing or flushing the eyes.
Often most effective when applied to the eye using a 2ml or 5ml syringe.
- Otodex Veterinary Ear Drops
For cleaning the ears, and for preventing and treating ear mites.
Apply 2-3 drops inside each ear, massage in well and leave for 24 hours. Using a flannel or cotton bud, gently cleanse out the ear. Repeat the procedure once more if the ears are particularly dirty, or if treating ear mites.
- Bepanthen
For soothing and protecting wounds and skin irritations.
- Daktarin Cream
For treating specific areas of fungal skin infections.
The active ingredient is miconazole; in other countries, this is usually available for varying fungal conditions from vaginal thrush to athletes foot. Check antifungal creams in the chemist to be sure you have selected a miconazole product.
- Infant Calpol / Children’s Nurofen
For relieving pain and severe discomfort in cases of injury or illness.
The dosage for both medications is 0.2ml, given up to twice daily.
- Daktarin Oral Gel
For relieving pain within the mouth, due to oral infection or dental overgrowth.
The dose to use is 0.5ml. After dental problems have been corrected, 0.5ml given twice a day for two days is usually sufficient to soothe any sores and encourage normal eating.
For oral fungal infections, please ask in the Health & Illness board for further information on dosing.
- Dioralyte
For rehydrating and preventing dehydration in guineas who are not drinking and eating.
In the early stages of dehydration, or in cases where the guinea is not getting any water from either food or drink, such a preparation can be preferable to plain water. However, never attempt to syringe anything into your guinea if he is too weak or listless to stand or to hold his head up.
- Metatone
For supplying energy and stimulating the appetite.
The dosage is 0.5ml daily for one week, reduced to 0.3ml daily until the guinea is eating well again.
- Xeno 450 (Ivermectin)
For treating mites.
Follow the instructions on the pack. Xeno 450 is for guinea pigs weighing over 700g. For guineas under 700g, please opt for Xeno 50, a similar product suitable for smaller and younger piggies.
- Vicks Vaporub
For easing breathing difficulties due to respiratory infection or allergies.
Best used if smeared on a tissue which is placed out of reach close to the cage.
Please do ask for further advice in the Health & Illness section if you require any information on any of the items mentioned.
Also remember that this list is not fully comprehensive (i.e. it does not cover every ailment a guinea pig can suffer) nor does it replace veterinary advice, but it should serve you well in cases where veterinary assistance cannot be sought immediately.
Please Note:
Please be aware that a veterinary diagnosis and advice is extremely important, whether you use anything in your first aid kit or not. It's best that everyone views their first aid kit as just that - first aid. Things that will help until you can get to a vet, and then you can discuss treatment with those "qualified" and if necessary continue with the same treatment.
Do make sure you have a good vet though - don't wait until you actually need the vet to find out whether s/he is experienced enough in guinea pig medical care to save your guinea!
Useful Tools in a First Aid Kit
1ml syringes
2ml syringes
5ml syringes
Nail clippers
Pill crusher (pestle and mortar)
Pill cutter
Tweezers
Round-end scissors
Towels (hand-towel or tea-towel size)
Cotton pillowcases
Kitchen Roll
Cotton wool pads
Cotton buds
Gauze
Soft, flexible, wrap bandages
Disposable gloves
Weighing Scales
Bowls and spoons
Animal-safe heatpad
Useful Medications
You can buy most of these medications from a human pharmacy. Do not state that you are buying for your guinea pigs - none of these items are licensed for guinea pigs and the pharmacist is not allowed to give them to you if s/he suspects you are not intending to use the product on humans.
Very few of these drugs listed are veterinary medications, or Prescription-Only Medications (POMs), for the simple reason that these are remedies that should only be used to tide you over until you can visit a veterinarian or seek the advice of a professional. The vet may feel you can continue to use the items throughout your guinea pigs treatment, in which case it should be beneficial.
Some of these are not medications at all, but supplements and complementary products. These should still be used under professional supervision and guidance, as some require specific amounts or careful administration techniques.
Please note that quantities stated relate to use in adult guinea pigs and therefore advise should be sort before administering treatment to smaller/younger animals as dosages may need adjustment.
- Vitamin C
For all poorly piggies, especially those not eating their fresh veggies.
Ill guineas need 50mg a day - find a Vitamin C supplement with as low a dose as possible, to allow you to dose 50mg accurately.
- Syringe-feeding formula
For guineas who are eating with difficult, smaller amounts than normal, or not at all.
Oxbow Critical Care, Science Recovery or Galen’s Garden NutriPowder are all nutritionally complete. A guinea who is not eating at all will need a minimum of 60ml per day.
- Probiotic
For piggies with digestive upsets, particularly diarrhea. Useful to give alongside antibiotics.
UK brand preparations include Bio-Lapis, Vetark Pro-C Probiotic, Avipro Plus. In other countries, Bene-Bac Mammal gel and Acidophilus powder are just as adequate.
- Saline
For cleansing and flushing wounds.
- Styptic powder
For stemming the flow of blood. Especially useful to have to hand when clipping nails.
Styptic powder sometimes comes under the name “Veterinary Wound Powder”, or it can come in the form of a “styptic pencil”.
- Optrex Eye Wash
For cleansing or flushing the eyes.
Often most effective when applied to the eye using a 2ml or 5ml syringe.
- Otodex Veterinary Ear Drops
For cleaning the ears, and for preventing and treating ear mites.
Apply 2-3 drops inside each ear, massage in well and leave for 24 hours. Using a flannel or cotton bud, gently cleanse out the ear. Repeat the procedure once more if the ears are particularly dirty, or if treating ear mites.
- Bepanthen
For soothing and protecting wounds and skin irritations.
- Daktarin Cream
For treating specific areas of fungal skin infections.
The active ingredient is miconazole; in other countries, this is usually available for varying fungal conditions from vaginal thrush to athletes foot. Check antifungal creams in the chemist to be sure you have selected a miconazole product.
- Infant Calpol / Children’s Nurofen
For relieving pain and severe discomfort in cases of injury or illness.
The dosage for both medications is 0.2ml, given up to twice daily.
- Daktarin Oral Gel
For relieving pain within the mouth, due to oral infection or dental overgrowth.
The dose to use is 0.5ml. After dental problems have been corrected, 0.5ml given twice a day for two days is usually sufficient to soothe any sores and encourage normal eating.
For oral fungal infections, please ask in the Health & Illness board for further information on dosing.
- Dioralyte
For rehydrating and preventing dehydration in guineas who are not drinking and eating.
In the early stages of dehydration, or in cases where the guinea is not getting any water from either food or drink, such a preparation can be preferable to plain water. However, never attempt to syringe anything into your guinea if he is too weak or listless to stand or to hold his head up.
- Metatone
For supplying energy and stimulating the appetite.
The dosage is 0.5ml daily for one week, reduced to 0.3ml daily until the guinea is eating well again.
- Xeno 450 (Ivermectin)
For treating mites.
Follow the instructions on the pack. Xeno 450 is for guinea pigs weighing over 700g. For guineas under 700g, please opt for Xeno 50, a similar product suitable for smaller and younger piggies.
- Vicks Vaporub
For easing breathing difficulties due to respiratory infection or allergies.
Best used if smeared on a tissue which is placed out of reach close to the cage.
Please do ask for further advice in the Health & Illness section if you require any information on any of the items mentioned.
Also remember that this list is not fully comprehensive (i.e. it does not cover every ailment a guinea pig can suffer) nor does it replace veterinary advice, but it should serve you well in cases where veterinary assistance cannot be sought immediately.