Guinea pig stopped grooming herself?

[cosmicgirls]

Hello,

Over the past week or so, my guinea pig has gotten increasingly dirty on her face and around her chin area, and her she has also been getting poop stuck between her nails and not cleaning it.

However, I am unsure whether this is because she stopped grooming herself or because I recently changed the bedding from wood shavings to fleece, which might have led to more dirt accumulating on her fur.

What should I do? I’m planning on bathing her and then putting wood shavings back on her cage and seeing what happens, but I’m not sure if that’s the right choice. Other than this she has been behaving just fine and she’s always squeaking for food, and I have not noticed any strange symptoms.

Thank you very much!

 

[Siikibam]

Is she eating anything that could make her mouth and chin area dirty? As for washing, you can use plain water. But you can’t use it around her face and nose. If you can, perhaps just wipe her there with a damp cloth. Can you post a photo to show what you mean by she’s dirty? Is she a white or dark coloured piggy? What are her poos like - very soft or normal?

I would consider taking her to the vet for a general check. I notice you say ‘she’ - does she live alone? Piggies are very social and really need company of their own kind. No amount of interaction with a human can replace that.

Have a read of the bathing guide I’ve linked below. Otherwise and do introduce yourself and your girl - photos aren’t optional
Bathing (including cleaning grease glands)

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

Over the past week or so, my guinea pig has gotten increasingly dirty on her face and around her chin area, and her she has also been getting poop stuck between her nails and not cleaning it.

However, I am unsure whether this is because she stopped grooming herself or because I recently changed the bedding from wood shavings to fleece, which might have led to more dirt accumulating on her fur.

What should I do? I’m planning on bathing her and then putting wood shavings back on her cage and seeing what happens, but I’m not sure if that’s the right choice. Other than this she has been behaving just fine and she’s always squeaking for food, and I have not noticed any strange symptoms.

Thank you very much!

Hi!

Please switch from weighing once weekly to weighing daily in order to monitor the food intake and to be able to step in with syringe feeding support and watering.

See a vet promptly within 24 hours if possible. A piggy that is not cleaning itself or is salivating is an ill piggy. Make sure that the vet checks her back teeth as well as for complications in the wake of a heat stroke.
Emergency, Crisis and Bridging Care until a Vet Appointment
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike