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Piggies get so many problems

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pagan queen

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I have been reading the forum for some time now and can't believe the amount of things piggies can get wrong with them, it's made me quite worried.

How often do piggies get ill, are these just isolated incidents and seem more because they are all together in one forum or do piggies suffer with a lot of problems generally?

Our pigs belong to my son and I would hate to lose them because I didn't know enough about them. I was under the impression that pigs were hardy, is this not the case?

And it's not just illnesses either. I read tonight that boars have oil glands on their bums that need cleaning or they can get blocked. I never knew that, I really need to learn more about pigs. I thought they were just like any other small furry only bigger, boy was I wrong, I'm so glad I found this forum.
 
piggys are quite hardy in the grand scheme of things - I've had piggys for years and not had to take them to the vet :) then again I have a 2 month old piggy who went through the wars and practically lived there :)) there a lot like people in that respect..I've been to the drs too many times to count this year and my other half hasn't been once!

I do believe that male hamsters/gerbils/rats ect do infact have the oil glands and can have the same problems that a male guinea pig can have - but don't quote me on that :red

Kira x
 
There's many people who never have a problem and then sometimes your piggies can be quite poorly.
As long as you have a vet you trust you'll be fine :)
Piggies are like any other animal they can have little things that need to be maintained :)
As for the grease gland that can easily be wiped clean, some don't seem to be as messy as others. And it's usually only older boars that get compacted :(
 
Hi, I understand what you mean. If you start to read the Health and Illness section, it can be quite worrying, but as others have said, if you keep an eye on your piggies, you hopefully won't encounter many problems. If you do have any concerns though, post them up, I am sure you have seen there are some really good people here who can offer advice and share their experiences. A good vet is always a bonus too.. worth looking out for one. x
 
we have an excellent vet, they have 3 surgeries so there should be at least one of the vets that know about pigs. Our closest one knows all about small animals, they have removed lumps from various ratties we have had and castrated one of our boy ratties.

We live in a rural area so they have a broad rang of knowledge, they even treated our chickens for lice, the farm vet deals with those kinds of things. I will talk to them when I take my dog for his vaccination and find out who the specialist is in guinea pigs.

Thanks for your reasurances.
 
I am also surprised the amount of probs GPS get. I would hate to think how much I have spent on bills since i have had gps and I never thought they would have so many problems. I have had more problems with gps than my dogs and i have had my dog for over 5 years!
 
You get more cases of illness or pregnancy on here, as many people join for info when their piggy gets ill or pregnant.

Medical knowledge and treatment has made great advances in the last decade or two, so more problems are now recognised and being treated.

Guinea pigs are not more ill than they used to; generally, good owners are more on the lookout for signs of illness and their piggies are getting better medical care, as there is a much improved net of small animal vet centres as well.

Here are links to our two medical websites which we refer to so often:
http://guinealynx.info/index.html
http://oginet.com/pgurney/index.html
 
It can be scary but you also get people on here with lots of guineas (I have 8) so are more likely to get problems.

I have had quite a few issues with mine and half of them have had antibiotics since June but I am hoping that's the last thing for a while for them and for me!

Weibke makes a good point - I found this site when I had a poorly pig and was seeking answers and help.
 
i have found my pigs to be rather problematic but the joy they bring is worth anything that i have to spend time treating and nursing them through it,mine have cost me a huge amount in vet bills but id rather that than be without them;)
 
Statisitics, figures and averages, whilst they can be correct in themselves, can, be open to misinterpretation.
I have had 12 pigs die this year and I have 18 remaining. Taken in isolation you could be forgiven for thinking that I neglect them. To put things in perspective a lot of them were advanced in years. whilst others had been frail for some time and were "wearing out". Above all I take in pigs that often have "special needs". If I ignore those cases the remaining fit pigs have remarkably few problems or illnesses.
Taken overall, guinea pigs are quite healthy animals, the most common problem seems to be skin conditions. Lumps and bumps are usually not serious and are easily treated. Dental problems can be a nuisance at times, so can bladder stones.
Don't let any off this put you off keeping pigs!
 
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