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Washing

Piginashoe

Piginashoe

New Born Pup
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Ok so first of all I'm going to try to wash my guinea pig and if he's breathing a bit fast is it ok the bathe him?
 
I’m absolutely not an expert, but I will advise you from previous knowledge (not 100% though). I believe I heard that Guinea Pigs tend to have a faster heart rate than us and breathe quicker also. So I think you should be okay to bathe her/him! Just make sure to monitor your pig and not overdo it with stress. From what I’ve seen, my pigs get very nervous during bath time. The best thing to do is to make sure the water is comfortable (test with your elbow) and make sure you’re in a warm enough room. Also put something to reduce the pig from slipping on whatever surface you’re bathing them on (sink, tub, etc.). I also play some soft anxiety reducing music and make sure to talk to them softly the whole time. Bath time is mildly traumatizing for them, except for the rare pigs who I’ve heard enjoy it, so do it sparingly and only when needed.

Hope this helps!
 
I'd wait until after you've seen the vet @Piginashoe .

Is there a reason why you want to bath him, as they don't usually need to be bathed?
 
Please don’t bathe him -if this is a URI you could make it all worse. Please go and see the vet - I’ve just nursed my heard through URIs and came close to losing 3 out of 4 of them!
 
Piginashoe said:
Ok so first of all I'm going to try to wash my guinea pig and if he's breathing a bit fast is it ok the bathe him?
Click to expand...

Please don't bathe your guinea pig unless it is medically necessary or he is indeed so dirty that a gentle bum wipe or bum bath with hand warm water cannot deal with the problem.

Bathing just for the sake of bathing is no longer recommended; there has been a major shift in perception and practice in the last few years in this respect. Apart from being not good for their sensitive skin, and interrupting their interformation exchange via scent, bathing is very stressful for most guinea pigs and is often a prime source of accidents, some of them fatal for that reason as they have a tendency to jump blindly in order to escape - especially with panicked new piggies. We see several cases of jumping injuries in connection with bathing on here every year.
Here are our tips for boar care: Boar Care: Bits, Bums & Baths

Please be aware that guinea pigs have only got comparatively small lungs and very narrow airways compared to the size of their bodies (most of it is guts) and that they are therefore breathing naturally a lot faster than humans. If your piggy is breathing faster and much more noticeable than your other guinea pigs, then you should have him checked out by a vet for either respiratory or heart issues.
 
I never bathe mine... they don't smell and trust me .. i do sniff them! Only time they have had a bath was when they had a fungal infection and needed to be bathed in special stuff...
 
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