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Why Are My Guinea Pigs So Often Ill?

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Lenny&henry

Lenny&henry

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I have had my guineas 3 weeks today - I have had URIs, conjunctivitis and now round scabs on the stomach of one! I clean them out daily and they are currently inside because of their URI, they have vitamin c supplemented food, clean water daily, hay and vegetables twice daily and extra absorbing materials where they do their most weeing. Am I doing something wrong?
 
no you arent doing anything wrong, you have just been really unlucky. You are doing your best for them and sorting out their problems as they arise. Thank goodness they are with you
 
I agree with madguinealady, you have had bad luck! Out of curiosity, did they come from a pet store? More often than not, pet store pigs unfortunately have more health problems. Fortunately I haven't had that problem with mine who were from a store, but I think I got lucky. But they are lucky to have you to get them sorted out!
 
Thank you that makes me feel a bit better! They did :/ we have a shortage of shelters or anything around here. Any idea about the round scabs on one of my piggies tummy? Still trying to work that one out!
 
I would say it is probably indicative of their environment before you got them. They prob had all these issues brfore they came to you. Often stress of moving home brings them to the surface.

Scab could be numerous things including fungal / mites or injury of some sort, you need a vet to diagnose and precribe the relevant medication x
 
I need to take them back to the vet for a checkup after their URI, so I will mention his scab! Thanks for your help.
 
Just a quick question - what do you mean by vitamin C supplemented food? Do you mean nuggets or veg high in vitamin c?
 
Pet store nuggets with vitamin C in, I also try to feed vegetables with vitamin C in as well as often as possible!
 
If he has been run down from a URI then fungal is opportunistic and so it is is prime time for it to strike.
 
Lenny&henry said:
Pet store nuggets with vitamin C in, I also try to feed vegetables with vitamin C in as well as often as possible!
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Vitamin C is very unstable, and after a short time will break down completely. After just a few days, in some cases, there is little vitamin C remaining in the nuggets. A daily slice of red pepper (salad peppers, not the spicy kind!) is a good source of vitamin C. Poorly piggies require up to ten times the daily amount of vitamin c than a healthy piggy. In such cases it is often a good idea to supplement. My piggies receive one capsule a day of Oxbow Daily C.
 
Where do you buy that from, if you don't mind me asking? The pet store recommended a supplement that goes in their water as well - would that help?
 
Lenny&henry said:
Where do you buy that from, if you don't mind me asking? The pet store recommended a supplement that goes in their water as well - would that help?
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Please don't put vitamin C in the water. It tastes awful, and many piggies will not go near the water bottle because of it - which is obviously a bad thing. You can buy it online. I get mine from Animed - http://www.animeddirect.co.uk/oxbow-daily-c-vitamin-supplement-tablets-pack-of-90.html
If you look around you may find it a little cheaper. You give one capsule a day, per pig. All of my boys will take it straight from my hand - they love the taste!

If their immune systems are struggling, then they may benefit from the vitamin c boost. You could certainly speak to your vet about it.
 
I admit I may have been a little naive in expecting the pet store to give me good advice, but they don't seem to have told me anything right! Thanks for the link, I will have a look! Going to the vets today as their URI has not yet completely gone I don't think. I will be mentioning what I think is a fungal infection and also will ask if she has any good ideas for vitamin C boosting. Thank you all of the above, very helpful posts!
 
They were likely run down and exposed to illness in the store, and you are now dealing with the aftermath. Glad they are feeling better!
 
Interestingly, we visited the pet store today and noticed some of the babies sneezing and rubbing their noses :( it's terrible
 
Makes me glad I decided to buy my two though so I can get them all sorted
 
because generally people does not keep them as should.
1.place where they come from originally they never live in cold temperature - many people keep them outside even winter.
2.they are not suppose to be living on wood shaving,specially on pine.This is no pine in south America!
3.They are not living in poor/wet conditions - they require massive amount of time to clean their area.
4.They not living by single.
5.They not drink water which full of calcium -> get tesco water or deeside.
6.They know nothing about RSPCA recommendation about size or their cage.Ferplast 100,120 is far to small even for 1!
 
Hi - Sounds like your doing everything perfect dear and its certainly not your fault. My only advice is - be careful of high calcium foods, especially while your down with a UTI
I copied this list from another forum on this site of high calcium foods.

Basil
Blackberries
Cabbage (can lead to gas/bloat in susceptible pigs)
Celery
Chard
Chicory
Coriander
Dandelion Greens
Dill
Endive
Escarole
Pak Choi
Parsley
Red Cabbage (can lead to gas/bloat in susceptible pigs)
Rocket Lettuce
Round Lettuce
Watercress
Winter Squash

Don't rule these out all together but be a bit more stingy with it given the UTI... Just to be on the safe side! :) :D
 
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