Guinea pigs
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Keep your guinea pig healthy and avoid a trip to the vet

Information about the common diseases of guinea pigs that pet owners should know about and how to address these diseases is offered.

Common parasites affecting guinea pigs are ringworm, lice, mange and ciccodioses. Ringworm and mange are parasitic diseases that target the skin of guinea pigs and are the cause of skin irritations in the species and can be managed by either oral or topical medication.

Lice are also a skin parasite that bites and suck blood from the guinea pigs and is usually found attached to the hair follicles and can be treated by applying a medicated shampoo. On the other hand, ciccodioses is an intestinal and liver disease caused by a single-celled parasite and usually came from food or water that has been contaminated with feces.

Another common disease is scurvy or vitamin C deficiency that can cause weakness, lethargy and disfigured bone and teeth development and is reversed through changes in diet or vitamin C dietary supplements.

Pet owners should need to be aware of hair loss in guinea pigs, as it occurs in various phases in their life, including in weaning infants and breeding females. However, it warns that it could also occur as a result of fungal disease and external parasite infestation.

Pneumonia is considered as the most common bacterial disease in guinea pigs and is caused by stress and inadequate diet and can be detected when the pets experienced labored or rapid breathing, lack of desire to eat and lethargy. Recommended treatments for this bacterial disease are antibiotic injection and rest.

Malocclusion is also considered a common health problem with guinea pigs, which occurs when their growing teeth do not wear properly and can be corrected by regularly trimming the teeth by a veterinarian. Obesity is also a problem and is caused by overfeeding the pet or by wrong food.

Skin diseases that can be suffered by guinea pigs include red swollen skin and sore hocks. It also reveals that guinea pigs are prone to overheating due to their stout, compact body, so it is not advisable to expose them to extreme heat.

All in all, these diseases can be addressed by consulting the veterinarians and emphasize on the need for pet owners to act right away if they suspect that their pets are ill.

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