Diarrhea

In adult guinea pigs, diarrhea is very uncommon and often occurs as a symptom of a secondary condition caused by improper diet, a disease process or infection – all of which can upset the guinea pig’s sensitive digestive system.

Diarrhea is the production of abnormally loose/watery feces.

When a guinea pig has diarrhea, it will not only become dehydrated due to fluid loss, but will also lose other important substances such as electrolytes (salts like potassium and chloride) and nutrients including vitamins. This can mean rapid deterioration and can even prove fatal if not treated promptly.

As well as having watery/liquid feces, the guinea pig may show exhibit a variety of the following signs:

• Loss of appetite.
• Dehydration and the guinea pig’s eyes may appear to look sunken and dull.
• Lethargic, dull and depressed.
• Soiling and staining of the fur around the back end.
• A rough looking coat, or hairs sticking up.
• Hunched posture – this is a sign of potential abdominal pain.
• In advanced or severe cases, the guinea pig’s body temperature is likely to be low, and they may be in a collapsed state.
• Depending upon the cause, the signs may appear suddenly or become apparent over the course of several hours or days. If you notice anything that concerns you, it is best to speak to your veterinarian for advice.

Much like with people and other animals, bacterial, viral and parasitic infections can all lead to digestive problems in guinea pigs, and cause diarrhea, these are however not very common. Guinea pigs need a high fiber diet, consisting of lots of hay/grass which should make up 80% of the diet. Any sudden changes to the diet that upset the healthy bacterial population in the gastrointestinal tract can lead to diarrhea occurring.

Certain antibiotics cannot be used on guinea pigs as they can kill off the good bacteria in the guts and cause fatal diarrhea, therefore never give any medication unless it has been prescribed by your veterinarian.

Intestinal parasitic infections include coccidiosis and giardia. Identification of the cause may require fecal tests to be performed, and often general treatment is started before laboratory results are available.

During the consultation your veterinarian will take a full clinical history regarding what the guinea pig has been eating and drinking and if this has changed recently, if they have had a new companion introduced recently, any medications your guinea pig is on for example and conduct a full clinical examination.

If your veterinarian suspects or has confirmation of a rare case of bacterial or parasitic cause for the diarrhea, they are likely to prescribe some antibiotics or specific antimicrobial medications which may be required to treat these infections.

General supportive treatment involves warming up and rehydrating the guinea pig with oral, subcutaneous (under the skin) or intravenous fluids. Re-establishing a healthy gut microbial environment by providing high fibre foods only or syringe feeds if they are not eating well.

Your veterinarian may also recommend some probiotic supplements to try and re-establish the healthy bacteria within the digestive system.

Ensure that your guinea pigs diet consists of a large amount of hay or uncut grass each day, which is fresh and free from mould and dust or rodent contamination. Guinea pigs can enjoy a wide variety of fresh vegetables and fruits, but these need to be introduced slowly and only given in moderation. High sugar foods such as fruits and carrots could predispose more ‘bad bacteria’ growth in the guts which could lead to diarrhea.

When introducing a new guinea pig it is a wise idea to quarantine the new arrivals for a couple of weeks to ensure they are healthy and not potentially infecting the other guinea pigs with anything.