Emergencies

Unfortunately, there may be a time where you have to deal with an emergency involving your pet. It is essential to know how to recognize and deal with such emergencies before they arise and to know who to contact when they do. Immediate veterinary attention can mean the difference between life and death for a very sick or injured Guinea pig. Getting your pet to the veterinary clinic (where all the necessary equipment is on hand) is quicker and gives it a better chance than calling the veterinarian out to your home. The most important thing to remember in an emergency is don’t panic! This could cause further anxiety for an already frightened animal and it wastes valuable time.

First, make sure your guinea pig is registered with a local veterinary practice and keep their telephone number in a safe place. Your veterinary practice may use a different practice for their out of hours emergencies (when the practice closes), so it is important to know what telephone number to call, and if your usual practice is closed, where the emergency practice is located.

It may be worth considering pet insurance for your guinea pig, some emergency and life-saving treatment may be expensive and it may not always be possible to have the money to hand to accommodate this. If you feel this may be something you would like, please speak to your veterinarian as they can help you decide and give you a better idea of the cost.

To be able to spot an emergency you need to know what signs are normal in your guinea pig in terms of temperament, habits, appetite, urination/defaecation and stance. As a matter of routine, you need to check on your guinea pig several times a day. This way, you will notice signs of developing problems at an early stage. It may be worth recording your pet’s behavior, how much they are eating, drinking and going to the toilet. Weighing your pet regularly and having that information to hand can be very helpful for the veterinarian and make sure that your guinea pig gets the best care possible.

You should always check for the following signs:

• Drooling/smell from the mouth.
• Watery eyes.
• Sneezing/discharge from the nose, often with matted fur on the front paws.
• Lumps around the eye or jaw.
• Soiling around the bottom.
• A normal appetite.
• Wounds on the body.
• Drinking more or less.
• Interested in their surroundings.
• Bloating around stomach.
• Making unusual noise when going to the toilet.
• Making unusual noise when being picked up.

If you notice anything different about your guinea pig’s behavior or appearance, you should call your veterinary practice promptly for an appointment. A head-to-toe inspection should be carried out every day.

Common emergencies that you should call an emergency veterinary practice about include collapse, hyperthermia (high body temperature), dyspnoea (difficulty breathing), hypersalivation, fitting, vomiting, diarrhea, pain, bleeding wounds, fractured limbs or spine, dysuria (difficulty urinating) or gut stasis (when your pet is not eating or going to the toilet and is often bloated).

Collapse
Any guinea pig that is unable to stand or move about is extremely ill and must see an emergency veterinarian as soon as possible, day or night. Your veterinarian may want to perform diagnostic tests, such as blood tests to try and ascertain the reason/s.

Hyperthermia
Guinea pigs with a high body temperature are likely to be weak and lethargic. They may also be hot to the touch. This is often the result of overheating due to direct sunlight. There may be a blue tinge to the mouth and gums. Do not submerge your guinea pig in cold water – this can be very dangerous. Make sure you remove them from any environment that is too warm. Place cool water on their ears and feet and call your veterinarian immediately and be prepared to take them into the practice. It is vital that during the warmer weather you keep them cool! There are helpful tips and tricks online.

Dyspnea
If your guinea pig is breathing abnormally or struggling to breathe, this may be in the form of using a lot of effort, respiratory noise or exaggerated movement of their chest and abdomen. They may also have a blue tinge to their gums and mouth. This is because they are not receiving enough oxygen and are in need of emergency veterinary treatment. They may also go the other way and stop breathing or reduce effort, this is usually accompanied with other signs listed on this page. There are many possible reasons as to why a guinea pig can become dyspneic and it is imperative to get your pet to your veterinary practice immediately, as the condition can be rapidly fatal.

Swelling of the eye
There can be many causes of this but one that can be very painful and eventually lead to blindness is glaucoma. It starts off with cloudiness of the eye, which can be red and is often sore. You may see your guinea pig squinting and rubbing at their eye. Any concerns with your pets’ eye should be brought to the attention of your veterinarian straight away.

Fitting
Seeing your guinea pig fitting can be extremely distressing to see and your pet will not know what they are doing. Great care is needed so as not to get accidently bitten, do not restrict the movement of your pet and place them somewhere dark and quiet which is safe, and they will not be able to injure themselves.

If your pet is fitting for longer than 30 seconds or has more than two fits you need to call your veterinarian straight away. It is potentially fatal to suffer from extended fits or repeated episode, especially in quick succession. If you think your guinea pig may have eaten something or had access to something that may be causing the fits, take it with you to the veterinary practice as this will help them to treat your pet.

Vomiting
Guinea pigs do not usually vomit, if you believe that your pet has then they must be taken to the veterinary practice straight away as this could indicate that they are very ill, and it can be fatal in a short period of time.

Severe diarrhea
Guinea pigs that have severe diarrhea (liquid/watery feces produced in pools) and show signs of pain (see below) or a lack of interest in food and their surroundings, should be taken to the veterinarian promptly. Guinea pigs with severe diarrhea are at risk of becoming dehydrated.

Pain
Guinea pigs in pain usually adopt a hunched-up posture. They may also lay flat on the floor trying to push themselves into it. They will not show any interest in food or their surroundings. They could be more or less vocal. If there are any changes in behavior then these should be reported to your veterinarian as they could indicate pain, often it can be slight changes over time. There are many possible causes of pain. Call your veterinarian for advice.

Bleeding wounds
Direct pressure should be applied to the wounds by clean, washed hands or a clean cloth or gauze pad. If the bleeding continues, contact your vveterinariant. The guinea pig may require surgery to have the wounds cleaned and sutured together.

Fractured limbs or spine
Fractures can occur if a guinea pig is dropped, or falls, from a height. There may be obvious signs of injury, eg the guinea pig may have difficulty moving around or be lame on one leg. These injuries need urgent attention – call your veterinarian immediately.

Dysuria
If you notice your guinea pig straining to urinate and only passing very small amounts or none at all you must call your veterinary practice straight away.

Gut stasis
Gut stasis is where the intestines are no longer pushing food through the digestive system. This can be due to a few reasons. The main signs are that your pet will not be eating, and will either produce very small feces or no feces at all. This can be fatal if not treated, if you see any signs then please contact your veterinary practice straight away.

If your usual veterinary practice are closed, they may use another practice that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to see their emergency cases. Never turn up without calling first as the veterinary practice may be able to offer advice over the phone or may need you to come down at a designated time if they are already dealing with an emergency. If your veterinary practice do use another practice for their emergencies, it is a good idea to know in advance where this is and how long it will take you to get there.

After calling the veterinary practice and knowing where you are going, carefully place your guinea pig in their secure carrier. If you are driving it is a wise idea to take someone with you so they can monitor your pet on the journey. If you don’t drive you will need to arrange a taxi or a lift from a friend.

It is a good idea to have a plan thought out for what you would do in an emergency, both with the scenarios of attending your usual veterinary practice during working hours or an emergency provider.

If you are seeing a veterinarian at an emergency clinic or outside your practices normal working hours, then there will be an increased cost for the consultation and treatment. You are likely to be expected to pay this at the time of the consultation, so be sure to ask this when you call to arrange the appointment and take a method of payment with you.