Poisoning

There are many different things which are poisonous to guinea pigs, the most common ingested poisons are plant based, but there are also many household items or food which may be harmful to guinea pigs.
 

• Paint: some of these contain lead which is poisonous
• Chocolate
• Caffeine: such as in tea or coffee
• Alcohol
• Human or another pets medication
• Illegal drugs: such as marijuana or cocaine
• Anti-freeze
• Silica-gel packets: found in packaged items such as shoes
• Cigarette or E-cigarette smoke

Your guinea pigs should not be left unattended around the house unless they have a safe area which has been penned off.

If you suspect an unattended guinea pig has ingested something that could potentially be poisonous it is best to have your guinea pig checked over by your vet.
 

In some cases your guinea pig may not show any symptoms of ingestion of a poison, however you may find that they show some of the following symptoms:

• Collapse
• Seizures (fitting)
• Reluctance to eat or not eating at all
• Drinking more and urinating more than normal
• Ataxia (uncoordinated movements and walking)
• Reluctance to move or a hunched posture
• Drooling excessively
• Increased breathing effort or rate
• Sudden death

In some cases guinea pigs may die before showing any signs of illness.
 

It can be hard to diagnose ingestion of a poison, however some tests can be used to check for lead toxicity in a blood sample, or for anti-freeze ingestion in a urine sample. Some drugs, such as marijuana, may produce typical clinical signs, eg loss of coordination. Gastric ulcers produced by the ingestion of some human drugs can be assessed by checking a faecal sample.

If the likelihood of ingestion is high or if you have witnessed your guinea pig eating the poison, then it is better to start treatment right away rather than wait for the confirmation of the diagnostic tests.
 

In some cases treatment may not be possible, your vet will be able to give you a better prognosis as it will depend on the amount of the substance your guinea pig has ingested and how long it has been since they have ingested it. In some cases your vet will recommend trying to treat the poisoning. Guinea pigs cannot vomit so there is not way of making your guinea pig bring the remaining poison back up to stop any more being absorbed. Treatment of poisons can include:

• Fluids (intravenous, subcutaneous or oral)
• Charcoal feed – this stops anything being absorbed into the gastrointestinal system
• Pain relief if your guinea pig is in pain
• Syringe feeding and pro-kinetics if your guinea pig is not eating for themselves

Sadly in many cases the prognosis is guarded to poor, depending on the type and quantity of poison ingested.

If your guinea pig survives poisoning then they may have long-term issues such as kidney or liver damage which will need to be managed for the rest of their lives.
 

Always make sure that your guinea pigs are not left unattended loose in the house and ensure that you remove anything from their height which they may be able to reach and eat if you allow them free range time. Make sure that any paints you use on their enclosures are not lead based (you can check the label for the ingredients). Never feed your guinea pig human food or drink as some of these contain ingredients poisonous to them. Ensure that all medications are kept well away from them and do not smoke close by. If you think your guinea pig has eaten something poisonous then its best to get them to a vet as soon as possible.