Uterine problems

Female guinea pigs are relatively prone to uterine disease. Many of these are life-threatening conditions that require prompt veterinary attention.

Pseudopregnancy is also called false pregnancy. The guinea pig acts as if she is pregnant but there are no fetuses. It may be seen after a non-fertile mating or may be seen during the spring months in entire female guinea pigs that are kept on their own. The hormonal changes that occur during a pseudopregnancy are responsible for some physical and behavioral changes that are very similar to those occurring in a pregnant sow.

She may start to attempt to build a nest out of bedding.

A pseudopregnancy normally disappears after a couple of weeks, but in guinea pigs they are not common occurrences.

If your guinea pig suffers from a pseudopregnancy, once she has made a full recovery, it is strongly recommended to have her spayed to avoid any future episodes.

Endometrial cystic hyperplasia is an abnormal thickening of the lining of the uterus. An overgrowth of cells predisposes the guinea pig to abnormal tissue changes in the uterus. This is commonly seen in unspayed female guinea pigs and is a relatively common finding and more common in older guinea pigs. Often cystic ovaries are also evident.

Clinical signs of the disease may mimic those of uterine adenocarcinomas (cancer), with the guinea pig showing lack of appetite, weight loss and lethargy. Swollen mammary glands are also commonly seen in association with this condition.

Diagnosis of uterine disease can be made using radiographs and/or ultrasound, then surgery is usually the only available treatment option. Surgery is normally curative and allows your veterinarian to provide a definitive diagnosis through a histopathological examination of the uterus when it is removed.

Pyometra is an accumulation of pus in the uterus. It is a common finding in unspayed dogs but far less common in unspayed guinea pigs.

The guinea pig will show signs of a lack of appetite, depression, excessive drinking and urination. Pyometra can be open or closed, meaning that there may be evidence of pus from the vulva, but this is not always the case.

Cases of pyometra are surgical emergencies and the guinea pig should be spayed as soon as possible in order to remove the infected uterus. The guinea pig will also require medical support and antibiotics. The condition carries a high death rate, as the guinea pig is often extremely sick before it gets to surgery.

Pregnancy toxemia is a metabolic disorder, where fat builds up in the blood following birth which can poison the guinea pig’s system. Obesity is thought to be a common factor in this condition, but stress and too few calories during the final week of pregnancy may also play a part.

The guinea pig will show signs of depression and weakness, quickly followed by collapse and sudden death.

If caught early enough, it may be possible to treat the guinea pig with aggressive supportive therapy in the form of nutritional support and intravenous or intraosseous fluids, but often there is little that can be done.

Tumors within the uterus are seen in guinea pigs, but again are not as commonly seen as with rabbits. Clinical signs of lethargy, decreased appetite, weight loss, blood in the urine and depression are often seen, but sometimes signs may be more subtle, making it very difficult for owners to realise there is a problem.

If caught early enough, it is possible that spaying the guinea pig will be curative, but if the disease has progressed before a diagnosis has been made, then spaying is rarely curative as secondary tumors (metastasis) are likely to have developed in the lungs and/or other organs. It is, therefore, very important that your veterinarian takes an x-ray of your guinea pig’s chest before deciding to perform surgery, to try to identify if lung changes have already occurred. If this is the case, then it carries a grave prognosis.

If, however, the x-rays are clear, surgery can be performed, and if successful, then screening for metastasis should be performed on a regular basis, as they can develop several years after surgery.

Firstly, we do not commonly spay guinea pigs anywhere near as frequently like we do dogs, cats and rabbits. Therefore diseases affecting the reproductive tract may be more commonly seen in guinea pigs, with this being one reason. Spaying young, healthy guinea pigs will help to lessen the chances or stop some uterine diseases occurring.

It is clear that spaying female guinea pigs when they are young and healthy is the best preventative measure for all of these conditions, ensuring that your guinea pig does not contract any of these conditions.

Therefore, early spaying of all female guinea pigs at around 4-6 months of age is recommended for preventative healthcare reasons.