Guinea Pig Flashcards

Flashcards for VET 215 - Laboratory Animal Medicine: Guinea Pigs

Scientific Name of Guinea Pig

Cavia porcellus (Cavy)

Order of Guinea Pig

Rodentia

Common Guinea Pig Varieties

• English/American (short, smooth, straight hair)

• Abyssinian (short, coarse hair growing in whorls/colics)

• Peruvian (long, fine, silky hair)

• 13 Different breeds according to the American Cavy Breeders Association an affiliate of the American Rabbit Breeders Association

Common Guinea Pig Research Stocks

• Dunkin-Hartley, Hartley (outbred)

• Strain 2, Strain 13 (inbred)

Guinea Pig Use in Research

• Nutrition studies, allergies & respiratory diseases, infectious diseases, audiology, immunology

• Infectious disease studies (especially Tuberculosis)

Guinea Pig Behavior

Docile, social, barbering, active during the day, vocal, dislike change, can't climb or jump

Guinea Pig Housing Preferences

Solid bottom w/bedding, open-top cages if >10" high, rectangular cages

Guinea Pig Diet

•Ascorbic acid/Vitamin C supplement not needed if on a good quality diet

     (light breaks it down making it unstable)  

•Ascorbic acid is unstable – degrades

•L-ascorbyl 2 phosphate is double bonded and stable

•Vitamin C can flavor water and cause guinea pigs to not drink plain water

•Water in bottle, bowl, or automatic watering system

      Guinea pigs prefer a water bottle (environmental enrichment)

•Treats should be low in sugar, high in fiber

–Yogurt drops - BAD

–Hay based/freeze dried fruits - GOOD

–Greens and veggies - BEST

Guinea Pig Water Considerations

Avoid ascorbic acid supplements, use L-ascorbyl 2 phosphate, prefer water bottle

Males

boars

Females

sows

Babies

pups

Adult Male Guinea Pig Weight

900-1200 g

Adult Female Guinea Pig Weight

700-900 g

Guinea Pig Lifespan

5-6 years

Guinea Pig Body Temperature

99-103.1° F

Guinea Pig Heart Rate

240-310 bpm

Guinea Pig Respiratory Rate

7-130 bpm

Guinea Pig Anatomy

• Compact body, short legs, no tail, 4 digits on forelimbs, 1 pair of nipples, 3 digits on hind

• Dental formula, 2(I 1/1,C 0/0,P 1/1, M 3/3)

• All teeth are open rooted

• Large tympanic bullae

• Unique pharynx

• Soft palate is continuous with the base of the tongue and has a hole in it, called palatal ostium.

Guinea Pig Digestive System

Undivided stomach, large cecum, large intestine occupies most of the abdominal cavity, coprophagic, cannot synthesize Vitamin C

Sexing

Females:                                                     Males:

“Y” Shaped opening                                  Prominent scrotal sacs, can extrude penis

Guinea Pig Breeding Onset - Male

3-4 months

Guinea Pig Breeding Onset - Female

2-3 months

Guinea Pig Estrous Cycle Length

15-17 days

Guinea Pig Gestation Period

59-72 days

Guinea Pig Litter Size

2-4

Guinea Pig Weaning Age

21 days

Why breed a sow before 6 months?

Fusion of pelvic symphysis

Breeding and Reproduction

• Non-seasonal, continuous polyestrous

• Post-partum estrus (2-10 hours post parturition)

• Do not build nests

• Farrowing  takes 30 minutes

• Young are precocious

• Begin eating solid food at 1 week, weaned by 3 weeks

Guinea Pig Identification Methods

Ear notching, ear tag, tattooing, microchipping

Guinea Pig Blood Collection Sites for Small volume

• Toenail bed

• Marginal ear vein

• Saphenous vein

• Cephalic vein

Guinea Pig Blood Collection Sites for Large volume

• Jugular

• Femoral artery/vein

• Cranial vena cava

• Cardiac puncture

Blood Collection

Guinea Pig Urine Characteristics

Opaque, creamy yellow, alkaline pH 8-9, contains crystals

Guinea Pig Urine Collection

• Metabolic cage

• Cystocentesis

• Bladder expression

• Placing the animal on a cold surface (examination table)

Guinea Pig Drug Administration Routes

• Meds in food or water; will often refuse if unfamiliar taste or odor

• Oral meds with syringe, gavage needle

• SQ – over the shoulders, max vol. 5-10 ml (tough skin > 25g needle)

• IM- quadriceps or gluteals – 0.5 ml max

• IP – 5-8 ml

• IV- (rarely used) saphenous vein, cephalic vein or marginal ear vein

Guinea Pig Anesthesia Considerations

• Fast 2-3 hours

• Variable responses to anesthetics, difficult to intubate

• Suggested injectable route IP due to drugs irritating when administered IM

• Mask down for inhalation anesthetics

• Difficult to intubate due to anatomy of pharynx and small trachea (palatal ostium)

• Monitor via, ear pinch, toe pinch RR, HR

• Pulse oximeter

• Ophthalmic ointment

• Circulating H20 pad

Guinea Pig Post-Op Care

Hydration, analgesics, frequent flipping

Guinea Pig Euthanasia Methods

Overdose of inhalation anesthetic

overdose of injectable anesthetic

70% CO2 in prefilled chamber

Common Bacteria Diseases of Guinea Pigs

Pneumonia, cervical lymphadenitis, intestinal infections, Tyzzer's disease, mastitis, conjunctivitis

Guinea Pig Cytomegalovirus (CMV)

Latent viral infection, swelling of salivary glands, transmitted through saliva or urine

Guinea Pig Fungal Disease

Dermatophytosis (ringworm), pruritic, zoonotic

Protozoal Parasites of Guinea Pigs

Cryptosporidium wrairi & Eimeria caviae (coccidia)

Mites Parasitic to Guinea Pigs

Trixacarus caviae (burrowing mite), Chirodiscoides caviae (fur mite)

Trixacarus caviae

• burrowing mite

• Sarcoptic mange

• Signs: Alopecia, crusting, pruritus

• Treatment: Ivermectin, pyrethrin powders(cat friendly)  

• Zoonotic

Chirodiscoides caviae

• fur mite

• Usually no clinical signs

• Treatment: Ivermectin, pyrethrin powders(cat friendly)  

Biting Lice Parasitic to Guinea Pigs

Gliricola porcelli & Gyropus ovalis

–Clinical signs:  alopecia, rough hair coat & mild pruritus

–Spread by direct contact

Guinea Husbandry Related Diseases

Ulcerative Pododermatitis (Bumblefoot)

Antibiotics toxic to Guinea Pigs

• Bad (kill gram +)— Ampicillin, penicillin, bacitracin, erythromycin, lincomycin, gentamicin, clindamycin, streptomycin

• Highly sensitive to antibiotics

• Upsets natural gut flora allowing “bad” bacteria to proliferate

Better Antibiotics for Guinea Pigs

(kill mainly gram -) Tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and sulfonamides

Miscellaneous Conditions of Guinea Pigs

Includes: Neoplasia, Malocclusion, Heat Stress, Scurvy, Dystocia, Pregnancy Toxemia, Muscular Dystrophy, and Metastatic mineralization

Guinea Pig Urogenital Issues

Cystitis, uroliths, perianal sebaceous material accumulation, preputial infection, and vaginitis