Guinea pigs are extremely fragile, and are more prone to illness then other pets. We've listed some of the most common symptoms your guinea pig can experience.

The Sniffles

If you hear and see your pet sneezing, he may have allergies or hay fever. There are many irritants that could trigger this. The best way to pinpoint which one is the culprit is to keep him away from that thing completely and see if the sniffles go away. It will be a process of trial and error. Start with his sheets.

A runny rose means a more serious ailment that calls for medical attention right away.

Coughing

Again, this is something that the veterinarian will have to check out, especially if it seems like your guinea pig is having a hard time with his breathing.

Labored Breathing, or Wheezing of Any Sort

Again this could mean he has a respiratory disease, even pneumonia.

Scratching

If you have noticed that your guinea pig has been scratching a lot, he might be infested with lice.

Lice can be spotted on his skin when you brush his fur. Lice treatments are sold in most pet shops. You also have to be extra diligent in sanitizing his cage.

Unhealthy Urine

Signs of abnormal urination are whitish excretions that are lumpy. You should reduce the calcium in your guinea pig's intake should you find these symptoms.

Blood in the Urine

This is serious. This indicates blood in the urine and is often an indicator of bladder stones.

He needs to be checked by a veterinarian right away.

Diarrhea or Extremely Soft Stool

Believe it or not, having diarrhea can cause your guinea pig to die.

Leading cause of this are excessive intake of watery food. To offset this, you can up his intake of hay.

Head to a health food store or a pharmacy and grab some lactobacillus acidophilus in capsule form - you don't need a prescription, it's available over the counter.

Hair Loss

There are many different reasons for hair loss in a guinea pig, including mites.

Their bites cut into the skin, thus making the fur fall out. But this is a common ailment that does not require immediate attention.

If however the hair loss is too much, this could be a sign of ringworms or worse, ovarian cysts. Send him to the veterinarian immediately.

Watery Eyes

This is a symptom of an irritated eye or allergies. A veterinarian can check his eyes for this.

Sometimes eye sores are caused by cysts on the eyelid that irritate the eyes, and these need to be removed by a trained veterinarian, as they can be painful and serious.

Stiff Joints

Most times, this is caused by scurvy. This is basically a sever lack of Vitamin C, and needs to be treated immediately. Call your vet to schedule an appointment.

A good way to prevent this is to give your guinea pig ten milligrams of calcium daily.

Tilting Head

If your piggy is tilting his head to one side, and having issues walking, it's probably a middle-ear infection.

This may lead to an impairment in his hearing, so you have to send him to the doctor right away.

Seizures

There are two 'types' of seizures. If his head is straight up in the air, without a tilt at all, then he's probably got mites. Mites burrow under the skin and can sometimes affect the nervous system. Get him to a vet for treatment, and he'll be just fine.

If your guinea pig is tilting his head to one side or curling his body during the seizure, it can be a huge number of any things.

Head to the vet as soon as possible, and get blood tests done.

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Written by Cary Nelson using tags: guinea pig health, Pets