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Guinea pig and chinchilla care and husbandry

Article  in  Veterinary Clinics of North America Exotic Animal Practice · June 2004

DOI: 10.1016/j.cvex.2004.02.006 · Source: PubMed

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 Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373

Guinea pig and chinchilla care and

husbandry
Thomas M. Donnelly, DVMa,*, Cynthia J. Brown, DVMb
a
The Warren Institute, 712 Kitchawan Road, Ossining, NY 10562-1118, USA
b
The Bobst Hospital of the Animal Medical Center, 510 E. 62nd Street, New York,
NY 10021, USA

Guinea pigs (scientific name Cavia porcellus) and chinchillas (scientific

name Chinchilla laniger) are South American rodents. Taxonomically they
are placed in the suborder Hystricognathi, one of the two major suborders
of rodents, and it is common to see the term ‘‘Hystricomorph’’ (derived
from Latin, hystrix = porcupine) to describe these rodents. Rats, mice,
hamsters, and gerbils belong to the Family Muridae in the other rodent
suborder Sciurognathi.
Guinea pigs belong to the family Cavidae containing 14 species of
animals commonly known as cavies and Patagonian hares (or maras). Four
digits on the forepaw and three on the hind foot characterize Cavidae.
The family Chinchillidae contains six species commonly called viscachas
and chinchillas. These are slender bodied, medium-size rodents with short
forelimbs and long muscular hind limbs that give the animal a rabbit-like
appearance. The head, eyes, and ears are large, and the bullae of the skull
are greatly expanded on chinchillas. Members of both Cavidae and
Chinchillidae have long gestation periods (65–110 days) and deliver fully
furred young with open eyes.
Although guinea pigs and chinchillas are popular both as pets and
laboratory animals, few veterinary references describe them in the wild or
how they became domesticated. In South America, wild cavies inhabit rocky
areas, savannas, forest edges, and swamps from Columbia and Venezuela
southward to Brazil and northern Argentina. They live in groups of up to 10
individuals and inhabit burrows that they or other animals dig. They are
most active at night, when they forage for a variety of plant materials.

* Corresponding author.
E-mail address: [email protected] (T.M. Donnelly).

1094-9194/04/$ - see front matter Ó 2004 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.cvex.2004.02.006
352 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373

Domestication of the guinea pig began at least by 900 BCE, and may have
begun as early as 5000 BCE [1].
Most people in the Andes refer to the guinea pig by the name cuy. In
traditional Andean culture cuy are important as a basic foodstuff and are
crucial in a variety of socially significant feasting rituals [2]. Cuy have
followed Andean immigrants abroad, and finding guinea pigs offered, as
food in major North American metropolitan areas is now possible. Cuy are
also integral to various Andean religious and ceremonial practices, and have
long been used in the traditional medicine (curanderismo) of the Andes
region [2].
In the wild chinchillas are found in barren areas of the Northern Chilean
Andes at elevations of 3000 to 5000 m living in burrows or rock crevices.
They are gregarious, and form groups of several hundred animals that are
active throughout the year. In contrast to guinea pigs, chinchillas have only
recently become well established as a domesticated animal [1]. All domestic
chinchillas are descendants of 13 individuals bred for their fur, brought to
the United States in 1927 [3]. Fur farming started at the end of the
nineteenth century in America and spread to Europe in the early years of the
twentieth century. Today, most fur farming takes place in Northern Europe
(64%) and North America (11%). Hungary produces 40,000 chinchilla pelts
annually, 20% to 25% of world production [4].

Guinea pig breeds and chinchilla coat colors

In the United States, the American Cavy Breeders Association, which is
affiliated with the American Rabbit Breeders Association as a National
Specialty Club, recognizes 13 breeds that it divides into groups or varieties.
The most common breed is the American cavy and was known originally as
the ‘‘English’’ cavy. Self-cavies are a group of solid colored animals (eg,
black, cream, red, lilac, beige, saffron, and chocolate). Non-Self’s are a group
made up of the coated breeds, the marked breeds, and the ticked or agouti
breeds. The coated cavies include the Abyssinian, Rex, Long-haired varieties
(Peruvians, Silkies, Shelties, Coronets, and Texels), Crested, Teddy, and
Satins. An undercoat and projecting guard hairs make up the normal fur coat
of a cavy; the Rex has short guard hairs that do not appear above the level of
the undercoat; the Satin breeds have an abnormal hair fiber that produces
a sheen; and the Teddy breeds have a ‘‘kinked’’ or bent hair shaft that causes
the coat to stand erect over the entire body. The marked group contains
Dalmatian, tortoise shell, and Himalayan varieties. The term ‘‘variety’’
describes a color (eg, steel gray, tortoiseshell) that is not yet a recognized
breed. Good images and descriptions of the breeds and varieties can be found
at the American Cavy Breeders Association Web site and the UK National
Directory of Cavy breeders Web site (see Recommended Reading at end).
Anecdotal evidence suggests guinea pigs homozygous for both the beige
(bg) and satin (sa) coat color genes do not thrive. The combination gives
 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373 353

a shiny pearl quality to the coat, an effect sought after by breeders. In mice,
we know that when both the bg and sa genes are present in the same animal,
their immune response is depressed and they often develop a fatal
progressive pneumonitis by 6 months of age [5,6].
Chinchillas come in a variety of colors. There are no recognized ‘‘breeds’’
per se, but breeders pay careful attention to coat color. In the wild, the
original fur color of the chinchilla was mottled yellow-gray. Through
selective breeding, the wild color has been developed into an attractive and
appealing blue-gray. Other colors have emerged as mutations of the
standard blue-gray color. Eye color may be black, or pink to red due to coat
color genes. Recognized colors include Beige (eg, blond, pearl, pastel),
White (eg, Wilson white, white mosaic, silver, platinum, pink white, apricot),
Sapphire, Violet (eg, Afro violet or Rhodesian violet, German violet),
Charcoal (eg, pastel charcoal, sapphire charcoal, violet charcoal), Ebony
(eg, brown ebony or chocolate ebony, pastel ebony), and Velvet (eg, black
velvet or black, brown velvet, pastel velvet, blond velvet). The colors beige,
white, and ebony are transmitted as dominant genes, and sapphire, violet,
and velvet are transmitted as recessive genes. Homozygous white or
homozygous black combinations are lethal. The German Web site http://
www.chinchilla-lexikon.de/index2.shtml has good pictures of different fur
colors and a colored table on the genetics of color breeding. However, the
site is in German and not English.

Husbandry
As a species, guinea pigs are extremely adaptable to a great range of
climates, although as individuals they are highly susceptible to variations in
local temperature and humidity. Guinea pigs are nervous animals, and may
refuse to drink or eat for a period after any significant change in their
location, feed, or husbandry. We find the effect of environmental changes
on guinea pigs is minimal or nonexistent when two animals are kept
together. If a sick guinea pig must be kept in a hospital, besides a quiet area
away from cats and dogs, housing a cagemate with the sick animal reduces
stress.
Socially, guinea pigs live in family units centered around an alpha male.
Mature males and especially strangers will fight. The dominance problems
are generally not encountered if two males are brought up together from
a young age or a group of guinea pigs is made up of only nonbreeding
females. Social problems are diminished with castration and ovariohyster-
ectomy, but learned behavior in adult males after castration may still make
them antisocial.
Polygamous breeding colonies are common among chinchilla fur
ranchers, and a system of individual female housing has been devised that
allows a single male to serve 12 females.
354 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373

Housing
Chronic dermatitis (especially of the forepaws) is a common condition
usually seen in obese guinea pigs housed on wire or abrasive floors. Poor
sanitation is also a predisposing factor. The feet are swollen and hairless
with ulcers and scabs 1- to 3-cm in diameter on the plantar surface.
Staphylococcus aureus is the usual causative agent, and probably enters the
foot through a cutaneous wound. Awns and straw in the bedding can also
cause foot punctures. The inflammation can progress to osteoarthritis
and systemic amyloidosis secondary to chronic staphylococcal infection.
Surgical treatment is often unsuccessful, as there is rarely an abscess to be
excised or drained but rather a diffuse cellulitis that infiltrates surrounding
tissue. Cutting the tissue only results in severe bleeding. Interpretation of
biopsies from the foot may be misleading for pathologists who do not
routinely examine rodent tissues and the exuberant nature of the chronic-
active inflammation may be mistaken for a fibrosarcoma. Treatment
involves removing the affected guinea pig to a clean cage with dry, soft
bedding and topical or parenteral administration of antibiotics. Un-
fortunately, the condition rarely responds to therapy.
Cage setup
Compared with rats and mice, researchers have conducted very little
experimental work on behavioral preferences of guinea pigs and none on
chinchillas. We do know guinea pigs and chinchillas are social animals, and
assuming they would prefer to be kept in groups and not singly is
reasonable. The minimum living space for a chinchilla (as recommended by
the American Mutation Chinchilla Breeders Association) is a floor area of
225 sq in and cage height of 12 inches. The recommended space [7] for
a guinea pig is 101 sq in and cage height of 7 inches.
Mackenzie and Illes [8] compared wood shavings and alfalfa hay as
guinea pig bedding material over 12 months. They housed groups of one
male and nine female guinea pigs in 20 sq-ft pens. Although there was no
significant increase in the numbers born and only a slight increase in
numbers weaned in pens provided with hay, they found females were in
better general condition and they and their young lost less hair from the
flanks and abdomen in the pens with hay. Scharmann [9] found that guinea
pigs in cages will burrow and hide in hay or straw added to a cage as
enrichment material. Kawakami et al [10] examined the preference of guinea
pigs for wood shavings or sheets of paper as bedding materials. Their results
suggested that guinea pigs prefer different bedding materials under light and
dark conditions. Guinea pigs apparently preferred wood shavings in the
light, spending much more time resting in them than in paper sheets.
However, in the dark, the guinea pigs preferred paper sheets. We do not
recommend wood shavings as bedding material because aromatic hydro-
carbons present in the shavings may cause respiratory problems, unless
owners change the bedding frequently.
 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373 355

Guinea pigs require a constant source of water that must be changed

daily. They dirty their water bowls or sipper tubes with food when they
drink. They do not lick sipper tubes without training, defecate indiscrim-
inately, and are prone to sit in and soil their food bowls and sleeping areas.
However, they are generally good eaters, and not as fussy as rabbits.
Guinea pigs and chinchillas are shy animals and need a place to hide
when in captivity. We find guinea pigs like objects in their cage that allow
them to hide easily. In the wild, chinchillas will conceal themselves in rock
crevices. Polyvinyl chloride plumbing pipes, especially elbows, Y and T
sections, make ideal hiding places. The pipes should be 4 to 6 inches in
diameter, and are easy to sanitize by placing in a dishwasher. Alternatively,
clay pipes of a similar diameter can be used, but are difficult to disinfect.
Chinchillas are very tolerant of cold, but sensitive to heat. A constant
temperature of 18 to 22 C (64–72 F) is optimum. Guinea pigs are more
tolerant of heat, and a temperature of 18 to 26 C (64–79 F) is recommended
[7]. In the laboratory, chinchillas are easily housed on either wire mesh or
solid-bottom cages; although solid-bottom cages are recommended for
pregnant females about to give birth. Due to their habit of dust bathing,
a box containing dust should be placed in the cage daily.

Dust baths for chinchillas

Bathing in dust is necessary for the welfare of chinchillas. When denied
dust bathing in captivity the fur becomes matted from oily secretions on
the back. Dust bathing often causes irritation of the eyes, resulting in
conjunctivitis without clinical signs of upper respiratory infection. Trautwein
described experimental pulmonary talcum granuloma and epithelial hyper-
plasia in the chinchilla associated with excessive dust bathing [11]. Generally,
dust consists of a mixture of silver sand and Fuller’s earth.
The different types of bathing dust available are:
1. Fuller’s earth is a type of clay. It is a nonplastic variety of kaolin
containing an aluminum magnesium silicate. The name is derived from
the ancient process of cleaning or fulling wool, to remove the oil and dirt
particles, with a water of earth or clay.
2. Diatomaceous earth is a light friable silica containing material derived
chiefly from the remains of diatoms (diatoms are any class of tiny
planktons or algae that form colonies, and have silicified skeletons, that
form diatomite).
3. Talc is a finely powdered native hydrous magnesium silicate.
4. Commercial dust baths such as Blue Cloud (Blue Cloud Mineral
Company, Saugus, California) and Blue Sparkle (Norton, Kansas) are
cement byproducts.
Fuller’s earth, Blue Cloud, and Blue Sparkle are the most popular (and
expensive) dusts with breeders and fur ranchers. More recently, volcanic ash
356 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373

from Mount St. Helen in Washington State has become fashionable. Some
individuals are allergic to the commercial powders, and they make a dust bath
preparation consisting of perfume-free talc powder (also known as talcum or
French-chalk) and a dietetic grade cornstarch. Dietetic grades of cornstarch
marketed as ‘‘Maizena’’ and ‘‘Mondamin’’ are best. Avoid using soluble-
starch that is potato or corn starch treated with dilute hydrochloric acid.
Breeders reduce or eliminate the corn starch with nursing mothers
because the babies get it up their noses, and develop rhinitis.

Nutrition
Grasses and hay are important in the guinea pig and chinchilla’s diet, and
we recommend that owners give both a high-fiber diet. Although we know
the specific nutrient requirements for most laboratory rodents (eg, rat,
mouse, guinea pig, hamster, gerbil, and vole), the chinchilla is the noticeable
exception in the National Research Councils ‘‘Nutrient Requirements of
Laboratory Animals’’ [12]. Consequently, although commercial chinchilla
diets such as Chinchilla Diet (Mazuri, St. Louis, Missouri) and Chinchilla
Deluxe (Oxbow, Murdock, Nebraska) are available, in reality they are
mixtures of rabbit, guinea pig, and rodent pellets. Commercial chinchilla
feed provides a diet supplemented with Vitamin C, lower in protein and fat
than standard rodent chow, and equivalent in fiber to a rabbit maintenance
diet. However, the pellets are longer than rabbit or guinea pig pellets, and
easier for the chinchilla to hold. The accepted formula for chinchilla pellets
is 16% to 20% protein, 2% to 5% fat, and 15% to 35% bulk fiber.
Recent work from the Hannover School of Veterinary Medicine in
Germany has looked at the ingestion behavior, feed, and water intake of dwarf
rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas kept as pets [13–15]. The chinchilla,
compared with rabbits or guinea pigs, shows noticeable differences in the
rhythm of feed intake and palatability of individual feed ingredients. When
offered mixed feed based on native components, chinchillas will select
individual ingredients based on high palatability, for example, carob, beet
pulp, and sunflower seeds. Rabbits and guinea pigs are not as fussy. Rabbits
and guinea pigs eat considerable amounts of food during the day, with
maximal feed intake occurring during the late afternoon and evening.
Chinchillas intensify their feed intake at night when they eat 70% of their daily
feed, with highest activity occurring between 9:00 PM and 7.00 AM.
All three species eat higher amounts of pelleted complete diet than hay
when offered both ad libitum. Rabbits eat 1.6 times, guinea pigs eat 1.8
times, and chinchillas eat 2.1 times of the pelleted complete diet. Rabbits eat
almost double the hay per day than guinea pigs and chinchillas (rabbits 6.5 g
vs 3.5g dry-matter per 100g body weight for guinea pigs and chinchillas).
Contrary to popular opinion, each species needs more time for the intake of
the pelleted complete diet than hay. Rabbits and chinchillas eat hay 3.6
times faster than pelleted diet, but guinea pigs eat it only 1.7 times faster.
 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373 357

Guinea pigs need a fresh supply of water daily, even if given succulent
feed such as carrots or apples, or else they will die [16]. When offered
succulent feed such as carrots or apples, rabbits and chinchillas will eat the
succulents and decrease water intake. However, while guinea pigs will eat
the succulents, they still maintain their water intake primarily from water-
sippers or water-bowls. Although rabbits and chinchillas can cope without
drinking water when given enough succulent feed to guarantee a sufficient
intake, we recommend that drinking water should always be available.
During water deprivation feed intake decreases, and the risk of energy
deficiency increases with a pelleted and succulent diet alone.
During consumption of a complete diet, the water intake of guinea pigs
and chinchillas varies by a factor of 4. Chinchillas drink 1.5 mL/g of diet,
rabbits drink 3 mL/g diet, and guinea pigs drink 6 mL/g of diet. However,
when offered hay and grass, rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas drink
similar amounts of water (2–3 mL/g of diet).
We should pay attention to higher crude fiber content in mixed feed diets
for pet rabbits, guinea pigs, and chinchillas. More intensive chewing activity
associated with longer time for ingestion affects wearing down the
continuously growing teeth [17]. Because guinea pigs eat hay slower than
rabbits and chinchillas, and will only consume half the hay per body weight
compared with a rabbit, a complete hay diet is inadequate for a guinea pig.
Owners must offer them pellets for nutritional balance. Chinchillas must
have access to feed at night as they consume most in the evening. Their feed
should be high in hay, as too much complete diet results in chinchillas
reducing water consumption.

Vitamin C supplementation for guinea pigs

Guinea pigs need approximately 10 mg Vitamin C/kg body weight daily
for maintenance and 30 mg Vitamin C/kg body weight daily for pregnancy.
Guinea pigs of all ages are dependent on a dietary source of vitamin C to
prevent scurvy or hypovitaminosis C.
The stability of vitamin C in diets varies with composition of the diet,
storage temperature, and humidity. Dampness, heat, and light reduce the
feed content of vitamin C. In fortified diets (ie, diets with Vitamin C well
beyond daily requirements), storage above 22 C (71.6 F) for 90 days may
oxidize one half of the initial vitamin C. Water in an open container may
lose up to 50% of its vitamin C in 24 hours. Aqueous solutions of vitamin C
will more rapidly deteriorate in metal, hard water, or heat, and are more
stable in neutral to alkaline solutions.
Clinical signs of hypovitaminosis C include thin, unkempt animals;
diarrhea, alopecia, and pain from swollen joints. Petechiae on mucous
membranes are not always seen although hematuria may be present. Guinea
pigs will show signs of vitamin C deficiency within 2 weeks if it is withheld.
Serum hypercholesterolemia (>60 mg/dL) and hypertriglyceridemia (>30
mg/dL) is observed in Vitamin C-deficient guinea pigs after an overnight fast.
358 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373

Vegetables high in Vitamin C include red or green sweet peppers, tomatoes,

spinach, and asparagus.

Pellets
Metastatic calcification occurs most often in guinea pigs older than 1 year
[18]. Clinically, animals present with muscle stiffness and failure to thrive.
Mineralization may be confined to soft tissues around elbows and ribs.
Early reports of this syndrome called it ‘‘wrist stiffness syndrome’’ because
of the foreleg involvement. Mineral deposition may also be more widespread
involving lungs, heart, aorta, liver, kidneys, uterus, and sclera. Dietary
factors such as a low magnesium and high phosphorus diet, and high
calcium or high Vitamin D intake have been implicated. Feeding
commercial high quality guinea pig diets has reduced the incidence of
metastatic calcification seen in laboratory colonies.

Hay
Urolithiasis is a common problem in older guinea pigs, especially females,
because of the proximity of the urethral orifice to the anus and the high risk
of infection with fecal contaminants like Eschericnia coli. However, we may
see it in guinea pigs of both sexes and all ages. Clinically, the owner sees
dysuria, anuria (crying when attempting to urinate), and occasionally
hematuria. Diagnosis is by abdominal radiology. The calculi are radio-
opaque and usually composed of calcium carbonate or calcium phosphate;
calculi can also be composed of calcium oxalate [19]. Obstructive urolithiasis
and possible concurrent septicemia can develop if the problem is not treated.
Although E coli is often cultured from urine samples, Group D salmonella
(Salmonella enteritidis) has been cultured [20].
Besides sex and age, diet may be related to urolithiasis. Too much alfalfa
hay will give a high Ca:P ratio in the diet. In sheep and cattle, leguminous
plants such as clover and alfalfa are associated with urinary calculi (known
as clover stones) especially when the animals have a high content of legume-
only feed in their diet for extended periods. The cause is related to the Ca:P
ratio. Legumes have a Ca:P ratio of 4:1, while grasses have a Ca:P ratio of
1.5:1.0. The desired Ca:P ratio in pasture for horses/cattle/sheep is around
1.2 to 2.0:1.0. Therefore, there is a need for a grass + legume balance, for
example, 70% to 80% grass + 20% to 30% legume (Table 1).

Treats
We recommend not feeding chinchillas or guinea pigs fresh foods that
have too high a liquid content, for example, lettuce. Treats such as grains,
dried apples, raisins, figs, hazelnuts, and sunflower seeds should be limited,
and never consist of more than one teaspoon a day. In chinchillas and
guinea pigs, as most rodents, the intestinal flora is very important, and we
should avoid any sudden change in their food pattern.
 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373 359

Table 1
Calcium and phosphorus content of common grass feeds
Forage Calcium (%) Phosphorus (%) Ca:P
Alfalfa hay 1.3 0.2 6:1
Alfalfa meal 1.4 0.2 7:1
Clover hay 1.5 0.3 5:1
Orchard grass hay 0.4 0.4 1:1
Timothy hay 0.5 0.2 2:1

Enrichment items for gnawing and wearing down the incisors are also
necessary. Scharmann [9] found that providing caged guinea pigs with
autoclaved softwood sticks stopped them from biting and gnawing on cage
bars and feed hoppers. Other enrichment items for gnawing include porous
stones such as pumice; young branches of trees such as elm, grapevines,
maple, birch, and pieces of bark from apple, pear and peach trees, and ash.
Advise the owner to avoid branches from poisonous trees such as cedar,
plum, redwood, cherry, and oleander.

Coprophagy
Both guinea pigs and chinchillas produce two types of fecal pellets: one
nitrogen-rich intended for cecotrophy, and one nitrogen-poor delivered as
fecal pellets. Studies in the degu, another South American hystricomorph
rodent, show that these rodents balance coprophagy with ingestion of food
[21]. When food is continually available, approximately 40% of the feces are
reingested, and 90% of this coprophagy occurs at night. However, when
food is limited, hystricomorph rodents ingest feces during parts of the day
when food is unavailable.

Life span
Pet guinea pigs and chinchillas live much longer than rats and mice. Web-
sites of pet guinea pig owners report a few cavies living as long as 12–15
years. There are no reports on the longevity of chinchillas as pets. However
data from zoos suggests that they have a maximal life span of 20 years. Pet
chinchilla owner web-sites report their pets living 12–15 years (Table 2).

Reproductive characteristics
Hystricomorph rodents share several unusual reproductive physiology
characteristics [22]. The most outstanding features are:
1. A long gestation period. Guinea pigs have a pregnancy of 68 days (range
is 59–72 days) and chinchillas have a gestation length of 111 days (range
of 105–115 days).
2. A long estrus cycle. Guinea pigs have a mean cycle length of 17 days
with a range of 13 to 25 days, and chinchillas have a mean cycle length
of 39 days with a range of 16 to 69 days.
360 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373

3. A vaginal closure membrane that is open at estrus and parturition but

sealed during anestrus and pregnancy.
4. Lateral position of the nipples. Guinea pigs are the exception, and have
only a single pair of inguinal nipples. Chinchillas have three pairs of
nipples—one inguinal pair and two lateral thoracic pairs.
5. Nonscrotal (ie, abdominal or inguinal) testes. There is no true scrotum
in any Hystricomorph rodent.
6. Penile styles or spicules on the glans penis. The styles are pronounced on
guinea pigs, but absent on chinchillas.
Guinea pigs have an average of four young per litter, with a range of 1 to
13, and chinchillas have an average of two young, with a range of 1 to 6. The
young of both species are born fully furred and well developed. Young
guinea pigs usually nurse for 21 days, although they can survive on solid
food alone after 5 days; young chinchillas usually nurse for 6 to 8 weeks, and
can survive on solid food after 21 days. Young male guinea pigs reach
puberty around 3 months and females at 2 months; chinchillas reach
puberty around 8 months of age.
Male hystricomorph rodents possess unusually well-developed and
elaborate male accessory reproductive glands. The secretions of the rodent
accessory glands form a copulatory plug that remains in the female tract
after copulation. In chinchillas, the vesicular gland provides the bulk of the
secretions and the fluid hardens to a rubbery or waxy consistency when
mixed with prostatic secretions. When very fresh, the plug is white and soft,
but on exposure becomes harder and more yellow. The copulatory plug can
be quite large in chinchillas, ranging from 2.5 to 3 inches in length. Current
hypotheses suggest that the primary function of the copulatory plug is
chastity enforcement in polygamous breeding rodents. In guinea pigs and
chinchillas, the copulatory plug prevents a second, competing ejaculate from
reaching the site of fertilization. The presence of a copulatory plug can be
used with rodents to see if mating has occurred. In the chinchilla, the
copulatory plug falls out overnight when the vaginal closure membrane is
sealing. In the guinea pig, the copulatory plug remains lodged until the
vaginal membrane closes, but is not always readily discernable.

Sexing of guinea pigs and chinchillas

Sexing chinchillas, guinea pigs, and other hystricomorph rodents can be
difficult. In many texts, the descriptions of external genitalia are cursory,
confusing, and at times inaccurate. Furthermore, the distinguishing features

Table 2
Average life spans of guinea pigs and chinchillas
Chinchilla Guinea pigs
12–20 years 6–8 years
 T.M. Donnelly, C.J. Brown / Vet Clin Exot Anim 7 (2004) 351–373 361

of sexual anatomy in these rodents are different to the more familiar small
companion animals such as dogs and cats.
In females, a vaginal closure membrane always seals the vaginal orifice
except during estrus and parturition. The vaginal orifice is U-shaped and
situated between the anus and the mound-shaped urethral orifice; distinguish-
ing it when closed is difficult, and it is ‘‘indicated’’ by a slightly, raised
semicircular area. When its closure membrane covers the vaginal orifice, the
urethral orifice can be mistaken as a genital opening. The well-developed
clitoris of female chinchillas and guinea pigs can be manually extruded
through the urethral orifice and mistaken as a penis. The clitoris consists of
paired roots, a body, and glans, is covered by a prepuce, and is the female
homolog of the penis. It extends along the ventral surface of the urethra, and
to the uninitiated, the clitoris can resemble a penis, albeit vestigial.
The vagina is open during estrus. During these times, the vaginal closure
membrane dissolves and then repairs. During estrus there is no vulval
swelling—rather, there is a change in perineal color; it goes from a dull, flesh
color to a deep red color. Color of the perineum increases dramatically at
the time of vaginal perforation and remains intense throughout most of
luteal phase of cycle.
Male chinchillas do not have a true scrotum. Instead, the testes are
contained within the inguinal canal or abdomen, and there are two small
moveable sacs (the postanal sacs) next to the anus, into which the caudal
epididymis can drop. Weir [22] has described chinchillas as ‘‘facultative
cryptorchids.’’ The external appearance of the scrotal sacs is similar to the
nonpendulous scrotum of pigs and cats. The penis is readily apparent below
the anus, from which it is separated by an expanse of bare skin. The penis
can be manually extruded 1 to 2 cm when flaccid. The tip of the erect penis
extends to the level of the axilla, a distance of about 11 cm.
As in other rodents, the anogenital distance gives the best initial
indication to the animal’s sex. In males, the distance is greater. Extrusion of
the penis from the urethral orifice will confirm the sex of the chinchilla, if the
clitoris is not mistaken for a penis. There are two major differentiating
features: the penis is larger than the clitoris, and the extruded penis can be
separated and distinguished from the prepuce, while the extruded clitoris
tends to evaginate and the clitoral prepuce is not apparent.

Recognizing illness
Nearly all significant reports on infectious diseases of chinchillas over the
past 50 years come from colonies of chinchillas raised for fur, and most reports
of bacterial disease in colonies are 20 years of age or older. Opportunistic
infections by normal bacterial residents of chinchillas will cause frank disease,
localized either to one organ (eg, Streptococcus, Pseudomonas, and
Colibacillosis) or as septicemia. Affected animals may be immunocompro-
mised through age, nutritional status, or husbandry-related stress.
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Hair loss
Alopecia develops to a degree in all guinea pigs in late pregnancy (60–70
days) and during nursing. It is due to reduced anabolism of maternal skin
associated with fetal growth. Hair loss usually begins on the back and
progresses bilaterally on the flanks and ventral abdomen. Suckling guinea
pigs may worsen the condition by pulling hair from their mothers. The
alopecia resolves slowly, either after parturition or when the sow stops
nursing.
Gerold et al [23] in Germany found more extensive and more frequent fur
defects in guinea pigs receiving a breeding diet with a high content of crude
protein (23% versus 15.5%), a low level of crude fiber (12% versus 19.5%),
and offered limited amounts of hay. The authors found how much hay is
offered is very important. In the authors’ colony, a group of five breeding
animals and their young required 200 g of hay daily to improve their hair
coat quality to normal. However, animals receiving less hay had pro-
gressively deteriorating hair coat density. Not only how much hay is offered,
but also the accessibility of the hay for all animals plays a role in preventing
alopecia. In larger cages (twice the usual ground surface area) fur defects
were seen when the authors offered the same amount of hay (200 g) in only
one central area, rather than spread out evenly throughout the cage. They
observed that hair loss was the result of barbering between adult animals
kept in the same cage. High-fiber pellets alone may not completely meet the
need for crude fiber in breeding animals.
Thinning of hair is common in young animals at weaning. It is associated
with a period of transition in which coarse guard hairs of the adult coat are
developing and neonatal fur is lost. Ear chewing and barbering is seen in
group-housed guinea pigs that develop a social hierarchy. Often younger
animals of lower rank develop hair loss from fur chewing by dominant older
members. An irregular almost stepwise pattern characterizes the hair loss.
Treatment involves separation of the aggressive animal.
Single-housed guinea pigs that become bored may inflict self-barbering.
In these cases, areas the animal cannot reach such as the head, neck, and
anterior shoulders are not affected. Changing the guinea pig’s environment
and providing large amounts of fresh hay often prevents boredom and stops
this vice.
We may see bilateral symmetrical alopecia in older females with
ovarian cysts. Treatment involves ovariohysterectomy. Differential diag-
noses for alopecia should include mite infections and ringworm.

Vocalizations and calls

Hystricomorph rodents produce a variety of sounds, both mechanical
and vocal, that express to other members of their species, the mood, and
level of arousal of the sender. Owners of pet guinea pigs and chinchillas
become familiar with the various sounds made by their pet.
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Several researchers [24–27] have analyzed guinea pig calls and distinguish
between 7 and 11 distinct sound patterns. Although each author gave different
names to each unique sound, there is general agreement on at least seven
sounds. The description and presumptive functions of each sound are:
1. The ‘‘chutts’’ or ‘‘clucks’’ are brief sounds occurring singly or in pairs, and
are emitted during general activity and exploration. They appear to
inform another guinea pig of the location and arousal level of the sender.
2. The ‘‘chutter’’ or ‘‘tutt-tutt-tutt’’ occurs in long bouts with an audibly
rising and falling frequency. The ‘‘whine’’ or ‘‘wheet’’ often follows the
chutter. Guinea pigs emit these sounds in situations of flight, discomfort,
or evasion. The clutter induces silence and immobility when heard by
other guinea pigs.
3. The ‘‘tweet’’ or ‘‘whee-wheet’’ is a call occurring in multiples with
a rising frequency. The young emit this call when the mother grooms
their anogenital regions.
4. The ‘‘whistle’’ or high-intensity ‘‘wheet’’ is a two-part call; whistles
occur singly or in long bouts. ‘‘Low whistles’’ may precede the ‘‘whistle’’
or they may occur alone. Owners most frequently encounter these calls
when providing food.
5. The ‘‘purr’’ is a burst of noise, with as many as 50 bursts per bout. This
is the purring call associated with mating behavior and filial behavior. It
occurs when a guinea pig allows or seeks contact. Aroused adult males
usually produce it to show sexual capacity. Females only make this
sound when kept together without males.
6. The ‘‘drr’’ is a short purr composed of brief bursts of noise. Guinea pigs
make drr’s usually in response to environmental change, especially
sudden sounds, and they seem to function as warning signals.
7. The ‘‘scream’’ is comparable to a whistle without the low range and
occurs in bouts with very brief intervals between sounds. The cornered
participant in a fight typically emits it.
8. The protest ‘‘squeal’’ (strong) or ‘‘squeak’’ (mild) is emitted singly and
lacks the ascending pitch of the scream. Guinea pigs emit squeals in
response to injury, when handled or groomed by a dominant.
9. The ‘‘chirp’’ is believed to be a low-intensity distress call or perhaps
a warning. It is not specific for an eliciting stimulus. and the context in
which it is emitted best defines its function.
10. Dominant animals emit the ‘‘grunt’’ when interacting with subordinates
or before attack. It appears to signify an intention to attack.
11. ‘‘Tooth chattering’’ is a response to a threat or overt conflict. Chattering
animals are often aggressive, and generally confronted with an unknown
animal of the same species. It appears to signal readiness to attack by
the sender.
Sounds of chinchillas have not been analyzed in any detail. In our
experience, all chinchillas make a ‘‘click’’ sound. It seems to function like
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a ‘‘chutt’’ or ‘‘cluck’’ in a guinea pig. A nursing female will often ‘‘click’’ at

her young if they nip her while feeding. Young chinchillas will emit
a ‘‘squawk’’ that appears to elicit a grooming response from the mother. The
mother then often pushes the young down to nurse.
If a chinchilla is injured, or handled awkwardly, it may emit a shrill
squeal. Eisenberg [26] describes an ‘‘eek-eek’’ call when a chinchilla is
frightened or seized. Animals nearby often leap around their cages in
response to this sound. Chinchillas will ‘‘tooth chatter’’ when aggressive and
confronted with an unknown chinchilla. If a fight occurs, chinchillas often
make a rasp-like sound, suggesting a snarl.
Male chinchillas make a ‘‘purr’’ after mating. It sounds similar to hiccups
and will often last for several minutes. Eisenberg [26] describes an unusual
call heard in isolated males who produce at intervals a ‘‘nyak-nyak’’ call.
The function of this call is not understood.

Unusual aspects of guinea pig and chinchilla anatomy

It is important to be aware of the unusual aspects of guinea pig and
chinchilla anatomy and not diagnose these features as signs of disease.
Lymphocytes are the predominant white blood cell in guinea pigs, and
range from 45% to 80% of the white blood cell count. Many small
lymphocytes are similar in size to erythrocytes. Large lymphocytes contain
Kurloff bodies, large intracytoplasmic mucopolysaccharide inclusion
bodies. Kurloff bodies occur under normal conditions in guinea pigs and
are estrogen dependent. Pregnant females may have 2% to 5% lymphocytes
with Kurloff bodies in their peripheral blood; they are present in large
numbers in adult females, and numbers fluctuate with the stage of estrous
cycle. There are few Kurloff bodies in adult males, and they are rarely seen
in newborns. It is important that pathologists are aware of Kurloff bodies
and do not misinterpret their presence as a pathologic finding. They can be
misinterpreted as lupus erythematosus cells (a phagocytic leukocyte that has
engulfed the denatured nucleus of an injured blood cell).
Sebaceous glands are abundant along the dorsal surface of guinea pigs and
around the anal orifice. The circumanal region contains a large accumulation
of sebaceous glands. The sebaceous glands are testosterone dependent, and in
adult males, excessive accumulation of sebaceous secretions occurs in the skin
around the base of the spine and the folds of the circumanal and genital
region. We see it more often in older, single-housed males. In areas covered
by fur, the hair becomes thick, matted, and greasy. These folds must be
periodically cleaned to preclude infections and unpleasant smell. Remove the
secretions with surgical alcohol or a gel hand cleanser.
Bony spicules may be seen radiologically in the lungs of guinea pigs.
Histologically, they are composed of dense lamellar bone with varying
degrees of calcification. There is no or minimal reaction in adjacent alveolar
septa. We can misinterpret them as inhaled fragments of bone of dietary
origin, or associated neoplasia with osseous metaplasia. This is an
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occasional, normal finding, and must be differentiated from soft tissue

metastatic calcification, a nutritional disorder.
The most common skin tumor of guinea pigs is a trichofolliculoma,
a benign tumor of the hair follicle epithelium. From two major surveys,
Frank [28] in Germany recorded 66 skin tumors in pet guinea pigs over a 15-
year period and found 30 (45%) were trichofolliculomas; Ediger [29], in the
United States, observed 79 spontaneous neoplasms in Dunkin-Hartley
guinea pigs over a 9-year period and found 29 (38%) were trichofollicu-
lomas. Pathologists may report a trichofolliculoma as a trichoepithelioma or
incorrectly diagnose it as a basal cell carcinoma. The tumor presents as
a slow-growing oval mass varying in diameter from 0.5 to 7 cm, and located
predominantly in the subcutis of the dorsal lumbar or sacral region, the
lateral femoral, and lateral thoracic area. Males are affected twice as
frequently as females, and the average age at diagnosis is 3 years.
Epidermoid cysts arising from hair follicles are often associated with these
tumors or may arise independently. Ulcerating tumors and ruptured cysts
discharge caseous material. Treatment of trichofolliculomas and epidermoid
cysts is surgical excision.
The chinchilla has an eye characteristic of a nocturnal rodent—large
cornea, large spherical lens, and extremely sensitive retina. However,
paradoxically it likes to bask in bright sunshine in their natural high-altitude
environment. To cope, its iris is heavily pigmented and its pupil contracts
from a vertical ellipse to a fine slit with a teardrop end, and then finally to
complete closure like some nocturnal snakes.

Capture and restraint

Guinea pigs are easy to hold and restrain. Although they do not bite,
very young guinea pigs may nip. Guinea pigs can be very vocal when
restrained, and we warn owners that it is a normal, healthy response. Sick
guinea pigs often remain quiet. Rolling a towel around a guinea pig to
restrain its body, while leaving its head out, allows easy examination of the
head and mouth.
Most pet chinchillas are easy to hold, and generally do not bite; however,
even a well-mannered pet will give warning nips if distressed, and if
frightened, will bite. Chinchillas also have an unpleasant habit of spraying
urine on enemies at a distance of up to 2.5 ft (75 cm). A hand-tamed
chinchilla will come out of its cage willingly; if it does not, when the handler
or owner lifts it out of its cage, if not held correctly, the chinchilla will lose
a patch of fur (known as ‘‘fur-slip’’) over the site where it is loosely grasped.
If the chinchilla escapes from the cage and is free in the examination room, it
can ricochet off walls like a rubber ball. Never try to catch a speeding
chinchilla by the tail or you might be left holding the tail and no chinchilla.
When lifting a chinchilla out of its cage, place one hand either under the
abdomen or over the shoulder blades and back of the neck, and with the
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other hand hold it by the base of the tail. If intending to walk around with
a chinchilla, one hand should always hold the base of the tail in case it wants
to jump. To determine the sex of a chinchilla, hold the animal by the base of
the tail and suspend it. However, never do this with a pregnant female.
If a chinchilla is known to bite, or it requires an oral cavity examination,
two people should hold the animal. One person should firmly restrain the
shoulder blades and back of the neck. The other person should hold the
chinchilla on a table by the base of the tail with one hand, and under
the abdomen with the other hand. The examiner additionally restrains the
animal by the occiput and back of the neck.
We emphasize that examiners or handlers should never hold a chinchilla
by scruffing the loose skin on the back of the neck as is done in ferrets or
cats. If this method of handling is attempted then ‘‘fur-slip’’ will occur, and
the individual holding may drop the chinchilla.

Sample collection
Blood collection
Guinea pigs can be difficult to bleed because of the lack of obviously
accessible peripheral veins. We use the lateral saphenous vein and the
cephalic vein for small amounts of blood. For large amounts of blood, we
use the anterior vena cava with the guinea pig under anesthesia. This is
a technique that requires practice. If performed incorrectly, there is a risk of
death associated with intrathoracic hemorrhage, pericardial hemorrhage, or
pulmonary hemorrhage. We always shave the site of venipuncture in guinea
pigs for good visualization. We use the same approach for chinchillas.

Fecal samples
Diarrhea or loose stools in guinea pigs and chinchillas usually result from
sudden dietary changes. Parasitic enteritis is rarely a problem. However, if
diarrhea is chronic or enzootic in a group of animals, infectious causes must
be considered.
Fecal floatation using a heavy sugar (sucrose) solution is ideal to examine
feces. Always use fresh fecal pellets as old pellets dehydrate making
suspension difficult. Detection of nematode eggs in guinea pigs is associated
with Paraspidodera uncinata, a 1- to 3-cm worm found in the cecum. It is
uncommon, and we only see it in guinea pigs housed in outdoor runs.
Intestinal nematodes are not reported in chinchillas.
Protozoal oocysts are more likely to be seen on fecal flotations.
Fortunately, most protozoa seen in guinea pigs and chinchillas are not
pathogenic. Two exceptions are Eimeria caviae oocysts in unthrifty guinea
pigs with loose slimy droppings; and spherical, nonmotile Giardia cysts in
chinchilla fecal pellets. Chinchillas with giardiasis have loose stools or
diarrhea, and motile Giardia trophozoites are seen in fresh fecal smears.
Stain the smear for easier detection of the trophozoites.
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Guinea pigs and chinchillas housed with other animals sometimes eat the
other species’ feces. Then we may see spurious parasite eggs or cysts on the
fecal floatation. Animals may also have objects in their feces that resemble
parasites. These include pollen grains, plant hairs, grain mites, mold spores,
and harmless plant and animal debris. Always obtain a good history of the
pet’s home environment and diet to help rule out pseudoparasites.

Preventive care
Chinchillas possess a predator avoidance mechanism known as fur slip.
When the animal is fighting or roughly handled, it can release a large patch
of fur, thus enabling it to escape. A clean smooth area of skin is left; hair
may require several months to regrow. Fur slip should not be confused with
the vice of fur-chewing seen when chinchillas chew each other’s fur resulting
in a moth-eaten coat. A current popular theory suggests that fur-chewing is
a behavioral disorder. Mothers often transmit the vice to offspring. Breeders
often suggest that the higher incidence of fur-chewing in commercial herds is
evidence for maladapted displacement behavior. Eidmann [30] suggested
that affected animals suffer from malnutrition and chew their fur for dietary
requirements. Multiple food factors are probably involved in this type of
malnutrition, and the exact etiology requires further dietary studies. A
previous theory for fur chewing suggested fur-chewers might have abnormal
endocrine activity, as there is increased thyroidal and adrenocortical activity
and another theory proposed a yet-to-be-discovered fur breakage fungus.
Eidmann showed that thyroid hyperplasia correlated to the size of chewed
fur over the body and interpreted it as a reactive response of the thyroids
due to insulation loss following fur removal. Eidmann also concluded that
an infectious etiology of fur-chewing was unlikely after she compared fungal
and bacterial culture of skin and fur from 39 fur-chewers with 19 healthy
chinchillas.
During breeding, bite wounds that abscess often occur in group-housed
animals. Culture of the abscesses often yields Staphylococcus species.
Female chinchillas are larger than males and more aggressive. They are
highly selective in their choice of males for mating, and will keep
‘‘unsuitable’’ males at bay by urination, kicking, and biting [31]. Often bite
wounds result in the loss of pieces of ears and toes. Killing a young male
housed in the same cage is common for older females [32].
Traumatic fractures of the tibia are commonly seen in chinchillas and
guinea pigs, and are associated with the animal catching its hind limb in
a cage bar. In chinchillas, the tibia is a straight bone longer than the femur
and with little soft tissue covering; the fibula is virtually nonexistent. Tibial
fractures are either transverse or short spiral, and generally are associated
with bony fragments.
Chinchillas usually give birth early in the morning and only rarely after
midnight [32]. Dystocia is usually associated with the presentation of
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a single, oversized fetus, or malpresentation of one or more kits.

Fortunately, chinchillas respond well to Cesarean section.
Male chinchillas that groom excessively, frequently produce small
amounts of urine or strain to urinate, and repeatedly clean their penis
may have a fur ring [33]. This is a ring of hair around the penis and under
the prepuce that eventually stops the penis from going back into the
prepuce. In severe cases, an engorged penis is seen protruding 4 to 5 cm from
the prepuce, resulting in paraphimosis. The condition is painful, and may
cause urethral constriction and acute urinary retention. Chronic para-
phimosis may culminate in infection and severe damage to the penis
affecting the animal’s breeding ability. Getting fur from a female during
copulation is the most common cause of fur ring. However, the fur may
come from other males or the same animal as the condition is also seen in
group-housed and single-housed males not exposed to females. Males
should be examined for fur rings at least four times a year; active stud-males
should be examined every few days. In some male chinchillas, the penis will
hang out of the prepuce all the time and is not engorged. In these males, the
cause of this condition is not associated with fur ring, but is due to
overexcitement brought on by separation from its mate or overexhaustion
due to too many females in the same cage. Fur rings can be cut or gently
rolled off the penis after applying a sterile lubricant. Occasionally, sedation
or anesthesia of the male may be required to remove the fur ring.

First visit
Complete physical exam. Guinea pigs display many coat types and colors.
The short, wire-haired Abyssinian may look unhealthy, as its coat
is arranged in whorls or rosettes giving it a ruffled, untidy appearance.
The mouth of guinea pigs is small, and examination of the oral cavity is
difficult. Healthy guinea pigs feel ‘‘dense’’ and are alert. Fatigue, lack of
interest in surroundings, and light body weight are often general signs of
illness.
Obtaining a good medical history is very important because the owner
knows the behavior of the pet much better than the veterinarian does,
simply because chinchillas are such shy animals. Healthy chinchillas have
a curled tail that is carried high and a spirited curiosity. Sick animals are
indifferent, have a dull coat, and often their perianal area is stained or
covered with feces. An animal that flies around the cage in a frenzy when the
breeder attempts to capture it has not been socialized to people or other
chinchillas, and will be difficult to examine without sedation.
The initial examination should involve observing the animal in its cage.
You should focus on its movement, breathing, and rhythm of breathing
while in the cage. Initiate the physical examination by measuring the
animal’s weight. This tells you about the feeding. Now is also a good time to
obtain the temperature; because of their tiny size, do not expect to obtain
a peripheral pulse.
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Next, examine the fur, skin, and mucous membranes. Follow this by
auscultating the heart and lungs, and then palpate the abdomen. For this
purpose fix the front legs and chest of the chinchilla with your left hand, and
arrange the animal to sit on your right hand, with which you can palpate the
abdomen. During palpation, you can feel the stomach and the presence and
consistency of fecal pellets in the intestine.
After abdominal palpation, the last part of the examination is to look
into the oral cavity of the animal because it can be stressful for the
chinchilla, and it can become excited. For this purpose, an assistant should
restrain the chinchilla during the oral examination. The examiner should
hold the chinchilla by the back of the neck and use an otoscope. Healthy
chinchillas have yellow incisors (like rodents) due to iron deposition on
enamel of incisors.

Dental exam and recommendations. The clinical signs and treatment for
malocclusion in the guinea pig and chinchilla are almost identical to the
rabbit, but the premolar teeth are more commonly affected.

Importance of spay/neuter
Female guinea pigs have a high incidence of reproductive and breeding
problems, and therefore, neutering is recommended if the animals will not
be bred.
In entire females older than 1 year, multiple cysts are often present on the
ovaries. The cysts, which may be unilateral or bilateral, contain clear, serous
fluid and may grow up to 2 to 4 cm in diameter. Clinically ovarian cysts are
associated with reduced reproductive performance, cystic endometrial
hyperplasia, mucometra, endometritis, and alopecia. Cyst size and pre-
valence increases with age [34]. A recent survey [35] described 10 guinea pigs
with an ovarian cyst that had clinical signs of anorexia, alopecia, or
depression. Diagnosis of the disease by plain radiography is difficult because
of the similar opacity of ovarian cysts compared with abdominal neoplasms,
and trichobezoars. Abdominal ultrasound allows differentiation by imaging
the inner structure of the ovarian cyst. Treatment is laparotomy and surgical
removal of the ovary and cyst.
Female guinea pigs have a high perinatal mortality. Dystocia and still
births are related to large fetuses, subclinical ketosis, and fusion of the
symphysis pubis. If females are bred after 6 months of age, the symphysis
pubis may have ossified and will not separate during parturition. We often
see stillbirths in primiparous females. Pregnancy lasts 59 to 72 days, with an
average of 63 days. If a female strains continually for more than 20 minutes
or fails to produce young after 2 hours of intermittent straining, consider
dystocia. Careful examination of the cervix is necessary to assess how much
separation of the symphysis pubis is present. There should be at least the
width of the index finger to permit passage of the fetus. If adequate
separation has occurred, oxytocin injection (1–2 units intramuscularly) can
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be given. If the fetus is stuck, or parturition does not begin within 15

minutes of giving oxytocin, performing a Cesarean section is necessary.
The uterus should be opened close to the bifurcation of the horns and
cervix, as the guinea pig has a bicornuate uterus with one cervix.
Guinea pigs often develop pregnancy toxemia in late pregnancy.
Although the clinical signs are similar, there are two recognized forms of
pregnancy toxemia: the fasting/metabolic form, and the toxic form. Affected
sows show depression, acidosis, ketosis, proteinuria, ketonuria, and
a lowered urinary pH from around 9 to 5 or 6.
Metabolic pregnancy toxemia occurs in obese sows, especially females
in their first or second pregnancy. A reduced carbohydrate intake and
mobilization of fat as a source of energy causes the disease. Changes in
feeding routine and stress may precipitate the crisis. Clinically, the sow stops
eating and is initially depressed, then becomes comatose and usually dies
within 5 to 6 days. Treatment is rarely successful in advanced cases.
Aggressive treatment is necessary, and involves the administration of 5%
glucose solution either intravenously or subcutaneously; or propylene glycol
orally; nutritional supplementation; and Cesarean section. Sows in late
pregnancy can be given water within which a small amount of glucose has
been dissolved as a preventive measure.
The circulatory or preeclampsia form of pregnancy toxemia is due to
uteroplacental ischemia. The gravid uterus compresses the aorta, resulting in
significant reduction of blood to the uterine vessels. Placental necrosis,
hemorrhage, ketosis, and death follow. If suspected, emergency Cesarean
section or ovariohysterectomy are required to save the sow’s life.

Grooming
Long-haired cavies such as Peruvians, Shelties, Coronets, and Texels
require regular brushing out and as their coats grow, the coat needs to be
put into wrappers. If the owner wishes to exhibit these animals, they must be
shown with the coat complete. Experienced breeders achieve this by keeping
the coat in wrappers of cloths or paper to protect it from damage.

Medication and administration

Antibiotic associated dysbacteriosis or ‘‘antibiotic toxicity’’
We cannot overemphasize the lethal sensitivity of the guinea pig to
antibiotic therapy. Antibiotics reported to cause enterotoxemia include
penicillin, ampicillin (amoxicillin), bacitracin, erythromycin, spiramycin,
streptomycin, lincomycin, clindamycin, vancomycin, and tetracycline.
Topical antibiotics have also caused fatal enterotoxemia. Overall, avoid
narrow-spectrum antibiotics with antibacterial activity against Gram-positive
bacteria. The cause of death is decrease in Gram-positive bacteria and in-
crease in Gram-negative bacteria and bacteremia/septicemia. Paradoxically,
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Table 3
Therapeutic doses of antibiotics used safely in guinea pigs
Ceftiofur 1 mg/kg i.m. q 24 h (for pneumonia)
Cephaloridine 12.5 mg/kg i.m. q 8–24 h for 5–14 days
Chloramphenicol 50 mg/kg p.o. q 12 h
Chloramphenicol 30–50 mg/kg s.c., i.m. q 12 h
Ciprofloxacin 10–20 mg/kg p.o. q 12 h
Enrofloxacin 5–10 mg/kg p.o., i.m. q 12 h
Gentamicin 6 mg/kg s.c. q 24 h (use cautiously)
Metronidazole 10–40 mg/kg p.o. q 24 h
Neomycin 12–16 mg/kg p.o. q 12 h
Sulfamethazine 1 mg/mL drinking water up to 60 days p.o.
Sulfadimethoxine 10–15 mg/kg p.o. q 12 h
Abbreviations: p.o., by mouth; i.m., intramuscularly; s.c., subcutaneously; q, every.

clostridial overgrowth (Clostridium difficile) has also been identified. C difficile

is a pathogenic organism, not normally recoverable from intestinal contents.
Table 3 shows therapeutic doses that have been used safely in guinea pigs.

Oral administration and injections

Application of drugs by mouth is possible if chinchillas are offered tablets
hidden in raisins; chinchillas will eat them because they are inquisitive. A
subcutaneous injection can be injected on the side of the torso; if the owner
is concerned about fur-slip from the injection, it can be performed on the
inside of the femur, the knee, or neck. Intramuscular injections should not
exceed 0.5 mL, and should be given in the hind limbs.

Recommended reading
Books
Refer to the chapter on rats and mice for good multiauthored veterinary
books on exotic pets. In addition, the following books are useful:
Morales E. The guinea pig: healing, food and ritual in the Andes. Tucson
(AZ): University of Arizona Press; 1995. This book is the most
complete and current ethnographic account of the traditional uses of
cuy in the Andes, and is the primary source for much of the
information presented in the introduction of this article.
Richardson VCG. Diseases of domestic guinea pigs. Oxford (UK):
Blackwell Publications; 2000. This is a small book by a UK
veterinarian who has bred and exhibited guinea pigs for over 30 years.
It has a chapter on Alternative Therapies.

Pet owners manuals

TFH Publications, Neptune, NJ, has several good books (some trans-
lated from German) on chinchillas in its catalog. They include
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1. Karen Zeinert. All about chinchillas.

2. Egon Mosslacher. Breeding and caring for chinchillas.
3. Horst Kuhner. A step-by-step book about chinchillas.
Web sites
There are few reliable Web sites on chinchillas and guinea pigs. Many are
erroneous. We find the best Web sites are:
American Cavy Breeders Association (ACBA)
http://www.acbaonline.com
The UK National Directory of Cavy breeders
http://www.cavybreeder.cjb.net
The Chinchilla Lexikon has excellent images of fur colors, anatomy, and
common diseases. However, the site is in German and not English.
http://www.chinchilla-lexikon.de/index2.shtml

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