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Guinea Pig Symptoms Checker: Signs of Illness & What It Means

This symptom checker can help you identify potential health problems in your guinea pig. While it includes many common and lesser-known conditions, it’s not exhaustive. Whether or not your guinea pig shows signs of distress, always consult a vet for a professional diagnosis.

For more details on specific conditions, please click the links.

External physical symptoms

Visible symptoms are often the first indication that your guinea pig is ill. Below are some signs you might notice and potential conditions they could indicate.

Sores and scabs

Sores and scabs on a guinea pig can lead to significant discomfort and should be investigated immediately to avoid further distress to your pet. 

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Lumps and swellings

Lumps and swellings in guinea pigs can vary in severity and may be a sign of minor issues or more serious conditions. The lump’s location often provides insight into the underlying cause:

  • Bumblefoot: Swellings on the feet. If the swelling resembles an extended growth, it could indicate foot spurs.
  • Arthritis: Lumps or swellings in the joints.
  • Impacted rectum: Swelling around the bottom might result from an impacted rectum, which is common in older males but rare in females.
  • Lymph node cancer: Swollen lymph nodes can be a symptom of lymphosarcoma, a type of lymph node cancer.
  • Sebaceous cysts: Most commonly seen on the back or rump.

Crusty nipples

Crusty nipples in female guinea pigs can indicate ovarian cysts, with hair loss along the sides being another common symptom. While not an immediate emergency, a diagnosis is crucial to determining the appropriate next steps and treatment. For in-depth information, please refer to our page on ovarian cysts in guinea pigs.

Dry, red, sore or flaky skin

Dry, flaky, or inflamed skin can be extremely uncomfortable for your guinea pig. It’s crucial to determine the root cause of these symptoms before they escalate. The following conditions can result in such skin issues.

Greasy Hair & Dandruff (Seborrhoea)

A buildup of grease and dead skin flakes, known as “seborrhoea”, is a symptom indicating skin irritation rather than a standalone disease. A greasy coat often results in pruritus (itching). This accumulation of grease on the skin can promote bacterial and yeast growth, possibly leading to secondary infections.

Several underlying conditions can cause seborrhoea. 

Special medical shampoos can help manage seborrhoea symptoms. Regularly using these shampoos can help clear away grease and skin debris, giving your guinea pig relief. However, it is vital to get a vet’s diagnosis as your pet will need treatment for whatever is causing this problem.

Hair loss or thinning hair

Hair loss or thinning in guinea pigs can result from various conditions. For a comprehensive list and in-depth explanations of these symptoms, please visit our page on guinea pig hair loss.

Runny nose

A runny nose in your guinea pig can signal several health concerns. These include:

Each of these conditions often comes with other symptoms. For a detailed understanding, please consult the individual pages dedicated to these conditions.

Sore or watery eyes

Sore or watery eyes in guinea pigs can stem from minor issues or more serious conditions. If your guinea pig has these symptoms, there are several potential causes:

Please see our page on guinea pig eye health and eye conditions for more comprehensive information.

Cloudy or opaque eye

A cloudy eye in a guinea pig indicates a potential health concern that requires medical attention. It can be a sign of various issues.

Please visit our dedicated page on guinea pig eye problems for a deeper understanding of these issues and further insights into guinea pig eye health.

Wet tail end

A wet tail end or bottom in guinea pigs can be a sign of various health or environmental concerns:

  • Urinary infection
  • Diarrhoea
  • Bedding issues: Unsuitable bedding or infrequent changes can lead to increased dampness around their tail end.
  • Long hair: Hair around the rear end can trap moisture and cause problems if not adequately maintained.

For optimal care, especially with long-haired breeds, keep the hair around their bottom area short to prevent potential sores and matting.

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Weight loss

If your guinea pig’s weight has dropped significantly, it is a serious issue and can indicate significant health problems. 

This list isn’t exhaustive and, given the severity of weight loss, it’s essential to make an appointment with a vet for an accurate diagnosis and the correct steps can be taken to help them regain a healthy weight.

Drooling

If your guinea pig is drooling or has a wet chin, it could be a sign of several significant health concerns:

All these situations are critical and necessitate immediate veterinary attention.

Maggots or worms on your guinea pig

If you find maggots or worm-like creatures on your guinea pig, it’s likely due to flystrike. This critical condition should be treated as an emergency, requiring immediate medical intervention. For more information, please refer to our article on flystrike.

While worms are rare in domesticated guinea pigs, there’s still a slight possibility they might be affected. If you suspect worms, consult a vet for appropriate treatment guidance.

Behavioural symptoms

As a guinea pig owner, you’ll become familiar with your pet’s usual behaviours, and will recognise what is normal and what is not. If you notice anything unusual in how they behave, it is likely there is something wrong.

Depression, irritability or unusual behaviour

Unusual behaviour in guinea pigs, such as depression or irritability, can indicate possible health issues. Several factors that might cause behavioural changes include:

  • Pain: Discomfort can drastically alter a guinea pig’s demeanour. 
  • Mobility issues: Challenges in movement can stem from conditions like arthritis, leading to noticeable behavioural changes.
  • Itching: This can result from external parasites such as mites or lice.
  • General sickness: A feeling of malaise can modify their typical behaviour.
  • Hormonal imbalances: Conditions, including ovarian cysts, can cause behavioural changes in guinea pigs due to hormonal fluctuations.

To look deeper into guinea pig behaviours and understand their significance, please visit our dedicated guinea pig behaviour page.

Scratching

Frequent scratching in guinea pigs indicates skin irritation. It’s crucial to diagnose these symptoms, as unchecked, they can worsen and significantly distress your guinea pig.

Potential causes include:

Not eating or eating problems

If your guinea pig alters their eating habits, struggles to eat, or stops eating entirely, it’s a significant concern that needs immediate action. A guinea pig’s refusal to eat can rapidly result in severe digestive and dental problems.

Several critical conditions can affect a guinea pig’s appetite and require prompt attention:

Increased thirst and urination

While guinea pigs naturally drink more in warmer weather, excessive thirst and urination can indicate a serious health concern:

  • Diabetes
  • Kidney disease
  • Hyperadrenocorticism: Although rare in guinea pigs, this condition can also cause weight gain.

Muscle tremors / seizures

If your guinea pig experiences a seizure or muscle tremors, there’s a serious underlying cause that needs investigation. Prompt intervention is essential. It could be one of the following:

If an immediate appointment with your vet is unavailable, refer to our articles on these conditions for urgent advice and guidance.

Squeaking as if in pain

If you’re familiar with the typical sounds a guinea pig makes, you’ll know when a squeak indicates pain. This loud, high pitched squeak is a clear sign that something is wrong and could be one of the following. 

Digestive and urinary symptoms

Digestive and urinary irregularities can signal health issues in your guinea pig. Below are some symptoms to watch for, along with the potential conditions they might indicate.

Diarrhoea or soft poop

Diarrhoea in guinea pigs is abnormal and can indicate several health issues:

Urine colour

If your guinea pig’s urine is an abnormal colour, there could be several reasons, depending on the colour.

Pink or red urine

If your guinea pig seems to be peeing pink or red urine, this colour can result from two main factors:

1. Dietary pigments: Guinea pigs that consume foods rich in certain pigments, like vitamin A, may excrete pink or red urine. Common culprits include beetroot, dandelions, and several other vegetables. This colour change, induced by diet, is harmless. You may even sometimes notice a more orange-coloured pee, depending on what they are eating.

2. Medical conditions: Pink or red urine can indicate the presence of blood, known as hematuria. If you spot dried brown urine on the bedding, it might also be a sign of blood in the urine, as blood can turn brown upon drying. Potential causes of blood in the urine include

When dealing with female guinea pigs, one shouldn’t assume the bleeding is menstrual. Guinea pigs don’t have periods or experience any bleeding like human females. Any such bleeding could point to an underlying issue in the reproductive system.

White or cloudy urine

It is pretty common for guinea pigs to have urine that looks white or a bit cloudy. However, this isn’t ideal as it can be a precursor to or sign of bladder stones or bladder sludge. Please read our article, which provides information on bladder stones in guinea pigs.

Bad breath

Bad breath in guinea pigs is abnormal and can indicate the following health concerns:

Respiratory symptoms

Although respiratory problems in guinea pigs are common, breathing issues are not always related directly to the respiratory system but can be a symptom of a problem elsewhere. Here are some of the signs to look for, along with potential causes:

Breathing problems and noises

Breathing difficulties in guinea pigs are a major cause for concern. If your guinea pig is breathing rapidly, loudly, has laboured breathing or emits a hooting sound, you must seek medical attention immediately.

Another distinct sound is “ruttling.” This originates from the nose or upper airways during inhalation and is caused by mucosal swelling. When soft tissues become inflamed, the nasal mucosal folds vibrate as the guinea pig breathes, producing the ruttling sound. This symptom is more common in very short-nosed guinea pigs.

Additional respiratory sounds which also cause concern include crackling noises and raspy breathing.

Potential reasons for breathing problems in guinea pigs include:

Sneezing

An occasional sneeze from a guinea pig might not cause alarm, but frequent sneezing requires attention. Sneezing could suggest the following conditions:

Movement and posture symptoms

Guinea pigs are incredibly active pets, so if they become less active or are moving abnormally, it is a symptom that something is wrong. 

Balance, posture and mobility problems

If a guinea pig has reduced or abnormal movement, shows signs of lethargy or has difficulty maintaining balance and posture, it could indicate an array of diverse health concerns:

Weakness or fatigue

It’s deeply worrying if a guinea pig appears weak or weary. Limited or sluggish movement typically points to a severe issue and could be attributed to one of the following:

Head tilt

A head tilt in a guinea pig may indicate a severe condition and should always be addressed with utmost seriousness by scheduling a vet appointment. Possible underlying health issues include:

If you haven’t been able to find the symptom you’re looking for, try searching the rest of our website

Getting a professional diagnosis

We can get an idea of what may be causing health issues in our guinea pigs by checking their symptoms, but a qualified vet who has plenty experience in dealing with guinea pigs is the best person to diagnose and prescribe treatment.