🩺 Common Guinea Pig Health Problems
The illnesses every owner should spot early, from mites and scurvy to bloat and dental trouble.
Guinea pigs hide illness until it is serious, so knowing the common problems and their early signs is one of the most useful things an owner can do. This is a spotting guide, not a substitute for an exotic vet.
- Scurvy (vitamin C deficiency) — rough coat, swollen joints, reluctance to move. Prevent it with daily vitamin C from veg and a supplement.
- Mites and lice — intense scratching, hair loss and scabs, sometimes little seizures from the itching. Very treatable by a vet; do not ignore it.
- Bloat and gut stasis — a pig that stops eating or pooping, or looks swollen and hunched, is an emergency. Their gut can shut down within hours.
- Overgrown teeth (malocclusion) — drooling, dropping food, weight loss. Their teeth grow constantly, which is why unlimited hay matters.
- Respiratory infection — laboured or crackly breathing, discharge from the nose or eyes. Pigs go downhill fast, so treat quickly.
- Bumblefoot (pododermatitis) — red, swollen footpads from wire floors or dirty bedding. Soft, clean flooring prevents it.
- Urine scald and bladder stones — a wet, sore rear or blood in the urine. Cut back high-calcium foods and see a vet.
- Ovarian cysts — symmetrical hair loss on the flanks of older sows. A vet can confirm and treat.
The universal red flags: not eating, not pooping, laboured breathing, or sudden weight loss. Any one means see an exotic vet the same day. A weekly weigh-in on a kitchen scale is your best early-warning system.
Last updated August 2026 · Written from years of keeping long-haired guinea pigs in the Houston area. This is general care information, not veterinary advice. For anything medical, please see an exotic vet.
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