A,B

A is for:

Abscess: A pocket of pus that can be located anywhere on the body or internally. Caused by infection, they can result from bites from another guinea, infection during surgery or maybe a cut. Treatment is to lance the abscess and flush at least once daily with Hartmans solution (from your vet) and perhaps with some added Baytril (under the advice of your vet). Use a Canula attached to a syringe to achieve maximum flushing that gets to the parts not reached by just using a syringe, also a lot more comfortable for guinea.

Commonly found under the chin and in the mouth where there is usually a dental related issue too.

Abyssinian: A rough coated variety of guinea pig with 8 to 10 rosettes placed in specific places on the body, coat should be stiff and ridges upright. Abyssinians come in all colours and have been satinised and there have been some rexoid versions known as Somalis.

Agouti: There are several colours of Agouti including Golden (gold and black), Lemon (silver and cream), Silver (silver and black), Cinnamon (silver and chocolate), Cream (chocolate and cream). The hairs are two colour (ticked) and the pattern is uniform all over the body. The ticking should be regular/consistent and even be present round the eyes.

Alfalfa: A legume that most dry guinea pig foods are based on. Oxbow found that most of the guinea pigs that develepoed bladderstones were fed on alfalfa based diet. Also known as Lucerne.

Alpaca: A rexoid version of the Peruvian. This variety has very soft hair (the softest of the long haired breeds). Two rosettes on the rump throw the hair forward across the face of the guinea pig and falling down around the sides and rear. These are kept in wrappers if they are being shown, when their show ‘career’ is over they are trimmed off. This coated variety comes in all colours.

Anal Sac: The anal sac is present in both boars and sows but is much smaller in sows. It is the anal sac that gets impacted and needs cleaning when muscles stretch etc.

Anaesthetic: These days anaesthetic is done using ‘gas’ as opposed to injection. This makes surgery much safer as the source of anaesthetic can be removed at once if there is a problem and the body flooded with oxygen. Guinea pigs do not need to be starved before an anaesthetic as they cannot vomit. Their mouths should be flushed prior to the operation though to get rid of any food stuffs that may be caught in the many folds of the mouth. Isoflurane / Servoflourane are the two most popularly used on guinea pigs.

American Crested: A short haired, smooth coated guinea pig with a crest that is a contrasting colour to its body colour (white). Body colour must be solid. Comes in all the Self colours.

Apples: Should not be fed in excess as they have the wrong Calcium to Phosphorus ratio for a guinea pig’s diet. Occasionaly they can cause mouth sores which often clear up when acidic foods are left out of the diet. Failing this oral cream and advice can be obtained from Gorgeous Guineas .

Argente: A ticked guinea pig (like the Agouti). Each hair is 2 colours. (Click on picture to see more detail).

Aubiose: Hemp bedding for equine use that is suitable for guinea pigs. A soft bedding (Medibed/Vetbed etc) will need to be put in the houses or whhere the guinea pigs rest as Aubiose isn’t particularly soft.

Avipro: A probiotic from Vetark. Probiotics should be used 1 hour after antibiotics are given. Available from SPH Supplies.

B is For:

Babies: Known as Mini Pigs and Pups. Litter sizes range from 1 to 8 babies and average at 3 or 4. The pupslook like miniature versions of adults when born and are eating solids usually within 24 hours.

Barley Grass: A cereal grass that is packed full of nutrients and is quick and easy to grow. Only a little is needed because it is so high in nutrients. See Planet Guinea for more information and to buy online.

Bathing: Guinea pigs have not adjusted to the humid environment in the United Kingdom and research by Vedra Stanley Spatcher at The Cambridge Cavy Trust found that it was beneficial to bath guineas 4-6 weekly. A gentle shampoo such as one of the Gorgeous Guineas range is advisable. These have been trialled on Humans and hundreds of guinea pigs before they were marketed.

Baytril: A broad spectrum antibiotic. Obtainable only via prescription. Dose rate varies according to the problem but is commonly given at 0.4ml twice daily. A probiotic needs to be given 1 hour afterwards to restore any destroyed gut flora. Occasionaly guinea pigs will go off their food when taking Baytril. In order to be effective the dose must be correct and the whole course (minimum of 10 days) needs to be followed.

Bedding: Choosing a good bedding is important as guinea pigs carry their noses and bodies close to the ground. All wood bedding contains oils (natural or essential) and are not recommended for guinea pigs.

Beige Self: A solid coloured guinea pig with even colouring and good ‘type’.

Belted: A smooth coated guinea pig that is black with a white ‘belt’ circling its body.

Black and Tan: A black Self type guinea pig with Tan eye circles and well defined markings round the face, chest and belly.

Black Self: A solid coloured typey guinea pig with large ears and big eyes. The nose is ’rounded’ as opposed to being ‘triangular’. The undercoat should be as black as the top coat.

Bladder stones/sludge: Sometimes the result of an incorrectly balanced diet, a guinea pig’s diet must be balanced in Calcium and Phosphorus; often diets are high in Phosphorus (fruits and roots). They can also be hereditary. Removal is necessary or the guinea pig can die a horrible death. Indications that bladderstones may be presentcan be any of the following: squeaking when urinating, blood in the urine, arching the back towards the end of urinating. Read how Marbles overcame multiple bladderstones with extra fluids and Uriflow.


Bloat: The guinea pig ballons in size and when the sides are flicked they make a hollow sound similar to that when a balloon is flicked. Immediate treatment is required but first it should be determined what type of bloat guinea has, therefore a vet should be consulted and at once.

Buff: A ginger coloured, dark eyed guinea pig.

Bumblefoot: Cracked skin on the bottom of the foot which is often swollen. Infection often gets in making the condition worse. Some cases have been healed completely with the use of Gorgeous Guinea Perfect Paws and Happy Soles ointment.

Pictures copyright of owner, donated to Guinea Pig Welfare.

December 31, 2008   Posted in: Wheekerpedia

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