Sick Guinea pig is sick already, please advise

Nika Lee · Feb 11, 2013

Hello everyone. I just bought two guinea pigs 24 hours ago, two males. One I looked at for a few minutes and got both. Of course the one I didn't hold, I am now noticing while watching them during their floor time that his eye has a crust of greenish "goo." I called Petco (I had a feeling it would go badly getting from there) and they said I have to sell the guinea pig back and after 2 weeks can buy him back. I am really bummed out; I waited/set up for the past month getting ready for them and may already have to get rid of them. The Petco associate said it sounds like a bad cold or gonads, both easily brought on by stress in the guineas and is highly contagious.

My questions are is this something that can clear up if I keep the guinea pig warm, stress free and well fed? I already like him a lot, him and the male get along excellently. Tonight he did take a little bit of carrot and romaine from my hand. Two, if I take one back to get treated might I just take them both back for treatment? I'm sad to have to wait 2 more weeks but if this is something serious it will be worth the break of course. They haven't been less than 5 inches apart (even though their cage is very big) and when they were in their play pen I heard both sound like what was sneezing, is it maybe just the new smells?

I'm bummed. What do you guys think? Thank you!

RodentCuddles · Feb 11, 2013

No Idea what a gonad is. But guinea pigs do not get colds.

This is one of the many reason we do not promote or agree with buying guinea pigs from pet shop.
It sounds like he has a URI, which is very very common in pet shop pigs and it is not brought on just by stress..most the pet shop pigs have them from the mills or back yard breeder where they come from.

They both need to go to a Cavy Vet Which means not just an normal cat or dog vet but an exotic vet as cat and dog vets don't study about guinea pigs and usually know nothing or very few things about guinea pigs.

CavyMama · Feb 11, 2013

It sounds like a URI. Guinea pigs don't get colds. The fact that the associate told you it could be a cold or gonads tells me how uneducated that person is about guinea pig care Their gonads are their testicles which obviously would have nothing to do with a URI.

Unfortunately this type of thing is all too common with guinea pigs from Petco/Petsmart. The pigs likely have a URI and need to get on antibiotics (with a probiotic) after being seen by a cavy savvy vet.

asnnbrg · Feb 11, 2013

Gonads are testicles or ovaries. I can't even imagine why the associate would be claiming the pigs' gonads would be contagious (?) or cause eye goo. Guinea pigs also don't get colds. They get uris, or upper respiratory infections. These must be treated with antibiotics. They need to see an veterinarian who specializes in exotics as soon as possible. A visit and the meds will most likely be less than $100. Warm, stress free and well fed will help them get better after they get the meds, but it will not help them heal if they are not medicated. Just as people need antibiotics to clear up severe infections, so do guinea pigs need abx to clear up uris. They can and will die if they are not treated.

Best wishes that they get better soon.

Nika Lee · Feb 11, 2013

Thank you guys! And sorry, that was a terrible auto-correct issue, gondas pronounced john-das (jaundice)

I will go to an exotic vet, thank you for that tip!

Nika Lee · Feb 11, 2013

asnnbrg said:
A visit and the meds will most likely be less than $100.

That is so good to know, thank you! Because the issue is I also bought them in a town an hour and a half away and the Petco down here is trying to act like they are doing me a favor by treating them for free. But to me it will be worth it to find someone who truly understands them/this issue/is closer to my home.

asnnbrg · Feb 11, 2013

Nika Lee said:
That is so good to know, thank you! Because the issue is I also bought them in a town another town an hour and a half away and the Petco down here is trying to act like they are doing me a favor by treating them for free. But to me it will be worth it to someone who truly understands them/this issue/is closer to my home.

You may want to ask the vet upfront about costs, but when I recently had my pig treated, her visit + meds were just over $50, but she had a comprehensive exam that included several tests because she has several issues. Your vet may be more or less, and if the infections are stubborn, costs may also be more due.

The jaundice thing also confuses me, too, but goodness' knows, I haven't heard of everything.

But I definitely recommend taking them to a cavy vet instead of PetCo.

CavyMama · Feb 12, 2013

Jaundice is very unlikely but even if that was the case, it wouldn't show up as any kind of greenish goo discharge. Jaundice is a yellowing of the skin and has more to to with blood cells than anything respiratory.

bpatters · Feb 12, 2013

I think your pet store employee knows absolutely nothing about guinea pigs -- neither a cold nor jaundice is responsible for the symptoms.

Your pig undoubtedly has an URI, and needs to see a knowledgeable vet for antibiotics. I wouldn't take him back to the pet store at all -- he might get treated, he might not. If you'll post the name of the city you're closest to, we'll see if we can help you find a vet.

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Sick Guinea pig is sick already, please advise

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