23 Jun 2023
Benjamin Witcomb
Job Title
Image © marritch / Adobe Stock
There’s no doubt about it – rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters will always be popular choices with clients, especially those with small children. As RVNs, SVNs and patient care assistants, we all play a role in sharing advice and knowledge on how to best care for these interesting, and somewhat charismatic, creatures.
The truth is, some may see “small furries” as inferior to the cat or dog, and it may often come as a surprise when a client is willing to spend hundreds of pounds on treatment for their hamster, which has a life span of two to three years. However, any animal can be a companion to someone, and we should always offer honest and heartfelt advice, regardless of our personal views.
Veterinary nurses should have a wealth of knowledge and experience when it comes to offering advice to clients regarding the care and husbandry of “small furries”, including husbandry, diet and general care.
Guinea pigs are popular pets and have similar care requirements to rabbits. This can sometimes lead to the mixture of the two species, regardless of the fact they should not be housed together. Common breeds of guinea pig include:
Guinea pigs should be offered a varied diet that consists of around 90% grass or hay, 10% fresh vegetables and 5% dried pellets.
Guinea pigs are herbivores, meaning their diet is solely plant based. Similar to rabbits, guinea pigs need to be eating for a large portion of their day to keep their guts moving (PDSA, 2023).
Guinea pigs should have constant and continuous access to grass or hay. Their teeth are ever-growing, and the chewing motion of eating hay and grass helps to wear them down, which can help to avoid dental problems. Timothy hay and freshly cut grass are great sources of fibre for guinea pigs (PDSA, 2023).
Guinea pigs cannot synthasise their own supply of vitamin C; therefore, this should be provided within their diet. Many commercial pellet diets offer an adequate amount of vitamin C, as well as extra contributions from fresh vegetables (Burgess, 2023).
Vegetables that can be offered to guinea pigs include carrot tops, Swiss chard, dill, mint and coriander (PDSA, 2023). Similar to rabbits, muesli-style foods should be avoided. These diets usually consist of pellets, seeds and flakes; however, they are high in sugars and low in fibre, which can lead to dental disease and obesity (PDSA, 2023).
Housing guinea pigs takes careful consideration as they do not tolerate wet or draughty conditions. If guinea pigs are housed outside, precautions should be taken so they are not at risk of illness due to poor husbandry (RWAF, 2023).
Guinea pigs should be housed in a hutch no smaller than 4ft by 2ft and they should have access to an exercise run, which should be at least 6ft by 4ft. A run should be attached to the hutch so the animals can move between the two locations freely. Within the hutch should be a variety of hides, tubes and tunnels that they can explore (RWAF, 2023).
If guinea pigs are kept indoors, they should be given as much room as possible. Owners should ensure they are not housed near open windows, in direct sunlight or near radiators. Their enclosure should be in a quiet area of the home and away from other pets (RWAF, 2023).
Lots of bedding options can be used for guinea pigs and some may be better than others. However, any bedding used should be dust extracted. Popular bedding options include:
Guinea pigs can suffer from various health conditions, but some are more common than others. The most common conditions seen in practice are listed now.
It is common for guinea pigs to suffer from respiratory infections, with the most common being pneumonia. Pneumonia can be caused by different bacteria, including Bordetella and Streptococcus, and causes a build-up of fluid within the lungs.
Underlying illness, overcrowding and stress are all contributing factors of pneumonia (Rich et al, 2020).
Common symptoms include:
Antibiotics are usually prescribed as an oral treatment. In severe cases, guinea pigs may need to be hospitalised for fluid therapy, analgesia and systemic antibiotics.
Due to guinea pigs needing to obtain vitamin C from their diet, a lack of it can often cause scurvy. Vitamin C helps to support joints and muscle function, along with maintaining a healthy skin and coat (Rich et al, 2020).
Common symptoms (Clayton, 2021) include:
Treatment options for scurvy can vary, depending on severity. In most cases, a vitamin C supplement is administered orally and an increased supply of vitamin C is introduced to the diet.
In the wild, rabbits and guinea pigs live in social groups consisting of their own species and this should be replicated in captivity.
Rabbits and guinea pigs that are housed alone can become depressed and isolated, as well as showing behavioural signs such as self-mutilation, bar biting and starvation.
The bond that a rabbit or guinea pig has with another member of their species can not be substituted by owner interaction (RSPCA, 2019).
Rabbits and guinea pigs should have at least one bonded companion and, contrary to popular belief, this should always be another rabbit and not a guinea pig, and vice versa.
Once rabbits and guinea pigs have bonded companions, they should not be separated for any amount of time, as this can lead to health problems (RSPCA, 2019). With that in mind, it may be useful to advise clients to bring both rabbits or guinea pigs to routine vet appointments, or even for the companions to spend the day at the practice when undergoing surgery.
If a rabbit or guinea pig’s companion passes away, a new bond will need to be formed. A rabbit or guinea pig should be allowed to spend time with its deceased companion before introducing a new member to the group.
Introductions should be carried out slowly, by placing rabbits next to each other, perhaps through mesh or opposite each other in a carrier. Rabbits and guinea pigs should never be housed together with a new companion until they are fully bonded and there is minimal risk of fighting.
