Guinea pig viruses

If your pet is slobbering or drooling, your veterinarian will evaluate this problem carefully. The molars in the back of the mouth are often the cause of this problem, even though teeth in the front of the mouth may seem normal. If the problem continues, monthly visits to your veterinarian for dental care may be necessary. Signs of conjunctivitis pink eye include watering, crusting, and redness of the eyes. In guinea pigs, conjunctivitis is usually caused by infection by bacteria, such as Bordetella or Streptococcus species, that cause general upper respiratory disease see Lung and Airway Disorders Lung and Airway Disorders Health problems among guinea pigs that live alone are usually related to aging, dental disease, reproductive disorders, injury, or improper care.

Infectious diseases caused by certain viruses Treatment may include antibiotics. Ear infections are rare in guinea pigs. When they do occur, they are usually the result of bacterial infection. They may occur at the same time as pneumonia or other respiratory disease. Signs of infection may include discharge from the ears, but sometimes there are no signs of infection. In severe cases, the animal may become deaf. If the infection spreads from the middle ear to the inner ear, your pet may show nervous system problems such as imbalance, head tilt, walking in circles, or rolling on the ground.

Treatment depends on whether the infection is in the outer ear canal, middle ear, or inner ear. The most common nutritional disorder in guinea pigs is a lack of vitamin C. Loss of appetite also occurs and is usually a sign of another problem such as disease or problems with the teeth.

Like people, apes, and monkeys, guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C. Vitamin C is required for the production of collagen, a protein necessary for healthy skin, joints, and blood vessels. Reduced collagen can cause problems walking, swollen joints, and bleeding under the skin, in the muscles, in the membranes around the skull, in the brain, and in the intestines.

Guinea pigs with vitamin C deficiency may be weak, lack energy, and walk with a limp. They may have a rough hair coat, lose their appetite, lose weight, have diarrhea, become ill, or die suddenly. Your veterinarian can diagnose vitamin C deficiency by investigating the diet and by examining your pet, looking especially for bleeding or joint problems.

Vitamin C added to fortified guinea pig diets is not very stable and breaks down with exposure to moisture, heat, and light. Fortified diets may lose half of their vitamin C content within 3 months of manufacture.

Guinea pigs may also develop vitamin C deficiency even if the dietary level of vitamin C is appropriate. This can happen if they have other illnesses or problems that prevent them from eating enough or that prevent their bodies from absorbing vitamin C properly. Multivitamins are not recommended because some of the other included vitamins could be dangerous for guinea pigs. Changes in the type of feed or water or in the bowl or bottle that your pet eats or drinks from may also trigger loss of appetite.

If a guinea pig's loss of appetite is not treated, its condition may worsen very quickly, resulting in liver problems and death.

Ketosis, which may be irreversible, can develop even in guinea pigs that begin to eat again. Your veterinarian will determine appropriate treatment. Guinea pigs that refuse to eat may need to be carefully fed by syringe with a soft diet a commercial critical care diet, vegetable baby food, or a pureed pelleted diet.

The most common metabolic disorders in guinea pigs involve abnormal metabolism of the mineral calcium. Guinea pigs that suffer from metastatic calcification hardening of body tissues caused by calcium deposits often die suddenly without any signs of illness. This condition usually occurs in male guinea pigs that are more than 1 year old.

Signs, if they are seen at all, can include weight loss, muscle or joint stiffness, and increased urination because of kidney failure. The cause of this condition is uncertain but is probably related to diets that contain too much calcium, phosphorus, or vitamin D and not enough magnesium.

Most high-quality commercial guinea pig feed is formulated to contain the correct amounts of these nutrients. Check the nutrition information on the package label before buying pellets for your guinea pig, and do not give additional vitamin or mineral supplements.

There are many causes of pregnancy toxemia in guinea pigs. These include obesity, large litter size, loss of appetite during the late stages of pregnancy, insufficient exercise, environmental stress, and underdeveloped blood vessels in the uterus an inherited condition. This condition usually occurs in the last 2 to 3 weeks of pregnancy or in the first week after birth.

It most commonly affects guinea pigs that are pregnant with their first or second litters. Although ketosis occurs most often in pregnant guinea pigs, it can also happen in obese guinea pigs male or female. A guinea pig may die suddenly of ketosis without ever demonstrating signs of illness. In other cases, a sick guinea pig has worsening signs that can include loss of energy, lack of appetite, lack of desire to drink, muscle spasms, lack of coordination or clumsiness, coma, and death within 5 days.

Ketosis may cause fetal guinea pigs to die in the uterus. Your veterinarian can diagnose ketosis with blood tests and may also be able to identify fatty liver caused by abnormal metabolism of fat and bleeding or cell death in the uterus or placenta.

Treatment, which is not usually successful in guinea pigs with advanced disease, can include glucose injections at the animal hospital, propylene glycol by mouth, nutritional supplements, and for pregnant animals emergency cesarean delivery.

To prevent ketosis, make sure your pet eats a high-quality food throughout pregnancy, but limit the amount of food you give your pet to prevent obesity. Preventing exposure to stress in the last few weeks of pregnancy may also help. Respiratory diseases in guinea pigs can quickly become serious. If you notice that your guinea pig is having difficulty breathing, see your veterinarian as soon as possible.

Pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs, is a frequent cause of death in guinea pigs. Pneumonia in guinea pigs is usually caused by bacterial infection most often Bordetella bronchiseptica , but other bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or Streptococcus zooepidemicus may also be the cause.

In rare cases, it may be caused by a type of virus known as adenovirus. All of these infectious agents can cause illness without leading to pneumonia see below. Signs of pneumonia include oozing or discharge from the nose, sneezing, and difficulty breathing. In addition, guinea pigs with pneumonia may have conjunctivitis pink eye , fever, weight loss, depression, or loss of appetite. Sudden death can occur when outbreaks occur among groups of guinea pigs.

Your veterinarian can diagnose pneumonia from an examination or from tests of discharge from the eyes or nose. X-ray images may also show evidence of pneumonia in the lungs. Treatment for pneumonia can include fluids to ward off dehydration , syringe feeding if necessary, oxygen therapy to help with breathing, and vitamin C. If the pneumonia is caused by bacterial infection, your veterinarian will likely prescribe antibiotics. Although they can be toxic in guinea pigs see Antibiotics Antibiotics Health problems among guinea pigs that live alone are usually related to aging, dental disease, reproductive disorders, injury, or improper care.

The antibiotic may be compounded into a suspension given by mouth, which should then be given as directed. Watch any guinea pig receiving antibiotic treatment carefully. If the antibiotic causes diarrhea, the treatment should be stopped immediately and your veterinarian contacted. If you have more than 1 guinea pig, preventing and controlling outbreaks of pneumonia require keeping your pets and their cages or tanks clean at all times and removing guinea pigs that are sick from the company of the others.

Guinea pigs without signs of illness may carry Bordetella bronchiseptica bacteria in the nose or throat. Sometimes groups of guinea pigs experience an outbreak of infection, during which all get sick and die quickly. Infection can be transmitted from one guinea pig to another when droplets are sprayed into the air by sneezing or coughing. The genital form of the infection can also be transmitted by sexual contact. Other animals, such as dogs, cats, rabbits, and mice, may be infected with these bacteria without showing any signs of illness, so pet owners should avoid letting their guinea pigs come into contact with other animals.

Guinea pigs may carry Streptococcus pneumoniae bacteria without seeming sick. These bacteria can cause sudden illness in previously healthy guinea pigs when they become stressed or stop eating; this can lead to death. One guinea pig can infect another by direct contact or by sneezing or coughing. Signs of streptococcosis include difficulty breathing, wheezing, discharge from the nose, and coughing.

Infection can also cause inflammation of the middle ear, which can lead to a head tilt. Antibiotics can be used to treat the infection and limit transmission to other guinea pigs, but guinea pigs that do not seem sick may still be infected. A type of adenovirus is specific to guinea pigs. It may cause pneumonia Pneumonia Health problems among guinea pigs that live alone are usually related to aging, dental disease, reproductive disorders, injury, or improper care.

Learn More. Virus particles were isolated from the cells of normal and leukemic strain 2 and random-bred guinea pigs adult and embryonic. Immature virus particles with electron-lucent cores were found in the cytoplasmic matrix. The mature particles with electron-dense cores were found outside the cells and some appeared in the process of budding from the plasma membrane. The peak of virus production was observed within 4 days of BUdR treatment.

When compared to the amount of virus produced in darkness, visible light enhanced virus production, whereas exposure of BUdR-treated cells to UV light either had no effect or inhibited virus production.

Virus particles had a density of 1. The BUdR-activated virus particles, therefore, possessed the morphological, biophysical, and biochemical characteristics of type C oncornaviruses. Full text is available as a scanned copy of the original print version. Get a printable copy PDF file of the complete article 1.

Links to PubMed are also available for Selected References. These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article. National Center for Biotechnology Information , U. Journal List J Virol v. J Virol.

Nayak and Patrick R. Author information Copyright and License information Disclaimer. Copyright notice. This article has been cited by other articles in PMC. Images in this article Image on p. August 18, at pm. Spewing virus-laden droplets may not be the only way animals can spread some viruses through the air. Viruses like influenza might also hitch a ride on dust and other microscopic particles, a study in guinea pigs suggests.

Virus-contaminated surfaces, called fomites, can also cause infection when people touch the surface and then their nose or mouth. Now new research suggests that dust particles kicked up from those contaminated surfaces, called aerosolized fomites, may also spread such respiratory viruses.

Though the study, published August 18 in Nature Communications , did not include the new coronavirus, or SARS-CoV-2, the finding could have implications for that virus too, Ristenpart says. Hantavirus, which causes a deadly respiratory disease, can also be transmitted through kicked up dust that is contaminated with rodent droppings. In the new study, Ristenpart and his colleagues infected guinea pigs with influenza virus. Two days later, the team found infectious influenza viruses in cages as well as on guinea pig fur, ears and paws.

The researchers then used a paintbrush to coat virus on animals that had already been infected and were immune. Each virus-covered rodent was put in a cage separate from, but attached to, a cage housing an uninfected companion. The setup ensured that the only way to spread the virus from one animal to another was through the air. Although the flu-covered immune rodents were not breathing virus into the air, the flu still spread among three of 12 guinea pig pairs.