Feeding Management and Disease Prevention and Control of Pet Guinea Pigs

Yalu ZHANG, Yuzhang CHEN, Rui ZHOU, Qiaolian CHAI, Bin DAI, Zhenxing ZOU*

1. Hunan Polytechnic of Environment and Biology, Hengyang 421005, China; 2. Hengyang Bureau of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hengyang 421200, China

Abstract Guinea pig is widely used in clinical drug experiments as a laboratory animal. Because of its small and lovely size, guinea pig is often kept as a pet by many families. However, there are few reports on the feeding management and disease prevention and control of pet guinea pigs. This article introduced the experience and technology of feeding management and disease prevention of pet guinea pigs, in order to provide a reference for the feeding management and disease prevention of pet guinea pigs.

Key words Guinea pig, Feeding management, Disease prevention and control

1 Introduction

Guinea pig is often used as a laboratory animal in pharmaceutical research and development, biological product testing, pharmacology and toxicology research. At the same time, because of its cute and cute body shape and clean and lively personality, guinea pig is a new choice for family pet feeding, especially favored by children. When guinea pig appears as a pet in a family, it is a member of the family. As its owner, we should learn professional feeding management techniques to take care of it and know how to help him when it has a disease. In this paper, we took the role of guinea pig as a family pet for the first time, and summarized the living habits, cage selection, feeding management, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of common diseases of pet guinea pigs, in order to provide a certain reference for pet guinea pigs feeding members and relevant practitioners in the pet industry.

Guinea pig (Caviaporcellus), also known as cavy and Dutch pig, has no tail and is small, belonging to the rodent herbivore social animal. Adult guinea pigs weigh about 600 g, 20-30 cm long, are short and chubby, have a large head and short neck, cleft lips, bright eyes, small and thin ears, short limbs, four toes on the forelimbs, three toes on the hind limbs, and each toe has short and sharp hoof-shaped claws. Guinea pigs are troglodytes that walk nocturnal and like to live in groups. They have a developed sense of smell and hearing, respond strongly to various stimuli, and abnormal noises, vibrations, temperature changes, and abnormal odors in the surrounding environment will cause them to have a stress response. Guinea pigs are timid but docile, have certain intelligence, and can express certain emotions with voice. For example, "chutting" means joy, "uh-uh-uh" means hungry or thirsty, "cooing" with chattering teeth indicates fear, and so on. They are generally more nocturnal and therefore adapt well to the dark. If carefully cared for, guinea pigs can live 7-10 years, generally can give birth to up to 5 pigs a year, a child can have 2-5, but the pregnancy cycle is longer, an average of about two months, and the guinea pig born 2-3 d can suck milk while eating green feed, very easy for survival. Due to the development of the times, wild guinea pigs are no longer adapted to grassland life and are close to extinction, and are now basically raised in large quantities and inexpensive as pets or laboratory animals. Guinea pigs are also sensitive to antibiotics, and a little antibiotic can cause disease, so they can sometimes be used as laboratory animals for testing drugs.

2 Selection of cage

Guinea pigs have short limbs and are not good at climbing, and their jumping ability is also poor, but they are more mobile, so they need a certain area of activity. During the breeding season, they need a larger area to move. A weaned guinea pig (300 g) needs about 30 cm2of activity space, and an adult guinea pig needs 1 000 cm2of activity space. If it is a mating, it needs twice as much space. Guinea pig belongs to the rodent diprotodontia, the two incisors are constantly growing and must be smoothed by the habit of gnawing hard objects. However, this habit of guinea pigs often causes damage to the cage. In order to avoid unnecessary losses, stainless steel cages are generally used. In addition, it is necessary to prepare a water bottle for guinea pigs, in order to keep the inside of the terrarium dry, it is recommended to use a rollerball drinker. In order to create a warm and comfortable environment for pet guinea pigs, it is also necessary to set up warm cots and simple play equipment in the cage.

3 Feeding management

3.1 Feeding environment controlGuinea pig is a timid pet that is sensitive to sound, temperature, humidity, air, and light. Therefore, the home feeding of pet guinea pigs requires proper control and attention to the feeding environment.

(i) Sound: guinea pig has a developed sense of hearing and will react to sudden noise, so the environment in which the feeding is kept absolutely quiet, and noise pollution should be controlled below 60 dB.

(ii) Temperature: guinea pig is also sensitive to changes in ambient temperature. Even as a thermostatic animal with dense hair, its ability to automatically regulate body temperature is not too high. Therefore, in the season of unbalanced temperature in winter and summer, it is best to use auxiliary electrical appliances to help it regulate body temperature, and it is more appropriate to keep it at a constant temperature of 18-22 ℃, and the daily temperature difference should not exceed 4 ℃.

(iii) Humidity: high humidity and low humidity also have a particularly strong effect on the guinea pig. High humidity will inhibit heat dissipation of guinea pigs and lead to heat stroke, and also may cause the growth of pathogenic microorganisms and parasites. Low humidity will affect the metabolism of guinea pigs, they are prone to pneumonia, and the most suitable temperature should be 40%-70%.

(iv) Air quality: The level of ammonia concentration is closely related to the incidence of guinea pig pneumonia, and the ammonia concentration must be controlled below 14 mg/L.

(v) Light: the suitable day-night alternation time for guinea pigs is 12 h/12 h, and the suitable light intensity is 10-20 lux.

3.2 Feed and nutritionAdult guinea pigs have a daily diet of 40-70 g and a water requirement of 70-150 mL, and should be fed twice a day. Guinea pig belongs to herbivore, the consumption of cellulose is very large, in the feed should pay attention to full addition of cellulose, otherwise it is easy to cause a large number of hair loss or eat each other’s hair phenomenon. Guinea pig itself cannot synthesize vitamin C and must be ingested from the outside world. Vitamin C deficiency can lead to decreased resistance to guinea pig, reduced reproductive capacity, cessation of growth and development, and even death in serious cases. In addition, vitamin C has the characteristics of easy oxidation and pollution, so the feed needs to be supplemented with enough vitamin C, generally 4-5 mg/100 g body weight daily, and vitamin C added to the feed must be taken as soon as possible. Pet guinea pigs can also be supplemented by feeding vegetables and fruits such as carrots, cucumbers, cherry tomatoes and apples with high vitamin C during home rearing. In particular, it is necessary to pay special attention to the prohibition of starchy and cruciferous cabbage in the guinea pig feed diet, which can cause diarrhea and poisoning. It is preferred to use the feeding method of "complete pellet feed+hay+appropriate amount of vegetables and fruits+unlimited clean water". Hay can choose Timothy hay, suitable for eating every day, can help digestion and regulate the stomach; Alfalfa grass is very rich in calcium and can be fed 2 times a week, but eating too much can also cause kidney stones.

3.3 Drinking water controlThe minimum daily water requirement for the guinea pig is 10 mL/100 g body weight. Pet guinea pig generally uses drinking bottles or automatic drinking devices to ensure sufficient free drinking water. It is recommended to use plain or purified water as drinking water as much as possible, and clean drinking bottles and automatic drinking devices regularly to ensure the cleanliness of guinea pig’s drinking water. Some guinea pigs are born without using a drinking fountain or a kettle, which requires the patience of the owner to teach, which can not only cultivate intimacy with pets, but also enhance the relationship between each other.

3.4 Selection of beddingGuinea pig prefers a dry, clean living environment. Because the metabolism of guinea pig is more developed, there are more feces, in order to facilitate cleaning, it is best to have a pet pad with a certain gap under the cage to make the feces fall. A drawer-shaped tray can also be made under the bedding, and pine grains with odor removal can be placed in the tray, so that the odor can be cleaned at any time. In addition, some hay can also be placed as bedding to prevent the formation of dermatitis, ulcers and abscesses caused by long-term pressure on the holes of the bedding, and also to grind teeth. The bedding of pet guinea pigs should be replaced regularly, preferably once every 4-6 d. When replacing the bedding, the cage, water dispenser and trough shall be replaced, cleaned and disinfected as a whole to prevent cross-contamination.

4 Prevention and treatment of common diseases of guinea pigs

In the process of home feeding of pet guinea pigs, it is necessary to strengthen the daily observation, and observe the appetite, behavior, feces and mental state of guinea pigs in detail. Diagnosis and treatment of diseases should be carried out in time if abnormal conditions or manifestations are found. The symptoms, prevention and treatment measures of common diseases in guinea pig are as follows:

4.1 Vc deficiencyThe most common disease of guinea pig is vitamin C deficiency. They have a mutated gene that prevents the conversion of gulonolactone to levo-vitamin C, so they can’t synthesize Vc in their bodies. Lack of Vc will lead to decline of immunity, easy to get sick, the most typical physiological characteristics of scurvy (such as depressed spirit, loss of appetite, messy hair,etc.). If these are not noticed for a long time, it will probably lead to death. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement feed and water in daily life. Vitamins should be 15-30 mg/kg daily, and 35 mg/kg daily for pregnant guinea pigs.

4.2 CystCyst is commonly known as goiter and generally distributed in the mandible. It is the most common lymphatic system diseases caused by infections ofPasteurellaandStaphylococcusaureus. It starts out as a very small lump, and then it gets bigger and harder. If you touch it with your hand, you can obviously feel a lump of flesh, which will become soft in the middle and later stages. Then the guinea pig will scratch itself and drain white pus. When the white pus runs out, the wound will heal automatically, but it will leave a blood hole until it is infected by bacteria and causes death. The treatment of the disease is surgical resection, followed by oral antibiotics, cleaning up blood holes and doing a good job of disinfection. Generally, the prognosis is good after timely treatment, but there is still a probability of 20% recurrence.

4.3 PneumoniaPneumonia is a respiratory disease characterized

by messy hair, loss of appetite, cyanosis of visible mucous membranes, and rales in breathing. Cephalosporin antibiotics can be used for treatment, but they must be prepared according to body weight. Generally, 1 mL for a guinea pig weighing 600 g each time, it will be cured soon as long as it is treated actively.

4.4 Skin diseasesSkin diseases have many causes and can lead to many consequences. Fungal infection is the main cause of skin diseases. The infected area will lose a large area of hair and accumulate thick dander, sometimes itching to scratch will have a wound, the wound will breed bacteria, and eventually inflammation. Moreover, some fungi can also be transmitted to people, so special attention should be paid to the treatment. When local fungal infection occurs, it can be disinfected by wiping with 3% hydrogen peroxide, and then treated by smearing Tinea Mite Net 886 lotion liniment.

4.5 Parasitic diseaseThe common parasites of guinea pig are divided into ectoparasites and endoparasites. Sarcoptes scabiei is the most common mite outside the body, which mainly parasitizes the skin of guinea pig’s neck, shoulder and lower abdomen, causing itching and secondary infection. It is recommended to add 0.6% Baisong insecticidal powder to the feed for prevention, and in severe cases, subcutaneous injection of ivermectin (400 μg/kg body weight) can be used for treatment. The most common parasitic disease in the body is coccidiosis, which is transmitted through diet. Typical symptoms are not eating, breathing difficulties, soft or slight diarrhea, and secretions around the nose. The onset time is relatively short, the limbs are straight and convulsive, and oral administration of Diclazuril diluted with water can play a preventive and therapeutic role.

5 Conclusions

In recent years, due to the development of China’s economy and society and the continuous improvement in people’s living standards, more and more pets have entered people’s families and become one of them. Compared with common dogs and cats, guinea pig has not yet been fully popularized as a pet in people’s homes. However, for those who have chosen guinea pig as their pet, it is particularly important to understand the physiological characteristics and living habits of guinea pig, get familiar with the daily feeding and management of guinea pig, and be able to correctly identify the common diseases of guinea pig and carry out effective prevention and treatment. In this paper, we summarized the living habits, cage selection, feeding management, diagnosis, prevention and treatment of common diseases of pet guinea pigs for the first time, in order to promote the scientific breeding of pet guinea pigs and the development of pet industry.