First Aid For Guinea Pigs

Please be aware that a competent veterinary diagnosis and advice is extremely important, whether you use anything in your first aid kit or not. Please make sure you have registered with a good vet - don't wait until you actually need the vet to find out whether s/he is experienced enough in guinea pig medical care to save your guinea.

1ml syringes / 5ml syringes 
Pill crusher (pestle and mortar)
Pill cutter

Weighing Scales

Small bowls and spoons

Rodent-safe heatpad

Nail clippers

Tweezers

Round-ended scissors

Towels (hand-towel or tea-towel size)

Kitchen Roll

Cotton wool pads

Cotton buds

Gauze

Soft, flexible wrap bandages

Disposable gloves

- Vitamin c

Used for: All poorly piggies.
Example Products: Tesco Chewable Vitamin C 200mg, Oxbow Daily C.
Ill guineas need a minimum of 50-100mg Vitamin C a day. Especially if they are not interested in eating, supplementing is well worthwhile. Find a Vitamin C supplement with as low a dose as possible to allow you to dose accurately.

- Syringe-feeding formula

Used for: Guineas who are not eating normally.
Please do not attempt to syringe-feed your guinea pig if s/he is bloated; a blockage must be ruled out urgently to allow safe and appropriate treatment and feeding to commence.

Example Products: Oxbow Critical Care, Science Recovery.

A guinea who is not eating at all will need feeding little and often, amounting to an absolute total minimum of 60-120ml per day. It is also appropriate to soak and mash your guineas normal plain pellet feeds (e.g. Burgess Excel, Science Selective, Wagg Optimum etc.).

- Probiotic

Used for: Piggies with digestive upsets, particularly diarrhoea; Piggies on antibiotics.

Example Products: Protexin Bio-Lapis, Fibreplex, Pro-C Probiotic, Avipro Plus.

Acidophilus powder or “poop soup” (faeces from a healthy pig mashed and mixed with a little water) are just as adequate. If giving a probiotic alongside antibiotics, leave 1-2 hours after the antibiotic dose before giving the probiotic.

- Saline

Used for: Cleansing and flushing a variety of wounds.

- Ear Drops

Used for: Cleaning the ears, which can help to prevent ear mites.
Example Products: Otodex Veterinary Ear Drops (for cats and dogs), Johnson’s Ear Drops.

Apply 2-3 drops to the folds of each ear, massage in well, and leave for up to 24 hours to soften the ear wax. Using a flannel or cotton bud, gently cleanse out the visible flaps and folds of the ear. An alternative product to use is 2-3 drops of mineral oil.

- Rehydration Solution
Used for: Rehydrating guineas suffering diarrhea and mild heatstroke.

Example Products: Dioralyte (plain or blackcurrent flavour).

In the early stages of dehydration, or in cases where the guinea is not getting any water from either food or drink, such a preparation can be preferable to plain water. Rehydration solutions are vastly preferable to plain water as the conditions warranting its use lead to depletion in electrolytes. Mix up the solution as directed, then syringe as much as possible frequently (e.g. 10ml every 2-3 hours). However, never attempt to syringe anything into your guinea if he is too weak or listless to stand or to hold his head up – seek urgent veterinary assistance

Ensure antibotic courses are completed ! Give your Guinea Pig pro-biotics whilst on antibiotics and for two weeks after.This will help protect Gut motility,which can be affected by anti-biotics. 1ml syringes are best for easy dosin

Give vit c 10mg / kg whilst on antibiotics to help boost immune system.Drops are ok but tablets ensure you know its been given !! My Guinea Pigs take relevant doses in little pieces of cabbage

Calculation for tablet dosage.

what you want  divided by what you have  x  volume of syringe

For example you have 200mg vit c tablet but you need to give 25mg dose and you have a 10ml syringe of water.

what you want = x  volume 10ml = 1.25ml in a 1ml syringe

what you have

You can use this method for other medicines and doses.