Scabby Mouth

This condition is believed to be bacterial in origin but there are some indications that there may also be an added fungal secondary infection running concurrently. Ringworm treatment has been effective on one guinea pig when regular veterinary treatment failed.

Avoid feeding apples, beetroot and other acidic foods as these are known to predispose guinea pigs to this condition. Animals which bite the wire of their cage may be at more risk. If you have a 'Wire Biter' with scabby mouth you will have to modify his housing.

Traditional treatment involves picking off the scabs and applying antiseptic lotions, creams or gentian violet. This is distressing for both the animals and those administering the treatment. A more gentle method is just to apply Galen's Green Cream* to help soften the scabs. * Because this product contains Myrrh, you should not use it on pregnant animals.

Dental Problems

Healthy guinea pig teethMalocclusion, where the teeth do not meet properly, can be a major problem for rabbits, guinea pigs and chinchillas. (The photo shows how a guinea pig's teeth should look like.)  There are three elements to this dental problem; the first is genetic and occurs when animals are accidentally or deliberately bred for particular features; the second is calcium deficiency, of the mother during pregnancy and lactation or the youngsters themselves; and the third is feeding a diet too low in essential indigestible fibre by way of forage.

Where calcium deficiency in the young, growing, animal causes distortion of the jaw, calcium deficiency in older animals leads to bone loss from the jaw and subsequent loosening of teeth in the socket.  This not only allows the teeth to become mal-aligned as they are pushed out of position, it also creates pockets around the base of the tooth where food and bacteria can accumulate leading to tooth socket infection or mandibular abscesses.

In guinea pigs, lack of vitamin C in the diet affects the health of teeth and bones.  In all species a lack of vitamin D and supporting minerals including magnesium, zinc and boron, can also affect the uptake of calcium.  In worst cases teeth themselves can break and the vet will then have to trim the teeth, grinding them down with a dental burr to prevent splitting, so they are of equal length to prevent further problems occurring.

In severe cases, the vet will sometimes remove the front teeth completely and the animal will have to rely on its back teeth for grinding down its food.