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Guinea Pig Vet Care

You may have considered a dog or a cat, but neither felt quite right. Choosing a guinea pig is a great decision, and these gentle little pets quickly become part of the family.

Guinea pigs are sociable, affectionate, and easy to handle, but they also have very specific health needs. That is why having access to an experienced guinea pig vet is important to help keep them healthy, comfortable, and thriving.

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Experts in Guinea Pig Health

To ensure a healthy, happy life, your guinea pig will depend on you for a few things; a balanced diet, secure housing in the form of a well-maintained hutch, awesome company, and medical care provided by a trustworthy guinea pig vet.

The Unusual Pet Vets are guinea pig vets based in Perth, Melbourne, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast, Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney that can offer your loved ones the best in guinea pig care, treatment and help to promote good health.

The reason so many guinea pigs find themselves being brought in for a visit to our clinics isn’t just the fine guinea pig care they receive but the expert advice offered by trusted vets. We can teach you all there is to know; from housing to nutrition, preventative healthcare, and everything in between.

Hopstart Package

We Offer A Range Of Guinea Pig Veterinary Services

Belonging to the cavy family of rodents, a guinea pig’s health is inseparable from their diet. Guinea pigs are herbivores with teeth that never stop growing. Their dentistry is managed by the constant grinding on food and of course, visits to us.

Their diet consists primarily of hay, water, pellets/chaff and vegetables. However, our cute little friends are unable to synthesise their own Vitamin C so striking the balance of vitamin C rich vegetables and pellets is not to be taken for granted.

With our wide range of services, we can ensure that your guinea pig is living the healthiest and happiest life that it can. Our veterinarians each have a special interest and experience with exotic and unusual pets, especially guinea pigs.

Guinea Pig Vet Clinic

Guinea Pigs Resources

We’ve put together a collection of guinea pig care and information sheets to help you feed guinea pigs properly, identify diseases that often occur, and how to generally care for your beloved pet.

Guinea Pigs Are Best Treated by a Trusted Guinea Pig Veterinarian With In-depth Knowledge of Guinea Pig Medicine

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Why Choose The Unusual Pet Vets?

At The Unusual Pet Vets, we can guarantee that your guinea pig will receive quality care. In particular, we can help your guinea pig with:

Health check-ups including dietary and housing requirements

Desexing

Medical problems

Breeding advice

Surgery and hospital care

Dental work

Patient Story

Ana is a gorgeous guinea pig who was diagnosed with having cystic ovaries, a condition that we see commonly in unsterilised female guinea pigs. In mild cases the cysts generally don’t cause many problems however when they get larger (or start to secrete lots of hormones) they can start to cause pain, hair loss, a crusty appearance around the nipples, weight loss, inappetence and/or lethargy.

In most cases the treatment for cystic ovarian disease is to sterilise the patient by performing an ovariohysterectomy, which is what was performed in Ana’s case. She received intravenous fluids throughout her procedure, and we monitored a range of parameters including her heart rate, respiratory rate, temperature and oxygen saturation levels during her anaesthesia and recovery.

Problematic cysts generally range from 1-7cm in diameter. One of Ana’s cysts was very large and needed to be drained prior to removal. 7mls of liquid was drained from the cyst before successfully completing her surgery.

Ana handled the anaesthesia and surgery like a champion and she’s now home and on her way to making a full recovery.

Hopstart Package
Ana guinea pig case

FAQs

Do guinea pigs need regular vet check-ups?

Yes. We recommend a wellness check every 6 to 12 months. At your visit, we will check weight trends, teeth, skin, ears, heart and lungs, then help you fine-tune diet and husbandry to prevent common issues.

Book an urgent appointment (or call us straight away) if you notice:

  • Not eating or drinking, even for a few hours
  • Very few droppings, tiny droppings, or no droppings
  • A bloated or tight tummy, signs of pain, teeth grinding
  • Laboured or noisy breathing
  • Collapse, extreme weakness, or not moving normally
  • Heavy bleeding, sudden swelling, or suspected injury
Yes. Guinea pigs need food moving through their gut constantly. If they stop eating, they can become seriously unwell very quickly. Our team can assess for dental pain, gut stasis, illness, or stress, and start supportive care promptly.
Their teeth grow continuously. If they are not wearing down properly (often due to not enough hay or underlying jaw issues), teeth can overgrow and cause mouth pain. We commonly see this present as drooling, dropping food, weight loss, or reduced appetite. A proper dental exam is best done in-clinic.

Yes. Guinea pigs cannot make their own vitamin C. Low vitamin C can affect immunity, healing, joints, and overall wellbeing. We can guide you on the best food sources and whether supplementation is needed for your guinea pig’s age, diet, and health.

Common causes include mites, lice, fungal skin conditions, and irritation from bedding. Some parasites can cause intense itch and discomfort. Instead of guessing with over-the-counter products, book an exam so we can diagnose the cause and treat it safely.

Yes. Signs can include blood in the urine, squeaking when urinating, frequent small wees, reduced appetite, and a hunched posture. If you notice any of these, we recommend booking promptly so we can assess and discuss the right next steps.

It can look like a swollen or tight abdomen, discomfort, less eating, fewer droppings, and reluctance to move. These conditions can become life-threatening quickly, so it is best to contact our clinic early rather than waiting to see if it settles.

Guinea pigs often hide pain. Watch for:

  • Eating less or chewing differently
  • Weight loss
  • Hunched posture or puffed-up coat
  • Hiding more than usual
  • Teeth grinding, irritability, or squeaking when touched

If you are unsure, we would rather you bring them in and let us check.

Yes. Many owners book a regular “maintenance” visit for nail trims, weight checks, and an overall health review. It is also a great chance for us to pick up early dental or skin issues before they become bigger problems.

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