Impact of husbandry on the welfare of pet guinea pigs in the UK

Wills, Alison

doi:10.1136/vr.m743

Cited by 6 publications

(9 citation statements)

References 15 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…GUINEA pigs are popular pets in the UK, with recent population estimates of 400,000 to 1 million being kept as pets (around 1.3 to 2 per cent of the total pet population) (UK Pet Food 2023). This is only slightly lower than the estimated number of pet rabbits in the UK, which is thought to be between 600,000 to 1.5 million (Harrup and Rooney 2020, Wills 2020, UK Pet Food 2023).…”

mentioning

confidence: 72%

“…Nutritional requirements may also vary according to breed, age, sex, season and husbandry aspects. Although there have been significant advances in recent years in our understanding of pet rabbit husbandry and nutrition, the documentation and understanding of pet guinea pig nutritional requirements and associated welfare needs are more limited, with little or no research available (Meredith 2015, Wills 2020) This is a current cause for concern among the veterinary profession, animal welfare organisations and pet food manufacturers (RSPCA 2011, Anon 2019, Harrup and Rooney 2020, Wills 2020, Burgess Petcare 2023).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Guinea pig nutrition: what do we know?

Keeble¹

2023

In Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Background: The nutritional requirements of pet guinea pigs are not particularly well understood, with much of the current information based on laboratory animal work and conditions which may not be directly transferable to pets. As such, both owners and veterinarians alike have limited resources available, potentially resulting in adverse effects on welfare caused by incorrect diets. Aim of the article: This article reviews what is currently known about pet guinea pig nutritional requirements. Wild guinea pig diets are discussed and current pet guinea pig owner feeding habits outlined. The article also looks at the potential adverse effects of an incorrect diet on guinea pigs and their welfare; some of this information is currently unknown, so it is discussed whether extrapolations are possible from other species. This article is a useful overview for all veterinary staff treating pet guinea pigs and giving dietary advice to owners in veterinary practice.

show abstract

mentioning

confidence: 72%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Guinea pig nutrition: what do we know?

Keeble¹

2023

In Practice

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Guinea pigs are popular pets in the UK with estimated numbers of approximately 400,000, comprising two per cent of the total pet population (Harrup and Rooney, 2020), (Wills, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Osteoarthritis in pet guinea pigs: an update on diagnosis, treatment and management

Keeble

2021

Companion Animal

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

This article reviews the current literature on osteoarthritis in pet and laboratory guinea pigs. The associated clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis in pet guinea pigs will be discussed, with options for analgesia detailed. This condition is thought to be common in pet guinea pigs, even from an early age in some genetic lines, although osteoarthritis often goes undiagnosed in this species until advanced disease is present, posing a major welfare concern. Increasing awareness of this condition in veterinary practitioners should aid early diagnosis in pets and help improve their quality of life. Prevention may be possible using oral protective nutritional supplements to slow down the progression of this disease at an early stage. Lifestyle changes are also discussed for the management of this condition in pet guinea pigs.

show abstract

“…

W ith the increase in popularity of zoological companion animals and guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) pet ownership on the rise, an understanding of their diseases is of veterinary importance. 1,2 Urinary diseases are a common condition of guinea pigs and were identified as a disease of significance in a study of 1,000 animals. 3 Of the urinary conditions, urolithiasis is a frequently encountered issue in pet guinea pigs.

…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A high calcium diet such as one based on alfalfa (also called lucerne; Medicago sativa) has been suggested to contribute to the formation of uroliths. 2,[6][7][8][9][10] Additionally, guinea pigs have unique dietary requirements. Due to their physiologic inability to synthesize ascorbic acid from glucose, guinea pigs require an exogenous vitamin C source.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Retrospective analysis of risk factors, clinical features, and prognostic indicators for urolithiasis in guinea pigs: 158 cases (2009–2019)

Edell¹,

Vella²,

Sheen³

et al. 2022

javma

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

OBJECTIVE To investigate risk factors, clinical features, and prognostic indicators in guinea pigs with urolithiasis. ANIMALS 158 guinea pigs with urolithiasis. PROCEDURES Medical records of an exotics animal specialty service were searched, identifying guinea pigs with urolithiasis. Signalment, clinical data, and outcomes were recorded. Variables of interest were analyzed for statistical associations with outcome. RESULTS Overall, 54.4% (86/158) of animals survived to discharge. Median survival time was 177 days. Females (53.2%; 84/158) were more common than males (46.8%; 74/158). Males were presented younger (mean age, 3.64 years) than females (4.41 years). In 81 of 154 (52.5%) cases, animals were presented with primary urinary concerns, while 73 (47.5%) presented for nonurinary primary concerns. Females more commonly presented with distal urinary tract urolithiasis (63/84; 75%) but fared better overall with a longer median survival time (1,149 days) than males (59 days). Surgical intervention was not a risk factor for nonsurvival; however, increased age (> 4.1 years), male sex, anorexia, weight loss, and lower rectal temperature (< 37.2 °C) on presentation were associated with nonsurvival. Reoccurrence was noted in 13.9% (22/158) of cases, at an average of 284 days. CLINICAL RELEVANCE Urolithiasis should always be considered a differential diagnosis for any unwell guinea pig. In particular, distal urinary tract urolithiasis should be considered in females. A poorer prognosis was associated with older, male guinea pigs, and those displaying anorexia, weight loss, and hypothermia. The need for surgical intervention should not confer a poorer outcome. Further studies are needed to determine specific risk factors and identify possible preventative measures.

show abstract

Impact of husbandry on the welfare of pet guinea pigs in the UK

Cited by 6 publications

References 15 publications

Guinea pig nutrition: what do we know?

Guinea pig nutrition: what do we know?

Osteoarthritis in pet guinea pigs: an update on diagnosis, treatment and management

Retrospective analysis of risk factors, clinical features, and prognostic indicators for urolithiasis in guinea pigs: 158 cases (2009–2019)

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About