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Guinea Pigs (Laboratory) - Pathology (view source)
Revision as of 16:46, 22 October 2010
, 16:46, 22 October 2010→Other
===Cleft Palate===
===Cleft Palate===
This is a congenital abnormality resulting in the guinea pig potentially being unable to suckle or chew food correctly. In guinea pigs the cleft usually involves the hard palate only. There is no treatment and do to its inherited nature the guinea pig should be destroyed.<br />
This is a congenital abnormality resulting in the guinea pig potentially being unable to suckle or chew food correctly. In guinea pigs the cleft usually involves the hard palate only. There is no treatment and do to its inherited nature the guinea pig should be destroyed.<br />
===Cervical Lymphadenitis===
Steptococcus zooepidemicus is normally present in the conjunctiva as a commensal organism. If this organism gains access to the cervical lymph nodes they can become pathogenic and in some cases death can occur due to septicaemia. Infection will cause the lymph nodes to swell. Stress has been shown to increase susceptibility. <br />
===Wry Neck===
This condition affects only newborn guinea pigs in which they have a degree of torticollis and may be found lying on their backs to suckle due to their inability to maintain a suitable head posture. This condition is hereditary.<br />
===Epilepsy===
Guinea pig epileptic fits usually last for 3 to 4 mins where there will be heavy salivation and twitching of limbs. Polyphagia and aggression can be seen post-fit. Commonly the frequency of fits will increase with age.<br />
Guinea pigs also have fits that are not true epileptiform convulsions and are often secondary to another disease. These can include liver and kidney failure, enterotoxaemia, ketosis and septicaemia.<br />
===Cerebellar Disease===
Classical symptoms of this disease are circling movements, dystocia and nystagmus, although nystagmus is rare in guinea pigs. In most cases cerebellar disease is secondary to the above mentioned middle ear infection progressing to the inner ear. Most guinea pigs do not recover from this even with treatment.<br />
===Heatstroke===
Although this can occur in outdoor guinea pigs exposed to direct sunlight, heavily pregnant females are the most susceptible especially if they have been deprived of water. This can be a problem during transportation or during problems with laboratory infrastructures such as air conditioning.<br />