Wash the affected area with soap and let it dry. Lady Kelly Moderator. Otherwis, this is one of the joys of training a guinea pig to be friendly. Guinea pigs, like humans, love playing with their cage mates. Clean the wound . Just as with other cuts, if it is minor, you bandage it and go on with whatever you were up to. My guinea pig Peach (2 years old, female) recently developed a lump on her back/booty area maybe 2 weeks ago. Are you talking about being bitten yourself or treating bites on guinea pigs themselves? Guinea pigs aren’t any exception and bite wounds should be treated just like a bite from any cat, dog, or other wild animal. she does not need a tetanus shot, if she were to rub rust in the wound, she would. seek medical advice, unless the wound is very minor; If the bite has severed a body part like a finger or ear, wash it with tap water, wrap it in clean tissue, and store it in a plastic bag surrounded by ice so it can be transported to hospital. However, sometimes fights and fallouts occur, and bite wounds may be the result. The most obvious sign of an abscess is a lump somewhere on your guinea pig’s body. Guinea pigs are hands down the best pets for children, and it's easy to learn cavy care. Teach Your Guinea Pig Not To Bite. Wound infection after pig bite is rare 2,20 and the causal bacteria have included Pasteurella aerogenes, 21 Actinobacillus suis, 22 and various streptococcal species. Be aware that for rodents any penicillin derived antibiotic is fatal. Be sure to wash the infected area with a mild disinfectant from your vet, and then it’s a good idea to provide the poorly guinea pig with lots of vitamin C in order to fight off the foreign bodies that are likely to get into the wound. Get rid of the smell if you want your cavy to stop biting you. Anytime you have 2 animals together you run the risk of possible bites and scratches. I washed carefully and used antibiotic ointment on myself and the piggies. Clean wound with alcohol to kill bacteria and prevent any infections. I have owned guinea pigs for 7+ years now, and I recently noticed that one of them has a bite wound. However, it is better to be safe than sorry. What actually can be surprising to learn, is that it is normal for Guinea Pigs who live together to nip at each other from time to time, even if they get along great otherwise. It may be possible to surgically reattach the body part later on. Hello, I spotted this wound on my guinea pig's leg about a week ago and I thought it might be a bite wound but it doesnt seem like it's getting better. Screenshot_20190601-120605_Video Player.jpg. Attachments. If the bite is not serious, find the cause to avoid later bites. They are cuddly, cute, easy to keep and breed and live for approximately 4–7 years. Bite wounds can take a number of forms including lacerations, puncture wounds, and crush or degloving injuries. How to stop a guinea pig’s potential biting behavior? The skin around the hole is bare and theirs no fur. Swinging it around and passing from one person to another creates fear in your guinea pig. We covered in another article the reasons why a Guinea Pig might bite at its owner or at another pet. These can come up very quickly, because they are basically a pus-filled cavity which has arisen in response to a localized infection, caused possibly by a bite from another animal or a puncture wound. More Questions Related to Why Your Guinea Pigs Fight Is it normal for guinea pigs to play fight? Though most of the time guinea pig’s bite is not a sign of danger, you must take some steps immediately to stop such kind of hostile behavior. Once it gets dried out, then you must put a topical antibiotic on the wound. The point is that you have to be sure to clean the bite wound well, no matter how small. I, of course, took her to the vet, though she seemed (and continues to seem) absolutely fine - eating, drinking, zooming, etc. If you do get bitten, you treat it like any other wound. My guinea pig has a bite wound on its side PLEASE HELP? Prevent the guinea pig from chewing or licking the wound. Teach it … You do not need a rabies shot but you do need to clean the wound well and you may need a tetanus shot if yours is not up to date. After seeking appropriate medical attention, you must consider a long term solution for how you plan to stop your Guinea pig from biting you and others; this is especially important if children are living in your home. deep puncture wounds - which can be closed over by muscle and skin, masking the damage done underneath. 1988 Dec;101(3):641-5. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800029514. Use an antimicrobial ointment. Your guinea pig or its cage mates may try to lick or nibble the area. I can’t give medical advice, of course. After this, you can put a topical antibiotic on the wound. Do I need to take him to a vet or there is something I can do? Usually, a bite from a guinea pig isn’t cause for concern, but if you notice swelling around the wound or it doesn’t stop bleeding, then you need to see your GP. Care. In fact, you don’t even need to see a physician for a guinea pig bite because even if a guinea pig bite broke the skin, the most it can do is leave you with a small bleeding wound. Your vet may give you a special collar that you can put on your guinea pig to prevent it from chewing the wound. It should heal after a couple of days. How To Treat a Guinea Pig Bite. But if it causes bleeding then you need to address the situation with care. If your piggy has broken your skin, you need to treat the area with an antibiotic ointment after washing. Wounds will happen with the best behaved guinea pigs, they sometimes just get crabby with sharing things especially if its over treats and food. Always wash the area with hot, soapy water, and use something like Neosporin, or another antibacterial product to protect from infection. Do not put it in the wound itself. Guinea pig bites are not usually fatal even if blood is drawn. Bite wounds. Why do guinea pigs fight? Guinea pigs are lovely pets and rarely bite. Staff member. Many people, mainly men have been scared of my Guinea Pig because occasionally he will nip. Author M Barnham 1 Affiliation 1 Department of Microbiology, Harrogate General Hospital, North Yorkshire. Guinea Pig Care: Guinea Pigs Make the Best Pets! I just got my guinea pig about a week ago, and only a couple days ago did I notice a small hole on its side! This can be an indicator of mites or fleas. As we have aforementioned that there may be several reasons, that your pet animal starts biting you. If your pig is nibbling/biting while you are holding it, it may need to get down to urinate. I think I am going to keep them in the same cage, but put a barrier in between them, until the wound heals and they play nicely with each other. Cost of tail biting in pigs. Almost the size of an eraser on the tip of a pencil. Biting open very sore and irritated skin or a hurting deep wound is typical for either. that are resistant to amoxycillin plus clavulanate have also been associated with pig-bite wounds. I saw the other one do it, but I haven't seen them get into any big fights. You can then cover this up with a bandage. Our review has focused on bite wound infections in humans from dogs, cats, and a variety of other animals such as monkeys, bears, pigs, ferrets, horses, sheep, Tasmanian devils, snakes, Komodo dragons, monitor lizards, iguanas, alligators/crocodiles, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, prairie dogs, swans, and sharks. If it is serious and needs stitches, you go to the doctor. Guinea pigs carry very close to the same DNA as humans, and are actually quite clean animals. Human bites are either: Occlusal injuries (inflicted by actual biting), or; Clenched-fist injuries (sustained when a clenched fist hits a person's teeth, often during a fight, causing small wounds over the metacarpophalangeal joints). Heatstroke. Many 'bite' wounds are actually self-inflicted and not necessarily caused by a fight. This is mostly because of fear, pain, or discomfort and usually doesn’t escalate to a greater problem. Handle your guinea pigs with gentle care. When to seek medical advice. 5. Teaching your cavy not to bite is a one plus factor to have a better relationship with them. Bandage the cut. Make sure to disinfect any open bite wounds and disguss the use of an antibiotic to prevent the risk of abscesses, especially in deeper wounds. What could the cause be and what should I do next? Medical treatment following the bite of a Guinea pig depends on the type of injury, its location, and the severity of the wound. It is best to wash those hands of yours first before handling your cavy. This article is available in full to registered subscribers. Severity of infection varied from simple wound infection with discharge and slough to cellulitis and abscess formation; pathogens … Pig bite injuries and infection: report of seven human cases Epidemiol Infect. You should see a doctor if: The bite wound is red, swollen, warm, and painful. Here is what you can do after getting bitten by your guinea pig, and your wound … If there is a cut: Wash hands with soapy warm water. How to tell if your guinea pig has an abscess. If the skin has been broken, you must clean the bite mark with some soap and water. Sometimes fights can occur when you try to bond in a new companion into a group or pair. I know they need each other, but I'm afraid they will fight. Tail biting affects the welfare of pigs, but also causes significant economic losses for pig producers. Mostly, the bite tends to be a normal one which does not cause any harm. If so, take a chewing deterrent (which you can buy at a pet store), and dab it around the wound. Guinea pigs are social animals and generally get along well with other guinea pigs. Your guinea pig might be biting you due to the smell of food in your hands. If your guinea pig does sink its teeth into you, accidentally or otherwise, you need to treat the bite as quickly as possible. Hand Clinics. Small, deep puncture wounds such as are caused by a snake bite can be difficult … As a Guinea Pig owner, I find this to be an interesting question. Having treated several patients with infected pig bites, I now recommend ciprofloxacin in addition to co-amoxyclav as the most effective prophylaxis for serious pig bites. If discomfort or pain is a concern, contact your veterinarian for an exam right away.. They were more like to run and hide into their habitat if they feel shocked or in trouble. Suzanne promotes guinea pig culture as they are great pets, especially for children. You need to pay attention if the guinea pig bite has caused some bleeding. 45.4 KB Views: 14. Volume 14, Issue 4, November 1998, Pages 691-711, November 1998, Pages 691-711 #2. Mange mites can be brought on by a stressful situation and guinea pigs always have gunk in their mouths. Sometimes, guinea pigs will bite you when they mean to nibble on themselves. Tail wounds can be a source of infection resulting in morbidity and mortality, with negative impacts on pig growth estimated at €0.59 per pig. Puncture wounds may penetrate body cavities such as the chest (causing collapse of the lung) or abdomen - causing damage to internal organs such as the liver, urinary bladder or gastrointestinal tract. 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