My guinea pig's fur is turning grey. Is this normal or a concern?

Hello. Hair loss in an older female guinea pig is often related to cystic ovaries. The abnormal ovary produced hormones that cause the hair to fall out, usually on the trunk, back or belly. Sometimes, hairliss can be from over grooming, parasites, a thyroid condition, or if the Guinge is rubbing on somethin in the cage. Since she doesn’t sound itchy or inflamed, and she’s an older female, i would be suspicious of cystic ovaries. I would recommend taking Guinge to see a veterinarian who can do a physical exam, feel her belly for possibly cystic ovaries, and if needed do an ultrasound to identify and assess the ovaries. If they are indeed cystic, they can either be treated surgically with removal of the ovaries, or with injections of hormones to reduced the cyst size and activity (though these injections need to be given every 4 weeks or so). Hopefully it’s something simple! Good luck!

Thank you for your question. Unfortunately, in an adult guinea pig there is not true way to "age" them, unlike in horses and cattle where we can reliable determine an age based on teeth evaluation, in other species of animals we don't really have an accurate way to measure age. As pets become geriatric we may see changes such as whitening of hair, loss of some muscle mass, and things like cataracts forming.

This do tend to grey as they age and is definitely something I wouldn't worry about. Keep in mind that a dog is considered a senior around seven years of age. However, this does appear more leukotrichia, which is a disorder where the hair turns white. It's not harmful, but could continue to progress and cause Alfie to have a whiter face. If you are happening to notice any problems with his skin, then it would be best to have a vet examine him, because the hair can change color with damage to the skin. I hope that helps and all is well with Alfie.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Gus sounds very handsome! I think this is probably normal. Coat changes happen frequently in many different types of animals. Sometimes it is seasonal, sometimes it is a normal from ageing. As long as the skin and hair looks healthy I would not be worried. Personally, I think it is likely age related. Hope this helps. Best wishes!

Thank you for your question about Rosie. From your description, there are a few possibilities for what this may be. Guinea pigs can develop cataracts as they age, and this makes the lenses of their eyes look white. The lens is in the center of the eye, where the pupil is. These can be irritating and can also be painful if the pressure in the eye increases as a result of the cataracts being present. Another condition that can occur in guinea pigs is osseous metaplasia. This occurs on the rim of the iris, which is the colored part of the eye. What occurs with this process is that bone is put down around the eye, making it look white. This process isn't typically painful unless it gets severe. I would recommend having Rosie evaluated by a veterinarian who is familiar with guinea pigs (and some veterinary ophthalmologists are as well, depending on your area). They can help to determine what portion of the eye is looking weird/white, and if the condition is painful or not. Depending on what they find, they may have medications that they prescribe to Rosie, including pain relievers. Please do not give Rosie any human medications, as many of them are harmful to our furry friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I wish you and Rosie the best!

This can be normal. Calcium compounds in the urine cause this cloudiness. Without seeing them in person, however, I can't say for certain it's normal, so I would have them checked out by a vet to be safe. Best of luck.

Some dogs do start getting grey hair much earlier than others. I had a lab mix who started getting grey hair around 2 and 1/2 to 3 years old, but she lived to be 15 and was very healthy her entire life. There is no set age that's "normal" to start seeing greys, and no need for concern. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!