My guinea pig's grease gland is dark. Is it okay to clean with Dawn?

Thanks for reaching out about Fin and Blackie. This is probably on the rump and is a normal gland on guinea pigs. But the lesions can get infected, or can change with higher fat diets. If guinea pigs are overweight, they sometime have difficulty turning around and self cleaning the gland. A warm wet washcloth with a mild detergent such as Dawn dish soap can be used to clean the glands. If you continue to have problems, seek an examination with a veterinarian. Good luck.

Thank you for your question about the boys - they are so cute! Your question does not have a completely straightforward answer, unfortunately. Every male is different, and some do a better job at cleaning their grease glands than others. I would recommend cleaning it when you see discoloration around the area on your white piggie, and then when you feel like there is build up. You can clean it gently with a warm, wet washcloth. Alternatively, with castration the grease gland will decrease its production. I hope that helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I see a darker area with shorter hairs. If this is just above where Moo's tail would be, it is her grease gland. This is a gland that all guinea pigs have and it releases pheromones and oils to lubricate the hair. It is completely normal. Some guinea pigs can develop issues with their gland, requiring cleaning by their owner. You can gently clean the area with water and a mild shampoo (check your pet store for a product called Malaseb) if it gets too greasy. Definitely have the area checked out by a vet if it appears red or has any discharge. Good luck with Moo!

As long as he isn't shaking his head or scratching at the ear excessively, you can use a cotton swab dipped in mineral oil to gently clean the outer ear. Never insert anything down into the ear canal. Check and clean the ears once weekly. If he begins to scratch or shake, have him examined by your vet to diagnose and treat possible ear infection.

Thanks for reaching out about Sunny. Try wiping with a moistened warm wash cloth to keep clean. Do not use soap or any topical medications, not prescribed by a veterinarian. Contact the pet store to see if they can assist. If the eye gets worse, a veterinary visit is recommended.

Thanks for reaching out about Sprou and including pictures. By the history and pictures, the most likely answer is a dermal (sebaceous) cyst. This condition is very common in middle aged guinea pigs. Keeping it clean as you did, is a good start. Clipping the hair around the edges to prevent further contamination is important. Ideally a veterinarian should be seen to have the cyst surgically removed, else it is likely to come back, over and over. Secondary infections of the open wound are also possible. Good luck.

Hello, an otoscope would not be very practical, it's too large to get into a guinea pig's ear and you will not be able to manage to check the teeth with it either (most guinea pigs needs to be under anaesthesia to check the teeth). It's not necessary to clean the ears, external ear infections are rare in guinea pigs, they tend to suffer from middle ear infections but those are not related to the external condition of the ears.