My guinea pig's head went underwater while bathing. Will he be okay?

Hi there, this could be a few things. Ear infections can cause a head tilt to the affected side (usually) and your pet may spin due to feeling off balance. Trauma is also possible as is something like a tumor. Charlie will need to see a vet as soon as possible for a full evaluation.

Thank you for the picture, it is very helpful. I am so sorry that this is happening to Fidget - that looks painful! This should not have happened with a bath alone, and it is possible that something was happening underneath the skin, and then it just became more clear or the skin sloughed when you gave him a bath. The area looks a bit red and painful, and due to this I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian. They can prescribe a pain medication for him, and may recommend antibiotics as well. Please don’t give Fidget any human medications, as many of these can be harmful to our guinea pig friends. Until he can be taken to a vet, please keep the area clean. If needed, you can replace his bedding with towels or fleece for a few days to help with this. I hope that gives you a place to start, and that Fidget feels better soon!

I am sorry to hear about your guinea pig! I would recommend having him examined by a veterinarian. If some of his skin is torn or hanging, it could be painful and a source of infection. I would also want to examine inside his ear and the skin around his ear to see if tehre is a reason why he might have been itching at the ear. I would also recommend check the cage/bowls/etc. for areas that could be sharp/could cause injury.

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.

A small amount of baby shampoo should be fine for a one time cleaning of your guinea pig. The water should be warm but not hot, like it would be for bathing a baby. You want to be sure that your guinea pig is dried thoroughly after the bath and is in an area that is not drafty as the big risk with bathing can be getting chilled afterwards when they are wet.

Thank you for your question about Oreo. Dry skin on the ears of guinea pigs is very common, and you may also see flaking of brown debris from within their ears as well. This flaking is their normal cerumen (ear wax) and it just tends to be brown to black in color, depending on the color of your guinea pig. For the dryness, I am not sure why you are seeing it only on one ear - sometimes if one ear is black (or dark in color) and one is white (or light in color) that it is easier to see the dry skin on one versus the other. To help with the dryness, you can rub a small amount of Aquaphor ointment on the ear. This medication is used for eczema in humans and can help hold in moisture. Apply it very sparingly, and if Oreo is bothered by it at all, I would recommend discontinuing it. Less commonly, guinea pigs can get skin infections of their ears. If you see that the flaky skin becomes crusty, red, swollen, has a smell, or if Oreo is bothered by the ear, I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian. They would be able to evaluate the ear and may take samples of the skin surface to look at under the microscope. If they determine it is an infection, they can prescribe treatments such as antibiotics and pain medications. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck with your new pet!

Head tilt in guinea pigs is almost always due to an ear infection. I suggest you get him to a vet for an exam and treatment. This isn't something you can treat at home. Please find a vet that is used to treating guinea pigs like this one: ( https://azeah.com/ )