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My guinea pig has an irritated, watery eye. Should I see a vet?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Unknown - Small Animal | Female

Hellowm we just recently bought a guinea pig, Peaches. Her sister needed to be taken to the vet before we can purchase her, she was sneezing and had clicks sounds in her chest.. Peaches is now showing signs of an irritated eye. Some watering. No puss. The eyelids are a little swollen. We purchased her june 13th. What would u suggest.

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Miranda Sadar, DVM, DACZM

Veterinarian

Published on June 15th, 2018

I am so sorry that you are having problems with both of your guinea pigs. Because your other guinea pig had signs of a respiratory (nose, windpipe, and lungs) issue, I would recommend having Peaches evaluated by a veterinarian. Many times, respiratory diseases can be contagious, and may present with abnormalities of the eyes (the eyes and nose are connected, so bacteria and other organisms can spread between them!). From the pictures, the changes appear to be mild right now, which is great as you have caught it early!
Other things that can cause both watering of the eyes and respiratory problems is bedding in the cage. Shavings made of pine or cedar can be irritating to both the eyes and the respiratory system, and can result in sneezing and watering of the eyes. Excessively dusty bedding can do the same things. If these are present, I would recommend changing those out and looking for improvement.
Your veterinarian will be able to look closely at Peaches' eyes, and take a close listen to her lungs to make sure she is not also having respiratory signs.

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

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