My guinea pig's rear is swollen. Should I take him to the vet?

I am sorry to hear about your guinea pig. A photograph may help us better evaluate the area. If you are certain the area looks swollen (meaning you have viewed the area previously and it now appears altered) I would recommend a visit to the vet for your guinea pig. If you aren’t positive the gender of your guinea pig it’s possible this is a male starting to sexually mature. You can read about determining gender at http://www.guinealynx.info/sexing.html

Hi and thank you for your question. In rodents the testicles can move freely from the abdomen to the scrotum (sac) and vise versa. It could just be that one is in and the other is outside the sac. However, it is imposible to say that from the pic. A vet should be able to tell you if it's normal or not after physically examining him. Regards

Well, the first thing you'll need to do is figure out whether or not this is a male or female. There are lots of images available on guinea pig sexing and guinea pig anatomy so that you will be able to figure this out most likely. In terms of the symptoms you've reported, I would have to see pictures and perform a physical exam to give you my take. It sounds like you could be right, but there are also many other reasons for both pain and swelling in the abdomen. I would recommend having you and your parents bring him to a veterinarian comfortable treating small mammals. Hope this makes sense.

Hello, sorry to hear about Pepe. You can put a frozen bag of veggies or an ice pack wrapped in a thin cloth or plastic zip lock bag in the area for 5 minutes or so, 2-3 times per day for the next 3 days. He likely has normal post-operative swelling that should resolve within 2-3 weeks. If it is not getting better, if the area is painful, if the swelling is worsening, or if Pepe no longer eats and seems lethargic then have him evaluated immediately. Hope this helps and best of luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Teddy and including photos. This could be a sebaceous cyst or abscess. For now, wash the lesions with a mild soap, such as Johnson Baby Shampoo or Dawn dishsoap. If the lesion continue to grow or appears to be bothering Teddy, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Have him examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating pocket pets. A fine needle aspirate can be done to collect a sample for pathology. This may lead to a diagnosis. In the meantime, make sure he is eating, drinking and eliminating normally.

The two most common causes of facial swelling in guinea pigs are abscesses in the jaw or a dental problem. Check your guinea pig's chin and mouth area. If she is drooling or the fur is wet, those are both signs of a dental problem. If a tooth is abscessed or growing abnormally into the area behind the eye, there can also be a discharge from one or both eyes, so check for that as well. Abscesses or tumors in the nasal cavity can also cause swelling like this to happen. All of these conditions must be treated by a vet. I suggest you find an exotic vet in your area to check him out.