Guinea pig has tiny bleeding spots. What's wrong and what to do?

Even though a picture would help to understand better the underlying cause, generally speaking this presentation could be due to a trauma or recurrence of the localized skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Bleeding must be stopped as soon as possible with gentle pressure. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Hi and thank you for the pics, While it is not possible to make a diagnosis based on pictures alone, they do show an inflamed area with lots of hemorrhages. What I'm missing is some background info such as her age, is she alone or with other GPs, where are the lesions on her body (difficult to tell from the pics) and are there several lesions or just one. An accurate diagnosis would require a good history, a physical examination and likely some lab tests such as skin scrapings and cultures. This can only be done in a vet clinic.

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!

That looks like a laceration from the photo. I recommend to have Sussy examined by the veterinarian who may want to put her on antibiotics. In the mean time, you can gently wash the area with soap and rinse it very well. Pat dry the fur well. Make sure to keep her warm until she is dry. Remove the bedding and put a towel down so no dust or particles can contaminate the area. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Thans for reaching out about your guinea pig. It sounds as if he has an upper respiratory (and possible lower respiratory) infection. A veterinary visit is recommended to provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. The sooner the better, especially with the bleeding from the nose. Good luck.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or fungal or mites). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics or antifungal meds (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can be possibly started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (pay extra care when you do it as the eye is very close). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

If your guinea pig (GP) is bleeding and it one not external the two options would be vaginal or rectal bleeding. With blood from her genital, urinary tract problems like bladder infection or stones usually are the cause in this cases t you will notice diffuse blood spots since the blood is diluted by urine. Vaginal bleeding can also originating from the uterus in this case uterine tumor or uterine infection can bo the cause. Rectal bleeding can be an indication of trauma to the rectal lining due to hard, constipated stools or passage of a foreign object (bedding material, etc). Other possibilities are a rectal mass such as a cyst, abscess, or even a tumor within the rectal wall or in the colon. In any case you GP will need to be examined by a vet and the source of the bleeding investigated. Since the GP is lethargic she will need help ASAP. Hope this helps.