Can rabbits and guinea pigs live together? What about respiratory bacteria?

Thanks for reaching out about your pets. Different species of animals commonly carry bacteria that can be harmful to other species, but most commonly transmitted by bites or claws. It is not recommended that predator and prey species co-habitate. Just be careful. Good luck.

I would not recommend to put Bernie and the guinea pig together in the same cage as they may fight. The are fine in the same house as long as neither have parasites (which is unexpected in most cases). Have fun babysitting!

Thanks for reaching out about Belle. The hard part with this is that different bacteria can be contracted through different routes. Bordatella is a common respiratory pathogen of dogs and rabbits, and can be transmitted to guinea pigs. Other bacterias are common in the environment and become opportunistic. Still other might harbor deep in the lungs, awaiting the opportunity to cause problems. Good luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It would be unlikely that she can get them sick though it is always possible. I think it is fine especially if they are all doing well and have been dewormed and everything. I bet they are all adorable! Have a good day!

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Respiratory infections can be either viral, bacterial or a bacterial infection secondary to a viral infection. If you have a large number of rabbits that are all inbreeding, they will have weaker immune systems and will pass these viruses around, which will lead to a group of very weak and sick bunnies. They get it by being around one another and breathing in the same air. Viruses are floating around in the environment, so unless you had each bunny individually housed, with different air venting to each one (like a research lab) then your bunnies will all be exposed. Bacteria spreads similarly. Signs of respiratory disease/infections include trouble breathing, inappetance, weight loss, decreased energy, poor hair coat, and death. You can prevent it by cleaning out your house, getting well and genetic diverse bunnies that are not allowed to inbreed (making sure they are spayed/neutered), and having the bunnies all vaccinated. Keeping the environment clean is very important as well. Best of luck with your bunnies.

Theoretically, yes - this is possible. Rabbits are very common carriers of Bordetella, which can cause upper respiratory infections in dogs. It isn't known how often this actually happens, but it's certainly possible that it could, especially if the rabbit and dog were in close contact.

Thank you for your question about your guinea pig. There are cases where herpesvirus has been spread to rabbits - this has been through kissing or having close contact with the mouth. I would not recommend that your mother, or anyone, kiss your guinea pig due to the risks. As far as the antiviral medications that you are referring to, yes, many of them are tested using laboratory animals, including guinea pigs. I hope that this helps to answer your question, and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.