Having a guinea pig first aid kit in place can be critical, especially when it comes to saving your guinea pig’s life in case of any medical emergency. Although it cannot take the place of a professional vet, it can help you to tackle any crisis until you reach the vet.
Guinea pigs are a playful creature; they love to roam around and play with each other. Sometimes they may get aggressive and fight with each other, or maybe they can get hurt with something in your living space, or perhaps they got some common health diseases.
In any such scenario, you will definitely need something to treat their wounds or illness and a well maintained first aid kit for guinea pigs might come in handy.
So, Now that you know you need a first aid kit for your guinea pigs in place, let’s quickly have a look at supplies we would need.
(You can learn more about why do guinea pigs fight and what is dominance behavior in guinea pigs from this article we have written.)
Contents
What Do I Need In A Guinea Pig First Aid Kit?
First and foremost you need to have a card which has contact details of few vets listed in it. Just in case one is unavailable, you can quickly reach out to the other.
Now place this card at the front of the box where it is easy to find. Just in case of an emergency, you can reach out to the vet immediately.
Second, you definitely need some essential supplies in place. Something like cotton buds, cotton balls, bandages, antiseptic liquid, tapes, scissors, tweezers, syringes, etc. should be stored together.
Just in case some medical emergency arises you needn’t rush looking for these items if you have invested some time and money in keeping them organized.
Third and another essential item on the list of guinea pig first aid kit is going to be some supplements and disinfectants.
Guinea pigs can get aggressive towards each other, and in the process, they might scratch or bite each other, or maybe they get some wound by some foreign object in any such case having something to clean their injury is going to come in handy.
You can keep a sterile solution for cleaning and disinfecting their wounds.
Some other essential items on the list can be towels, disposable gloves, weighing scales, guinea pig shampoo, small animal wipes, heat pad, wound powder, skin cream, etc.
It is always a great idea to stock up some skin cream and spray for common skin diseases like itching, fungal infection, etc. Just make sure you have discussed the items with your vet before getting one for your kit.
- Styptic powder
- Sterile saline flush solution
- Rubbing alcohol
- Betadine
- Chew Guard Spray
- Bacitracin antibiotic ointment
- Triple antibiotic ointment
- Styptic powder or Cornflour
- Acidopholus powder
- Eye ointment
- Eye drops
- Hydrogen peroxide
- Common antibiotics like Baytril, Bactrim, Metacam, Infacol, etc.
- Epson Salts
- vitamin c supplements or Probiotics powder
- Anti fungal spray or ointment
- 1ml and 5ml syringe
- Clean towel
- Gauze pad
- Bandage
- First Aid Tape
- Cotton bud and Cotton balls
- Scissors
- Tweezers
- Heating pad and cold pack
- Small Animal Wipes
- Disposable gloves
- Weighing scale
- Guinea Pig Shampoo
- Coconut oil
- Oxbow critical care
- Oxbow Vitamin C supplements
- Small bowl and spoon
Where to buy a first aid kit for guinea pigs?
If you already have some supplies of basic medical kit then you should consider getting a tackle box for storing your supplies and get the rest of your supplies.
You can either buy a pre-made first aid kit like ARCA first aid kit for pets and add in a few extra supplies needed.
Alternatively, you can choose to visit a local medical store and get everything for your guinea pigs.
FAQ:
Can I put Neosporin on my guinea pig?
Yes, you can use Neosporin on guinea pigs. It can be applied thinly on the wound or bite area. It works great in healing the wound at a faster pace. But be cautious, Neosporin has an ingredient called Bacitracin, which can be harmful if ingested. So, avoid using Neosporin around their mouth. If you have used it somewhere where they can still ingest it then rather keep them busy for sometime after applying and then wipe it up later before leaving. Doing so would give some time to the wound to recover.
Can you put antibiotic ointment on a guinea pig?
Yes, antibiotic ointment like triple antibiotic ointment is used on a guinea pig. But it is recommended to avoid using it in an area where it can be ingested. Also, avoid thick layers as your guinea pig might end up licking it.
Ophthalmic triple antibiotic ointment can be used sparsely in a thin layer on mouth sores and eyes.
Is Betadine safe for guinea pigs?
Yes, Betadine is entirely safe for your guinea pigs. The active ingredient called iodine works exceptionally good at treating fungal infections, which is common in guinea pigs. You can also mix of 40 parts of water to 1 part of betadine to clean wounds and soak their feet.Try to avoid using it near their mouth area as it can still be harmful if ingested.
Can you give guinea pigs aspirin?
Yes, you can give aspirin to your guinea pig. Although we should only use aspirin when our vet has not prescribed the use of Metacam.We should only use Aspirin under strict dosages. We should provide 50-100 mg of Acetylsalicylic acid/kg weight. In general, one chewable baby aspirin tablet(81mg) is enough for your guinea pigs.
Can guinea pigs have paracetamol?
Yes, guinea pigs can have a very light dose of paracetamol just in case of an emergency. It is recommended to feed junior Calpol 0.2mg twice a day. Do not go for a regular one as it is twice more potent than this one. It is recommended to consult a vet before starting any medication.
Is Tea Tree Oil safe for guinea pigs?
No. Tea tree oil is definitely not safe for your guinea pigs. If they happen to ingest it somehow, then they may get ill. It can also lead to skin irritation in guinea pigs.
Conclusion
You should definitely consider getting a first aid kit in place. If you haven’t already got one definitely go ahead and get a tackle box and start gathering supplies for your guinea pigs.
A medical emergency can knock the door anytime so it is better to be prepared than sorry.
If you are a total beginner and want to learn more about guinea pigs diet and care you should consider reading our articles:
Sources: Oakhurstvet, How to care for your pet guinea pig, Guinea pigs
Nikki
Thursday 25th of July 2019
Even as a veteran guinea pig owner of over 15 years, I am so happy to have found this website. I have read every guinea pig book and learned much through experience but this website still has so much useful information. Thank you!