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I am going to buy a guinea pig at Petco or pet smart but I don't know what a sick piggy looks like.

Answers

1. Look for an active one, one that is a little curios in you that has clear eyes, not hair loss, no rashes, not limping, clean, also go to a pet store that looks like they treat there pets very well.
here this might help:

Diseases And Problems:

The most common illnesses I see in guinea pigs are pneumonia and hair loss associated with malnutrition (lack of vitamin C and other nutrients) and the diseases of old age. The most common disease I find is newly purchased pigs at breeders and pet stores is Pasteurellosis. Pasteurellosis is caused by a bacterium, Pasteurella multocida that is present in some breeding colonies. It causes respiratory and eye infections as well as abscesses The next most common disease is streptococcal infections.

Although pasteurella and streptococcus can be cured with antibiotics these antibiotics can be fatal to the guinea pig. Guinea pigs are notorious about handing antibiotics poorly. The problem is that these antibiotics also kill the “good” bacteria that reside in the pig’s cecum and are essential to proper digestion. If these bacteria are killed, the pig soon succumbs to toxic products that accumulate in the intestine.

When you purchase your guinea pig, be sure it appears healthy. Its eyes should be bright and clean, never crusty or lacking luster.

Check it’s nose, eyes, ears, and rear end to be sure it is free from any crusts, discharges, redness or inflammation. . The guinea pig should be alert and active, and plump. Its coat should be full and lustrous. Check its skin for flakes, and redness, and check carefully for parasites such as lice. When you pick up the guinea pig it may be quite skittish and fearful. It should quickly relax in your hands as you stroke it. Don’t purchase a guinea pig that is too calm or too skittish. Keep guinea pigs toenails clipped short every month with human toenail clippers.

If you should accidentally cut one too short, push the nail firmly into a moistened bar of Ivory soap to stop the bleeding. Longhaired varieties may need occasional brushing. Use a slicker comb designed for Persian cats.

2. Please rescue from a shelter. they really need u. its near impossible to find a guinea pig thats not sick in a pet store. its like finding a needle in a hay stack. as i said the shelter piggies really need u. they are all healthy and vet checked. u can try petfinder.com good luck i hope u adopt!

3.When buying from a pet store you need to look out that they are not sluggish and are quite active, the piggys need to be curious, interacting with other guinea pigs, clean eyes and nose, feet free of sores, hair and skin clean, check to see if they are itching or not (if they are it is an indication that they have mites), no hair missing, check the rear end for any diarrhea, breathing calmly – evenly paced, walking/running smoothly, If I were you I would use the site below to learn what guinea pigs can get and what their symptoms are for each of the diseases:

http://www.guinealynx.com/emergency.html

Good Luck!!

4. This will be a simple question for me to answer. When most guinea pigs are sick, they don’t eat and don’t play as much as normal. It is common for a guinea pig to be calmer the usual, when sick. Some guinea pigs breath heavily when not feeling good, and these animals are very sensitive to illnesses. Bring a sick guinea pig to the vet. instantly.

5. The Sick Guinea Pig
Most people experience having a sick guinea pig at one point or another, and aside from taking your pig to the vet, where medication is given, there are things you can do at home to help your pet recover. Bummy and Trous both were very sick before they died, as almost all guinea pigs are. The following are a list of things you can do at home, to help your pet:

Give your pig water through a mouth syringe – it is important to keep him hydrated. What I’ve found to be good to keep the piggie hydrated it to put a mixture of milk and water in a syringe, and feed it to the pig. This gets liquid in his body, and milk has protein to help him gain weight.|

If you have two pigs, feed them separately! If your sick pig is eating slower than the other one, he won’t have a chance at the food that he wants – and really needs, with that other little mouth grabbing it!

Hand-feed him. With Trousers, he ate more off my lap than he would in his cage! Don’t stop feeding your sick pig just because he doesn’t appear to be eating. With the medicine he is getting, it should make him hungrier, so keep providing it, for when he decides to eat. Try to give him his favorite foods, to entice him to eat

Mostly what I’ve been talking about above is when your pig isn’t eating. This is the most dangerous time for your pig, because guinea pigs don’t have a lot of weight on them in the first place, and when they stop eating – they lose weight rapidly. And most guinea- pig sicknesses involve lack of appetite. Though we are all worried about that one sick pig, if you have two guinea pigs, you also have to consider the other one:

Be sure to hold and cuddle your other pig(s) too, they still need love Give your other pig a run around – they still need and want exercise Make sure they don’t eat the sick pig’s food – you can end up with a really fat guinea pig. If your sick pig is having diarrhea, separate them, for the sake of the other pig. The stools’ might be infected/contagious, and the goal is not to get both pigs sick! Also, if your pig has an infectious disease, separate the pigs again (your vet will tell you about this)

When your pig is sick, it is important to try to get them well. But how do you know if the pig is sick in the first place?
Look for loss of appetite – it can happen suddenly
Look for strange lumps and bumps
Listen for heavy breathing
Look for small or messy stools
Look for difficulty moving
See if your pig is being lethargic
Not squealing for food (if he did in the first place)

6. One of the most common ailments in pet store pigs is mange. Look for patches of hair missing or reg itchy areas. Its easily fixes, with meds from the vet, but you prob. don’t want to spend extra right away. Also please check to see if you have a guinea pig rescue in your town! Lots of sweet piggys need homes! And they are usually really healthy and loving! Many pigs also hide their illnesses (because of their prey instinct) so you won’t know its sick until you get it home.

Don’t take that chance. Adopt from a reputable rescue or shelter.

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