Commonly Cavy Illnesses.

Cavies are very gentle and fragile any "big change" or "little change" in their little world will make them sick. The most commonly illnesses cavies experienced with are:

. Upper Respiratory Infections: This condition causes nose congestion, discharging of the eyes or nose, crustiness in you cavy's eyes, constant sneezing, constant caugh (yes they can) it is a little weird noise.

. Diarrhea: This can be caused by exessive ammounts of food daily, or innapropiate foods.

. Scurvy: This condition is caused by the lack of vitamin C, this means that your cavy is not receiving the appropiates ammounts of vitamin C he should be consuming daily. This condition is described as a bone and cartilage disease. Some of the signs are sudden bleeding, swollen joint, loss of appetite, unable to move, lumps in the ribs area. This condition needs treatment immediately, if not treated it can be fatal. To prevent this do checks ups to your cavy regurlaly I will say once a week to make sure your cavy's body has not any strage growths. While checking, focus on the teeth and gums make sure they look white and bright and that they are not loosen (this is one of the signs). Also, you should gently check your cavy's ribs cage area to make sure there isnt any abnormal growth.

. Absesses: These are very commonly on cavies too. They can reproduce as a result of accumulated puff, this is usually caused by bacterias or parasites or other foreign materials.

. Mites: This condition may cause hair loss in a specific spot, exessive scratches, agressive behavior when touched due to the pain he is suffering from, and in some cases seizures.

. Running Lice: This is a small white insect that can be seen moving throught the hair. The eggs of these insects are black and they will firmly attach to your cavy's hair. An anti-lice shampoo or solution specially made for cavies will rule out this condition. PLEASE contant your local VET.

. Ovarian Cysts: This condition may also produce loss of hair, Fullness, heaviness, pressure, swelling, or bloating in the abdomen. 95% of the ovarian cysts are not cancerous, but that does not mean they do not need treatment, because they DO pain relievers, warm bath and other types of medical treatment PROVIDED BY YOUR VET will be helpful to help your cavy to feel better.

. Corneal Ulcer: This condition can be caused by any foreign object lodged in your cavy's eye such as hay, bedding, dust. Some of the symptoms are excessive blinking, tearing, and in some cases an opaque film over the eye. This condition needs treament, it will take long to heal but it will rule out any pain your cavy(s) might be suffering. Pain medications are given as needed and any Loose epithelium is removed with a dry cotton swab under topical anesthesia. keratotomy, which is superficial cutting or piercing of the cornea is also needed to treat this condition.

. Pneumonia: This condition can result from a variety of causes, including infection with bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites. Some of the symptoms associated pneumonia include fever, fast or difficult breathing, nasal discharge, and decreased activity. If you notice any of these symptoms in your cavy PLEASE TAKE YOUR CAVY TO YOUR LOCAL VET make sure the vet you choose are experienced and know the anatomy and physiology of the cavy

. Torticollis: Is a condition in which the head is tilted toward one side, and the chin is elevated and turned toward the opposite side. This condition sometimes is accompanied by pneumonia and it can be fatal.