Introduction

• Cause: there are many causes including any condition that leads to pain or discomfort associated with feeding behavior or stress, including surgery, and any disease condition associated with nausea, toxicity, gastrointestinal disturbance. An abrupt diet change (even just changing the brand of pellet or hay may cause a guinea pig to stop eating), changing dishes, location of dishes, types of fresh foods or treats can also cause a guinea pig to become anorexic.
• Signs: lack of interest in eating, change in defecation, weight loss, dehydration, lethargy, signs of pain/reluctance to move, poor coat condition, dental disease, tachypnea if in pain, masses present (abscess, etc), abdominal distension/tympany.
• Diagnosis: history and clinical signs, physical and dental examination, imaging, bloodwork.
• Treatment: depends underlying cause.
• Prognosis: depends underlying cause, severity, and duration prior to presentation.

Pathogenesis

Etiology

• Any stressful or painful condition can cause anorexia in a guinea pig.
• Gastrointestinal/dental system as primary cause:
  • Dental disease Dental disease.
  • Vitamin C deficiency Vitamin C deficiency.
  • Ileus.
  • Tympany Enteritis Gastrointestinal stasis Gastric dilatation and volvulus.
  • Gastric dilatation/volvulus Gastric dilatation and volvulus.
  • Obstruction such as with a foreign body or neoplasia Neoplasia overview.
  • Enteritis Enteritis, including dysbiosis Toxicity: antibiotic.
• Non-gastrointestinal/dental causes:
  • Dehydration.
  • Stress: physical, emotional.
  • Pain, ie arthritis Arthritis/osteoarthritis, urolithiasis Urolithiasis, otitis media/interna Otitis media/interna/externa, etc.
  • Urinary disorders including renal insufficiency, urolithiasis Urolithiasis.
  • Respiratory tract disorders Pneumonia.
  • Metabolic disorders such as ketoacidosis Pregnancy toxemia, hepatic lipidosis Hepatic lipidosis.
  • Neoplasia Neoplasia overview.
  • Infectious diseases such as that causing cervical lymphadenitis Cervical lymphadenitis.
  • Pregnancy.

Predisposing factors

General

• Incorrect diet:
  • Deficient in vitamin C Vitamin C deficiency.
  • Deficient in fiber Nutrition: overview.
• Abrupt changes to diet (including changing the brand of pellet or hay), dishes, furnishings in the cage, environmental/social changes may cause the guinea pig to stop eating.

Specific

• Pregnancy.

Pathophysiology

• The causes of the anorexia are related to the etiologies as listed above.

Timecourse

• The onset of anorexia can be gradual over several days to acute.
• Once the guinea pig has stopped eating and the gut has slowed or stopped, it is an emergency:
  • Hepatic lipidosis Hepatic lipidosis is rapidly associated with anorexia in herbivores.
  • This may complicate the anorexic condition.

Epidemiology

• Most cases presented will be individuals.
• In breeding colonies or multiple cavy households, infectious agents are always considered, particularly if there is respiratory disease.
• Stress due to the environmental conditions, social conditions, and dietary deficiencies can affect all within a household or colony.

Diagnosis

Treatment

Prevention

Outcomes