The Guinea Pig Vet

19/06/2026

Don't miss Derwent Valley Vets open day this Saturday - 🎉 we are celebrating our 10th birthday and the completion of our building work.🎈

Saturday the 20th of June 2026, 1pm to 3pm, come and have a look at those parts of the practice that you don't normally see.

The team will be on hand to show you round behind the scenes and explain what goes on there. With it being a birthday celebration, there's likely to be lots of cake and some fun and games as well. 🎉Come and join us 🎉

07/05/2026

Did you know, that a normal adult guinea pig will produce at least 100 faecal pellets a day! They produce so many because they graze almost constantly, have a low nutritional value high fibre diet and a relatively high metabolism. Producing too few faecal pellets (less than 50 a day) can be a sign of ill health that requires vet attention.💩

12/03/2026

Guinea pigs are prone to bladder disease. Uroliths (bladder stones) are a common finding amongst guinea pigs showing signs of bladder discomfort. Female guinea pigs can pass surprisingly large stones. However, these stones can frequently get lodged at the end of the urethra. It can be diagnosed by x-ray, although most are palpable. They can be gently removed under sedation.

13/02/2026

February is Spey & Neuter Awareness Month - find out what happens behind the scenes when your guinea pig visits us at Derwent Valley Vets
🥰❤️

07/02/2026

Guinea pig pups🥰 are cute and incredible. 😍
There are a small number of rodents whose young are born fully haired, with eyes and ears open and functional. These young are termed 'precocial' because they are like small adults and are independent relatively young. Guinea pigs are included in this group, as are chinchillas.❤️

Most other rodents are born deaf and blind initially, with no fur and are highly dependent on their mothers. These young are termed 'altricial' and include rats, mice and hamsters 🐹🐭

25/01/2026

Curious about genetic inheritance in guinea pigs? Check out our new blog on Notes on Guinea Pigs, written by The Guinea Pig Vet.🤩🥸👉 https://www.theguineapigvet.co.uk/post/recessive-traits-in-guinea-pigs

20/01/2026

Meet Ellie The Guinea Pig Vet 🤩

🐾 Meet the Vets Monday – Ellie! 🐾

Ellie graduated from the Royal Veterinary College in London in 2005 and has been caring for animals ever since. A fun fact about Ellie… she’s the proud owner of four sheep! 🐑🐑🐑🐑

When she’s not at work, Ellie loves all things DIY (she even built her own barn from scratch) and enjoys spending quality time with her family.

✨ Ellie's favourite part of the job is guineapigs (obviously! 😆)

💡 Ellie’s top tip: Never house guinea pigs alone, as they are social, companion animals. However, they should never be housed with rabbits.

13/01/2026

In other common veterinary species, like dogs and cats, there are breed associated conditions. Are there any breed associated conditions in guinea pigs? 🤔 The answer is yes.

The main one is satin guinea pig syndrome. This occurs in approximately 40% of satin guinea pigs. The condition is thought to be a form of hyperparathyroidism, this causes bone to be replaced with fibrous tissue (as calcium is pulled out of the bone). This leads to pain and difficulty moving and eating. It has also been associated with kidney disease.

Another breed associated condition is lethal white syndrome. This is a recessive genetic condition occurring in 25% of white, red eyed guinea pigs resulting from breeding 2 carrier roan/Dalmatian guinea pigs together. As a recessive trait, affected individuals need to have received the gene from both parents. Affected individuals have stunted growth and are usually blind and deaf with dental issues.

If you have a satin or white guinea pig, and are concerned they may be showing signs 👉 visit your vets for a check up.♥️

* A note from Ellie - Thanks for the comments and apologies for any confusion caused. I edited the post but didn't realise how the initial change to reduce words made it sound. I was relying too heavily on the word recessive and see how that could have caused confusion.

31/12/2025

As we get ready to wheek in 2026, we want to send a huge thank you to our amazing guinea pig followers and clients. ✨

2025 was a year filled with popcorns, chin rubs, and plenty of veggies. It has been an absolute joy caring for your precious potatoes and seeing the love you give them every day.🥰

🥂 A Few Tips for a Stress-Free Piggy NYE:
Keep it Quiet: Loud fireworks can be scary! 🎆 Consider moving cages away from windows or adding extra fleece for burrowing.

🫑The Midnight Snack: Give your guinea pigs a special midnight snack and share a pic in the comment section! 📷 Happy New Year's Eve 🎊

(Image made with AI)

25/10/2025

Did you know? One of the most common reasons guinea pigs visit us is for dental problems! 🦷🐹

This Guinea Pig Awareness Week, here’s a fun fact:
Guinea pigs have a total of 20 teeth - that’s 12 fewer than an adult human!

They have:
▪️ 4 incisors
▪️ 4 premolars
▪️ 12 molars

Their teeth grow continuously, so dental health is super important. Some of the most frequent issues we see include:

1. Malocclusion (when teeth don’t align properly)
2. Ulcers
3. Abscesses