Low-Cost Guinea Pig DIAGNOSTIC 
​Community Clinic

 We have partnered with Dr. Nenn, DVM and are holding occasional low-cost pop-up diagnostics clinics.

Services offered include x-rays, fecal testing/cultures, nasal/ocular cultures, wound cultures, ultrasounds, minor benign cyst removals (at the doctor's discretion), mass cytology, and Cystorelin injections.

Below is a brief summary of the services and estimated pricing is listed.

When you book you will be asked to pay a deposit of $30. We do this to make sure clients will take their appointment seriously and show up, this deposit will be applied to your total that is due on the day. Please book one appointment per guinea pig.  

The vet does not charge an exam fee for diagnostics. If the guinea pig needs a prescription, then by law an exam must be performed. In that case the exam fee estimate is $55.  

*Please note that your deposit will not be refunded if you miss your appointment, or cancel your appointment without a 24-hr notice. Thank you so much for understanding!​

Book your appointment here!

Prescription for antibiotics  $55​

• Ocular Culture - $145  These are great if your guinea pig has a leaky eye that does not seem to resolve with antibiotic creams. This culture focuses on the fluid surrounding the eye and the lab technicians will find out what bacteria is causing the issue that the appropriate medicine can be identified to treat your piggie. We have found that one leaky eye can be  from calcification issues in the middle ear; an x-ray will confirm this. ​ $85 two images

• Heart disease diagnoses via x-ray and or ultrasound and heart medication prescriptions

• Ultrasound - These will tell you if there are any masses present. Great for older piggies and female guinea pigs over the age of 2.5yrs. It will tell if there are ovarian cysts or if something bad is causing certain symptoms. Peace of mind and active treatment is key here​​ $55  ($35 for a brief abdominal ultrasound)

• Nasal Culture - the vet will take a sample of nasal fluid and send it to the lab for a culture growth. This is great for guinea pigs with a chronic wet nose (like my Triscuit - and yes we found two different organisms that should not be there) Recurring URIs can also be a symptom of a calcified middle ear but you have to start narrowing things down and a nasal culture is a great start. ​​ $226

• X-rays - can reveal most bladder and or kidney stones that guinea pigs are prone to. They can also help identify a host of other abnormalities that should not be be present in a healthy guinea pig, such as calcified middle ears that Saskia is currently researching with Dr. Nenn. X-rays can show enlarged organs, arthritis, etc. Regular annual x-rays can help detect problems, such as urinary tract stones in guinea pigs before they develop into life-threatening emergencies. It is recommended to regularly x-ray Satin guinea pigs to check for signs of Osteodystrophy which is a metabolic bone disease prevalent in satin guinea pigs . ​​ $85 for two x-rays , additional images $50

• Hormone Cystorelin injections - Female guinea pigs at ages of 2 yrs  - 2.5 yrs or over can develop ovarian cysts. These are extremely common and can cause all or some of the following symptoms. Hair loss on both sides of the flanks and in a V on the back, aggressive behavior with other guinea pigs, crusty nipples, enlarged sides (from fluid filled ovarian cysts), sexual behavior (humping, rumbling strutting), and/or pain when touched on the sides. All this is not good and a lot of older lady pigs suffer from this. Previously the only remedy was spaying the guinea pig. A spay on a guinea pig is quite a large surgery, so in come the hormone injections. I have seen ALL symptoms disappear after 1 injection but usually is it takes 2-3 injections. If the guinea pig is not responding to the injections, a full spay can still be considered, as there will likely be more going on with the reproductive system than relatively harmless fluid filled cysts. Again, let's start narrowing things down; these super affordable injections are a great start. ​​ $38

• Fecal Testing - Guinea pigs can fall victim to a host of internal parasites that do not respond to preventative Ivermectin treatments. Sometimes a guinea pig can be asymptomatic, so not showing obvious signs but can still be infected and get sick down the road. Some of the parasites discovered through a fecal test are Coccidiosis Eimeria Cavae, Giardia, and others. These tests are great for peace of mind and a must if your guinea pig has soft or runny poops. ​​
  
• fecal without giardia $55.42
• fecal with giardia testing $84.96
  
• fecal culture $204.66
  
  

• Fecal Culture - This is another great test to consider if your guinea pig has soft or runny poops or even intermittent poopie problems. This is where a sample of poop is collected and send to the lab to see if any unusual bacteria will grown that live in the gut and should not be there. Too many veggies and fruits in the diet are rarely the cause of diarrhea or soft poop pellets. Presence of gut bacteria will contribute to susceptibility to other opportunistic diseases and will contribute to a general decline of the animals health such as Salmonella, E Coliocular. ​​​ $204.66

​By USDA - USDA ARS, [1], Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3463456

Gut parasites

---