Regular therapy with antibiotics suggested by your veterinarian in this situation could resolve the condition in a short period of time.
Why is my guinea pigs pee red?
When some guinea pig owners see the crimson urine for the first time, I understand that they may be concerned.
It’s possible that the first thing that comes to your mind is, “Does my guinea pig have any bleeding?”
Reality, on the other hand, can be quite different. Guinea pigs are more likely than you might imagine to urinate in a bright red color.
The color of your guinea pig’s urine has most likely been altered by the food pigment.
Food that you may have fed your guinea pigs in the last 24 hours could be the source of the change in the tint of urine that you have seen in them.
While healthy guinea pig pee is yellowish in color, some guinea pigs’ urine can be orange, pinkish, or even red in color.
The first time you see some red-colored pee in your guinea pig’s cage or bedding, you must refrain from acting on it right away.
It’s possible that waiting and seeing will be your best option. Wait at least 24 hours before checking the color of your urine; you will most likely find that the color has returned to normal.
If this is the case, you shouldn’t be concerned about your guinea pig’s well-being. It is still recommended to wait two to three days after your guinea pig has had red or deeper colored urine for two to three days to determine if something in their diet is responsible for the change in color.
When it comes to guinea pigs, stress and dehydration can both be significant contributors in determining the color of their urine.
If you have a suspicion that your guinea pig may be bleeding, you can use a dipstick to check for the presence of blood.
What foods cause guinea pigs urine to turn red
When guinea pigs consume foods that are red in hue, they frequently produce red urine.
These foods are high in the antioxidants Lycopene and Anthocyanin, which gives them their vibrant red color.
Some other plants, on the other hand, can generate red urine in guinea pigs as well.
The following are examples of common plants that cause guinea pigs’ urine to become red:
- Beetroots and its leaves
- Red cabbage or Red Leaf Lettuce
- Red Bell pepper
- Watermelon
- Strawberries, Red Grapes, Cranberries & Raspberries
- Carrot
- Spinach(rarely), etc.
If any of these plants is responsible for the red urine, the dye may not remain for more than 1-2 days after it is applied.
However, if you continue to give them the same plants, it may last for a longer period of time.
Chemical compounds contained in some antibiotics can cause crimson urine in guinea pigs, and this is owing to the chemical compounds included in such drugs.
As a result, if your guinea pig is currently taking medication given by a veterinarian, you can speak with them for additional information on the subject.
How to test blood in a guinea pig’s urine?
It is understandable that owners would be concerned about the appearance of blood in the urine.
Even if you are still suspicious that there is blood in the urine after the preliminary inspection, you must submit to a more thorough testing procedure in order to obtain a conclusive result.
Testing for blood in a guinea pig’s urine can be done in two ways. These are some examples:
- Visiting a vet: A vet can test blood in your guinea pig’s urine, but it is going to take some time and cost you as well. If you have no idea how to do it on your own, then go for a vet. You can find out a nearby vet clinic from our exhaustive Vet List.
- Use a dipstick: A dipstick is a simple test kit that can be used to find traces of blood in the urine. Simply apply the dipstick to the urine sample, the color of the strip will change. Match the color with the reference chart, and you will have your answer.
My guinea pig is peeing blood
‘Hematuria’ is the term used to describe the presence of blood in the urine of guinea pigs who have been diagnosed with the ailment.
Although not an illness in and of itself, this could indicate the presence of another health concern in your guinea pigs.
If there are urine traces identified in your guinea pig’s pee, you should seek professional assistance immediately.
Always seek veterinary care for your guinea pigs when you are at home. There are a variety of health conditions that might cause blood to appear in your guinea pig’s pee, including:
There are many different types of health issues that can affect your guinea pigs, ranging from minor infections to serious health issues that can be life-threatening.
Contacting a skilled veterinarian and having the necessary treatment completed is the best approach in such cases.
Some of the most common health issues that result in blood in guinea pig’s pee are as follows:
- Pregnancy: Many guinea pig owners often see some blood discharge from the vaginal area of their guinea pigs. Although the discharge may not be a significant one, but it is a possibility. This could happen either just before the birth or due to some complications as well.
- Bladder stones: Guinea pig suffering from bladder stones(Urolithiasis) can see some blood discharge along with the urine. It also makes the urination extremely painful for them.
- Kidney stones: Kidney stones can also be a significant cause of blood in the urine. The stones are formed in the kidney and are extremely painful for our guinea pigs.
- Urinary tract infection: UTI is yet another common cause of blood in your guinea pig’s urine. Middle age guinea pigs are more prone to UTI’s than others. It can be a painful condition for your guinea pigs. However, it can still be treated with proper medication.
- Trauma: If your guinea pig had some sort of injury or accident, then they might be bleeding internally. A fall from a height, a significant fight among guinea pigs, etc. could be the reason.
- Cystitis: It is a bladder infection in guinea pigs caused by inflammation in the urinary tract. It can also lead to blood in the urine of our guinea pigs.
- Tumor: Tumor around the genital area can also be one of the common causes of blood in your guinea pig’s urine. Although most of the tumor is benign, but some of them can lead to serious health issues, including cancer.
What do I do if my guinea pig is peeing blood?
As we had discussed earlier, the blood in the urine is likely a symptom of some disease and not the disease itself.
Thus, the treatment of guinea pig that has blood traces in their urine shall depend upon the correct diagnosis of the disease.
It is recommended to visit a professional Vet for proper diagnosis as a situation might get worse if we make a mistake during diagnosis.
Once the vet has diagnosed your guinea pig properly, they will provide you with a treatment plan.
While some mild health problems can be treated with medication and change in diet, other severe ones might require emergency surgery.
Internal Bleeding:
If your guinea pigs have suffered from any physical harm, the vet may need to perform some type of scan to determine if they have any internal ailments.
Guinea pigs will most likely attempt to conceal the injury for as long as possible, which can exacerbate the condition.
Depending on the severity of the injury, your guinea pigs may be able to recuperate on their own.
When there is a major injury, however, suitable surgery or therapy may be required.
Always err on the side of caution and make every effort to keep your guinea pigs from suffering any severe physical harm.
Kidney or Bladder Stones:
If your guinea pig is suffering from a kidney or bladder stone, there are only two options for getting rid of the obstruction.
If the stone is small, increasing water intake and reducing consumption of high-calcium foods can be effective treatment options. This will ensure that the stones are dissolved and removed from the area.
You may urge your guinea pigs to drink more water by encouraging them to participate in some physical activity.
Putting some treats in the nozzle of the water bottle can also help to draw their attention to it as well.
However, if the stones are more significant, it may be more difficult to dissolve them by dietary modifications.
In such cases, we must have a surgical treatment performed by a skilled veterinarian, followed by a change in our diet.
Urinary Tract Infection:
To be effective in treating both urinary tract infection and cystitis, antibiotics must be used in conjunction with one another.
There is nothing you can do to get rid of it as quickly as possible. Follow the advice of your veterinarian and provide your guinea pigs with a safe and healthy living environment.
An messy living environment is a significant contributor to the development of many disorders.
If you do not clean your guinea pigs’ enclosure on a regular basis, or if you use low quality bedding material, the enclosure will become a breeding ground for bacteria that can lead to diseases like these.
A common complaint among guinea pig owners is that even after treating their animals with medicines for certain ailments, the color of their guinea pigs’ urine continues to be red.
Please keep in mind that some biotics can cause the color of your guinea pig’s urine to change as well.
As a result, continue the medication course and check the urine for at least two days after the medication course has been completed. You should see a difference at that point.
Tumors:
Cancer is generally caused by an abnormal proliferation of body cells, which results in the creation of a mass of tissues.
They can be either malignant (which means they spread quickly) or benign (harmless).
During their growth, these cells frequently cause irritation to other organs in the vicinity, resulting in bruising and bleeding.
If the tumor is benign, it can be left untreated; however, if the veterinarian discovers that it is interfering with other organs and causing bleeding, they may elect to perform surgical removal of the tumor.
Are female guinea pigs more likely to pee blood?
Yes, female guinea pigs are more likely to pee blood than male guinea pigs. It is because many health concerns with these symptoms are related to reproductive organs.
The majority of guinea pig owners believe their guinea pigs are menstruation, however this is not the case in reality. Guinea pigs do not go through menstrual cycles. We have a comprehensive blog post on the subject, which you should read in full before proceeding.
The more likely scenario is that you will need to take your guinea pig to the vet immediately if she is peeing blood.
It is possible that they are suffering from a medical condition or that they have endured trauma that has caused them to bleed.
Having a female spayed or a male neutered lowers the likelihood of developing the majority of these health problems.
Because they are calm and friendly, a spayed guinea pig is more likely to get along with other guinea pigs than one that has not been spayed.
In any event, keep the golden rule in mind at all times. The urine of your guinea pig may be peeing a bright red color, which is more similar to that of a plant pigment. But if it is clear pee that contains some small blood spots, it has more the appearance of a blood trace.
