It’s abnormal for your guinea pigs pee to smell so bad. If your guinea pig’s cage gives off an offensive urine smell, the bedding you use could be responsible. It’s possible that the bedding does not absorb your guinea pig’s pee. But that is not all. An offensive odor from your pet’s urine is also a sign of infection. When you feed your guinea pig with an incorrect diet, it messes up its urinary tract that in turn causes UTI ( urinary tract infections). UTI can cause your guinea pig’s pee to smell bad.
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Table of Contents
What is UTI? [Urinary Tract Infection]
UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) is an infection that messes up with the urinary tract. Sure, you’ve heard of it in humans and other animals. Guinea pigs are not left out as they are prone to UTI because their body is lowered to the ground. When they move around on beddings, dry pee, or poop, their genitals collect bacteria that cause UTI. UTI makes your guinea pig’s pee smell so bad. That is why it is crucial to clean your guinea pig’s cage and get rid of dirty beddings. Urinary Tract Infection can reoccur. So, once you treat your guinea pig with this infection, always check for signs of recurrence every few weeks or months.
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How Do You Know Your Guinea Pig Has UTI?
Cavies don’t show signs of sickness when they have diseases, but there are a few signs you will pick up if your guinea pig has UTI when you watch them closely. One of these signs is; your guinea pig’s pee will smell so bad. Another way to know your pet is infected with UTI is that you will notice blood in your guinea pig’s urine. This sign is very serious and I recommend you to go directly to your local vet ASAP. Cavies pee a lot but if you realize your guinea pigs don’t pee as often as they used to, then it might be that they have UTI. Also, when your guinea pig squeaks while peeing, it is mostly a telltale that they are infected with UTI. Your pet is squeaking is because they feel pain while urinating.
Also, if you notice that your guinea pig squeaks when you touch its abdomen, then it might be that your guinea pig is suffering from UTI. Another sign to look out for is; lack of appetite that leads to loss of weight. A proper diagnosis should be made by a veterinarian. So once you notice any of these signs, take your guinea pig to a veterinarian.
To summarize the signs:
- Bad pee smell.
- Your guinea pig squeak and shows pain sounds while peeing.
- blood in your guinea pig’s urine.
- lack of appetite
For each of the above signs, you should advise your local vet for further treatment.
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How Can I Treat A Guinea Pig UTI At Home?
Because of the infection, your guinea pig tends to be more thirsty. Therefore, give your guinea pig enough fresh water to keep it hydrated. If you don’t have time to take your guinea pig to the veterinarian yet, give your guinea pig unsweetened cranberry juice. It will not cure the UTI, but it might clear the urine and ease the guinea pig’s pain until you can go to the veterinarian. However, it’s not advisable to postpone seeing a veterinarian.
Do not self-medicate your guinea pig. Make sure you take your guinea pig to the veterinarian to diagnose and administer the right drugs. Make sure your guinea pig completes the dosage of the antibiotics so that the infection will not last. Also, do a follow-up check-up to ensure the infection is completely treated. Note: UTI can be life-threatening to guinea pigs if not treated properly.
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Why Does My Guinea Pig’s Pee Smell Like Ammonia? Is it Normal?
It’s quite abnormal for your guinea pig pee to smell like ammonia. It’s usually a sign of a dirty environment and bad hygiene. So when your guinea pig’s cage is not cleaned well, and you use low-quality bedding that does not absorb pee for their litter, their pee smells like ammonia. Ammonia builds up in a cage due to a dirty environment. This can disrupt the respiratory system of guinea pigs and can also cause an infection called the Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URI).
It’s quite abnormal for your guinea pig pee to smell like ammonia. It’s usually a sign of a dirty environment and bad hygiene. So when your guinea pig’s cage is not cleaned well, and you use low-quality bedding that does not absorb pee for their litter, their pee smells like ammonia.
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How Do You Get Rid Of The Smell Of Guinea Pig’s Pee?
Are you trying to get rid of the smell of guinea pig’s pee because your guinea pig’s pee smells so bad? Use vinegar and baking soda. You can use them to neutralize the odor by pouring the vinegar directly on the pee area and wipe with a washcloth. You can do this two to three times, but make sure you wash the cloth after each time. After pouring vinegar on the area for the last time and drizzle baking soda on the vinegar. Gas emitted from this mixture will bind the odor molecules to get rid of them.
Vinegar does a great job at cleaning urine. Besides, it is safe for guinea pigs, so you don’t need to be afraid of vinegar harming your guinea pigs. If you don’t have time for the vinegar and baking powder mixture for cleaning, get an odor elimination spray around you. Do not use bleach to clean your guinea pigs’ urine as it is harmful to them.
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Is It Normal for Guinea Pigs To Pee A Lot?
The daily volume of your guinea pigs’ pee is dependent on their diet and agility. When fed with the correct diet and the right quantity of water, guinea pigs pee a lot. Guinea pigs can pee up to four times in an hour— that’s a lot. Guinea pigs pee whenever they get the urge to pee; they can pee either in their litter box or any of their favorite places in their cage. Don’t panic when your guinea pig pees so much, it is normal. The only thing you need to look out for is how healthy their pee is.
Guinea pigs can pee up to four times in an hour— that’s a lot. Guinea pigs pee whenever they get the urge to pee; they can pee either in their litter box or any of their favorite places in their cage. Don’t panic when your guinea pig pees so much, it is normal.
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Final Thoughts
The bottom line is this: In most cases, your guinea pig’s pee will smell so bad if they are living in a dirty environment. Unfortunately, bad hygiene can cause UTI (Urinary Tract Infection) for your pet. The signs that your guinea pig has UTI are bloody urine, infrequent urination, squeaking while peeing, abdominal tenderness, and more. You should make sure you take your guinea pig to the veterinarian for proper treatment of UTI.
When not treated properly, UTI can be life-threatening to your guinea pigs. It’s not normal for your guinea pigs pee to smell like ammonia. Use vinegar and baking soda mixture to get rid of the offensive smell of your guinea pig’s pee. Do not use bleach as it can be harmful to your guinea pigs. When fed with the right diet and proper quantity of water, your guinea pig will pee a lot. Try to have your guinea pig environment clean every day so you can have a happy and healthy guinea pig with you all the time.
