Guinea pigs are social, vocal, and full of personality — and they deserve a vet who understands their specific health needs. At South Pasadena Animal Hospital, we provide complete guinea pig care including wellness exams, respiratory infection treatment, dental checks, skin and parasite care, and vitamin C supplementation guidance. Our team handles every guinea pig with patience and gentle hands.
We understand guinea pig physiology — from their vitamin C requirements and continuously growing teeth to their sensitivity to certain antibiotics that are safe for other animals but dangerous for cavies.
Upper respiratory infections are the most common illness in guinea pigs and can turn serious quickly. We diagnose and treat URIs promptly with guinea pig-safe antibiotics.
Bloodwork, X-rays, and fecal tests done on-site mean faster answers and faster treatment for your guinea pig.
We believe in upfront pricing with no surprises. Check our published fees before your visit. View our prices.
Full physical assessment including weight tracking, teeth check, heart and lung auscultation, skin inspection, and diet review.
Diagnosis and treatment of URIs caused by Bordetella, Streptococcus, and other bacteria using guinea pig-safe antibiotics.
Assessment for malocclusion and overgrown molars, which cause drooling, weight loss, and difficulty eating.
Treatment for fungal infections (ringworm), mites, lice, and other skin conditions common in guinea pigs.
Guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C. We assess for deficiency (scurvy) and recommend proper supplementation.
X-rays and treatment planning for bladder stones and sludge, which are common in guinea pigs due to calcium metabolism.
Ask us what catches guinea pig owners off guard most often and the answer is dental disease, every time. Those teeth never stop growing — that part is normal. The trouble starts when the wear goes uneven, usually because the diet is short on the coarse hay that grinds them down.
The insidious part is that you can't see it. The molars sit at the back of the mouth, behind the incisors you can see, and a pig with painful spurs on those molars looks fine from the front. What owners notice first is weight loss and drooling — a wet chin, a damp chest. By the time a pig is visibly struggling to eat, it's usually been building for months. If your guinea pig is dropping food, eating slower, or suddenly picky about hay, look past the front teeth and call us.
Then there's the sneezing, which is the other call we get constantly. A sneezing guinea pig is not a guinea pig with a cold. Respiratory infections in this species can move fast — a pig that's a little snuffly on Monday can be in real trouble by Wednesday. Add labored breathing or a clicking sound and that's a same-day call, not a wait-and-see. We wrote more about that in our post on guinea pig sneezing.
The third one is entirely preventable and entirely on us as owners: vitamin C. Guinea pigs can't make their own, so it has to come in daily, every day, for life. Pellets lose their C potency as they sit in the bag, which is why we ask what brand you buy and how long ago you opened it — that question surprises people, and it's often where the answer is.
Calcium-heavy diets are a common thread behind bladder sludge and stones — too much kale, too much spinach, calcium-enriched pellets. Watch for straining, blood in the urine, wet fur around the rear, or a hunched posture. Some stones need surgery, so this isn't one to sit on.
Mites are worse in guinea pigs than most owners expect. We see frantic scratching, hair loss, and sores from self-trauma, and the severe cases can look almost neurological — pigs having seizure-like episodes from the sheer discomfort. It's treatable, and it's miserable until it's treated. Please don't reach for an over-the-counter product; several are genuinely dangerous for this species, and so are a number of common antibiotics.
Every guinea pig, every visit, no exceptions. Weight loss hides under that coat — a pig can drop a meaningful percentage of its body weight and still look like the same animal across the room. Hands are better than eyes here, and a scale is better than hands. Tracked over time, that number tells us something is wrong weeks before anything else does. A home kitchen scale and a note on your phone once a week is genuinely one of the most useful things you can do for your pig.
Beyond the scale, an annual for a guinea pig means a real hands-on exam: dental assessment, heart and lungs, abdominal palpation, coat and skin, and a proper conversation about diet and housing. Prey animals conceal illness — that's the whole design — so the annual is often the only chance to catch something while it's still small.
Not eating for more than 12–24 hours. Labored breathing or clicking sounds. Straining to urinate, or blood in the urine. Frantic seizure-like scratching. Sudden severe lethargy. A new lump or a swollen belly. Any of those, call us at (626) 441-1314 rather than watching it overnight — guinea pigs don't leave much margin.
Visit us at 3116 W Main St in Alhambra, just west of the Fremont Avenue intersection. Easy street parking is available right out front.
Monday – Friday: 8:00 AM – 1:00 PM & 2:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Saturday – Sunday: Closed
Closed for lunch 1–2 PM everyday.
Yes — guinea pigs are part of our regular caseload, not an occasional favour. We're at 3116 W Main St in Alhambra, an easy drive from Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel, and Monterey Park. Owners often call us after a clinic told them they don't see cavies, so if that's happened to you, you're in the right place. Call (626) 441-1314.
Exam fees are listed on our pricing page so there's no guessing before you arrive. Beyond the exam it depends on the problem — a vitamin C and diet review costs differently than imaging for suspected bladder stones. We'll always go through the numbers with you first.
At least once a year for a wellness exam. Guinea pigs over 4 years old should be seen every 6 months since they're more prone to dental disease, bladder stones, and tumors as they age.
Occasional sneezing from dust or bedding is normal, but persistent sneezing, nasal discharge, wheezing, or crusty eyes can signal an upper respiratory infection that needs veterinary treatment. Read our guide to guinea pig sneezing for more details.
Guinea pigs have a delicate gut microbiome, and certain antibiotics (like amoxicillin and penicillin) can destroy beneficial gut bacteria, causing fatal diarrhea. Our vets only use guinea pig-safe antibiotics and are well aware of which medications to avoid.
Yes. Unlike most mammals, guinea pigs cannot synthesize vitamin C and must get it from their diet. We recommend 25-50mg of vitamin C daily through fresh veggies (bell peppers, parsley) and a liquid supplement if needed.
We recommend paper-based bedding (like Carefresh) or fleece liners. Avoid cedar and pine shavings, which release aromatic oils that can irritate guinea pig respiratory systems and contribute to URIs.
Schedule your pet's appointment online in under a minute, or give us a call and our team will find a time that works for you.
If you are searching for a guinea pig vet in Alhambra or the San Gabriel Valley, South Pasadena Animal Hospital is here to help. Located at 3116 West Main Street in Alhambra, our clinic regularly sees guinea pigs for wellness exams, illness treatment, and preventive care. Unlike many general veterinary practices that rarely treat cavies, our veterinarians are comfortable with guinea pig medicine and understand the critical differences between guinea pig care and care for other small animals.
One of the most important things to know about guinea pigs is their sensitivity to certain antibiotics. Medications that are perfectly safe for dogs, cats, and even rabbits can be fatal to guinea pigs because they disrupt the delicate bacterial balance in their gut. Our vets know which antibiotics are safe and effective for guinea pigs and never prescribe medications that could harm them. This knowledge alone is a reason many cavy owners in the area specifically seek out a guinea pig-experienced vet.
Upper respiratory infections, dental disease, bladder stones, and vitamin C deficiency are among the most common health issues we treat in guinea pigs. We perform all diagnostics in-house — including bloodwork, X-rays, and fecal tests — so we can get answers and start treatment the same day. We also spend time at every visit reviewing diet, housing, and social needs, because guinea pigs thrive when their husbandry is optimized.
Guinea pig owners come to SPAH from across the region, including Pasadena, South Pasadena, San Gabriel, Monterey Park, Temple City, and Rosemead. If your guinea pig needs a checkup or is showing signs of illness, contact us to schedule an appointment.