The geriatric guinea pig

Guinea pigs are often thought of as short-lived pets. However, while their lifespan can be as short as 4 years, some have lived up to 10 years (Minarikova et al, 2015). This is not so short lived considering some large breeds of dogs, such as mastiffs, have an average lifespan of 8 years (Bell and Hesketh, 2021). As owner education improves and veterinary medicine advances, with more practices able to offer exotic pet care, it is likely that these species will continue to live into older age.

Older dogs and cats are often seen in practice for ongoing care. However, fewer older small pets are seen because of their short lives and less demand for veterinary care in these species. This may also be the result of a lack of obvious clinical signs in these animals. For example, in dogs that have osteoarthritis, owners will describe their pet showing lameness, stiffness and a change in gait (Belshaw et al, 2020), whereas in prey species such as rabbits, signs of pain and discomfort are likely to be subtle and some owners may not pick these signs up (Malik, 2021). It is vital when seeing these pets in practice to discuss the full history, home care and behaviours with owners to establish any signs of pain or behavioural changes.