Gastric dilatation volvulus in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)
Abigail Edis
Tuesday, April 2, 2019
Gastric dilatation volvulus (GDV) is a known acute abdominal emergency in dogs. The condition is life threatening and without corrective surgery results in the death of the patient. GDV in guinea pigs has been documented in literature but is not well known to many of the general small animal veterinary practices. This is probably due to the species' sudden death from this condition, absence of specific clinical signs, a lack of experience in this species, and a high mortality rate known with this condition in guinea pigs. This article explains the signs and care of this condition in these animals and discusses a case of GDV in the author's own guinea pig in the hope that awareness of this condition can be raised.
Subscribe to get full access to The Veterinary Nurse
Thank you for vising The Veterinary nurse and reading our archive of expert clinical content. If you would like to read more from the leading peer-reviewed journal for veterinary nurses, you can start your subscription today for just £26.
Subscribing will enable you to:
- Stay up-to-date with current thinking and best practice in veterinary medicine
- Enhance your knowledge and understanding of all key clinical topics
- Achieve the mandatory requirement of 45 hours' documented CPD over a three-year period