Otitis in pet guinea pigs: Causes, clinical signs, treatment and outcomes.

Otitis is common in guinea pigs; suspect in males with vestibular or respiratory signs.

This retrospective study examined otitis in pet guinea pigs using medical records from two veterinary clinics between 2014 and 2023. Of 1,477 guinea pigs evaluated, 36 (2.4%) had CT-confirmed otitis. Clinical presentation was often non-specific, with 61% showing non-characteristic signs. Respiratory signs were present in 33% of cases, dental disease in 25%, and vestibular signs in only 39%. Males were significantly more predisposed than females (odds ratio 0.2 for females). Age did not influence disease prevalence (range 5-60 months). Animals with vestibular or respiratory signs had substantially elevated odds of otitis (21.8 and 9.5 times, respectively). Treatment approaches included medical management with antibiotics and surgical intervention, with no significant differences in survival outcomes between groups. The study emphasizes that otitis is a clinically important condition in guinea pigs of all ages, often presenting with subtle or misleading clinical signs. Veterinarians should maintain high clinical suspicion for otitis, particularly in males presenting with vestibular or respiratory signs, or concurrent dental disease.

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