Osteoarthritis in Pet Guinea Pigs: What we do and don’t know! an update on the diagnosis, treatment and management of this common condition.

This article reviews the current literature on osteoarthritis in pet and laboratory guinea pigs. The associated clinical signs, diagnosis and treatment of osteoarthritis in pet guinea pigs will be discussed with options for analgesia detailed. This condition is thought to be common in pet guinea pigs, even from an early age in some genetic lines. Osteoarthritis however often goes undiagnosed in this species, until advanced disease is present, which poses a major welfare concern. Increasing awareness of this condition in veterinary practitioners should aid early diagnosis in pet animals and help improve quality of life. Prevention may be possible using oral protective nutritional supplements to slow down the progression of this disease at an early stage. Life style changes are also discussed for the management of this condition in pet guinea pigs.