Many animals vomit as a simple way of getting rid of things from their system.
It is beneficial to them to do so because it shows their natural response to the foods they eat. But how about guinea pigs – Do they vomit too?
Quick Answer – No! Guinea pigs do not vomit or throw up.
Guinea pigs, just like every other rodent, don’t feel nauseous. This means they lack the vomiting reflex.
Instead of throwing up, they will frequently gag. It is common for them to cough-up hairs, dirt, furballs, and other tiny objects.
Guinea pigs have specific body characteristics like:
- A smaller muscular diaphragm
- A rigid stomach,
- And narrow muscles below their chest & lungs
This unique body structure usually prevents them from vomiting.
Guinea pigs sometimes cough up little food, but they can never vomit from their bellies.
Even though guinea pigs don’t vomit, you might see your guinea pigs trying to throw up. So what could be some possible reasons?
Let’s take a look at these reasons below…
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Why Is My Guinea Pig Trying to Throw Up?
Guinea pigs’ trying to throw up is not because of nausea, just the way it is in humans and mammals. They most likely throw up due to the following reasons.
Overgrown back teeth
A guinea pig’s back teeth are like premolars when they overgrow. This sets a bridge & traps the animal’s tongue from swallowing things properly.
Eating slowly and allowing unprocessed food to fall out of their mouth are pointers to dental situations.
Blockage
A guinea pig can experience blockage in its gastrointestinal tract (Impaction).
This blockage is a result of the build-up of undigested food in the guinea pig’s stomach. It makes them uncomfortable and unable to transmit food through the digestive system.
The result of this indigestion is usually severe bloating and diarrhea.
Oral thrush
Mouth infections like candidiasis in guinea pigs happen as a result of Candida Albicans overgrowth.
The continuous growth makes them throw out half-chewed food.
This happens only because the pains are unbearable for them to swallow and digest the food.
Congestion Of Hair In The Intestinal Tract
Guinea pigs can bite, eat and chew hairs. When they do this it is called “Barbering“.
This hair can be their own, hair of their cage mate & other animals if kept together, even their owners hair.
It’s not a critical situation to worry about when the cavies bite and chew hairs occasionally; because they do this to express their lack of fiber in:
- Diet
- Boredom
- Social training
- And curiosity
Nevertheless, if the biting becomes a serious habit, then your guinea pig stands a chance of being congested.
Congestion mostly leads to total discomfort, and then “puuuaaahhh” the animal throws up.
Guinea Pigs’ White Vomit (What Does It Mean?)
A white vomit is just food that is mushed and thrown up by a guinea pig. It can be a urine stain or a fraction of fur.
When the urine color is white, it means there is excess calcium in the guinea pig’s diet.
This calls for owners of guinea pigs to always be conscious of their pet’s urine color; failure to treat it could lead to bladder stones.
Signs That Your Guinea Pig Is Sick
Monitoring your pet’s behavior regularly is important in checking their health.
Conducting a daily check-up, not only gives you the opportunity to bond with them but also tells you when they are not in a good condition.
Signs obvious enough to indicate your guinea pig is sick include:
- Refusal to eat or drink
- Crusty eyes, sneezing
- Labored breathing, wheezing
- Dull and/or receding eyes
- Rough or puffed-up coat
- Drooling
- Inactive, hunched posture
- Limping
- Watery diarrhea
- Hair loss, excessive scratching
- Loss of balance
- Blood in urine
- Any odd posture your pig doesn’t take, e.g. facing one corner and being slow to respond.
QUICK READ: Can Guinea Pigs Get Worms?
Final thoughts
In this article, we learned that guinea pigs do not have a vomit reflex. This means your guinea pig doesn’t have an involuntary means to throw up.
Thankfully, there are some signs you can check to make sure they are not choking.
One of the causes of choking is improper feeding of food. Prevention is always better than cure. Therefore, always monitor your guinea pigs regularly.
If you’re not sure what to do, it’s always best to consult a veterinarian.
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