Guinea Pig Rough & Dull Coat: Vet Guide 2025 🐹✨

— Written by Dr Duncan Houston BVSc, founder of Ask A Vet —

1. Understanding the Problem

A healthy guinea pig coat should be smooth, shiny, and even. A rough, dull, or patchy coat often signals underlying health or environmental issues. This comprehensive guide explores causes like nutrition, vitamin deficiencies, parasites, allergies, barbering, and aging—and outlines vet-verified steps to restore coat health.

2. Nutritional & Vitamin Causes

Vitamin C deficiency (scurvy) is common and can cause rough, dull coat, reluctant movement, swollen joints, and bleeding gums :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}.

• Ensure 10–50 mg vitamin C daily via fresh veggies (bell peppers, parsley) and quality pellets :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
• Avoid water supplementation—it degrades quickly and tastes off.
• Replace pellets every 90 days to maintain vitamin C levels :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}.

3. External Parasites, Fungus & Skin Disease

• Mites (e.g., Trixacarus caviae) cause coarse coat, itchiness, flaky skin; treat with ivermectin :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}.
• Lice appear as small white insects or eggs; need vet-prescribed antiparasitics :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}.
• Ringworm (dermatophyte infection) may cause flaky skin, dull fur; treat topically or orally and disinfect habitat :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}.

4. Barbering & Stress-Related Behaviors

Barbering is fur chewing—self-induced or by cage-mates—leading to short, uneven fur and sometimes inflammation :contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}.

• Look for bite marks or bald patches.
• Reduce stress—separate aggressive individuals, add hiding places, enrich cage.

5. Allergies & Environmental Irritants

Bedding like cedar or pine can irritate skin and coat :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8}. Switch to paper-based or aspen bedding.

• Clean cage weekly; dust-free, low-ammonia environment.
• Avoid carpet or harsh dust sources.

6. Hormonal & Age-Related Factors

Older sows often develop ovarian cysts, causing symmetrical flank hair thinning :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9}.

• Spaying resolves hormonal shedding.
• General age-related thinning can be normal—but rule out disease.

7. Additional Health Issues

• Poor dental health: Difficulty eating leads to poor nutrition and dull coat :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10}.
• Poor general health: Conditions like GI stasis reduce fur quality :contentReference[oaicite:11]{index=11}.

8. Diagnosis: What Your Vet Will Do

• Physical exam and history: diet, housing, cage-mates.
• Skin scrapings/flotation for mites or lice.
• Fungal culture or wood’s lamp for ringworm.
• Blood tests for vitamin C, organ health, or infections.
• Ultrasound for ovarian cysts in females.

9. Treatment & Management

✅ Vitamin C Deficiency

• Supplement diet with 50 mg vitamin C daily; enhance with fresh produce.
• Monitor coat and mobility over 2–6 weeks.

✅ Parasites & Infections

• Ivermectin for mites (3 doses, 7–10 days apart).
• Topical or oral antifungals for ringworm.
• Treat lice with approved veterinary products.

✅ Behavioral Barbering

• Separate aggressive pigs; enrich environment.
• Offer engaging toys and vegetable sticks.

✅ Environmental Corrections

• Switch to paper or aspen bedding, clean cage frequently.

✅ Hormonal or Age-Related Causes

• Spay females with ovarian cysts.
• Support elderly pigs with extra nutrition and warm nesting areas.

10. Prevention & Coat Care

• Provide daily vitamin C foods and fresh hay.
• Maintain clean, dust-free bedding and cage.
• Monitor coat monthly for early issues.
• Quarantine new pigs for 4 weeks before introduction :contentReference[oaicite:12]{index=12}.
• Spay to prevent hormonally related shedding in females.

11. When to Contact a Vet

• Persistent rough coat or dullness despite care.
• Visible skin mites, scabs, or flaking.
• Self-inflicted bald patches with skin damage.
• Sows with symmetrical flank shedding.
• Weight loss, appetite decrease, or behavioral changes.

12. Role of Ask A Vet

• 📸 Remote assessment of coat quality and skin issues.
• 💊 Medication guidance: antiparasitics, supplements, antifungals.
• 🧭 Environmental consultations—bedding, hygiene, enrichment.
• 🔁 Ongoing monitoring and care reminders.
• 📅 Referral planning to local exotic vets.

Conclusion

A rough or dull coat in guinea pigs often signals correctable issues—from vitamin C deficiency and parasites to stress or hormonal changes. Early identification and targeted veterinary care, combined with proper diet, housing, and grooming, leads to a radiant, healthy coat. With Ask A Vet support, you can restore your piggy’s fur and well-being optimally 🐾.

Worried about your pig’s coat? Contact your exotic vet promptly—and upload photos in the Ask A Vet app for fast, expert help and treatment guidance. 📱

— Dr Duncan Houston BVSc, Ask A Vet