Normal behavior and the clinical implications of abnormal behavior in guinea pigs.
Cavies are becoming more popular as pets because they are relatively easy to care for and provide never-ending love and entertainment with their curious but gentle nature. As with other species, the best way to learn about guinea pig behavior is to own guinea pigs. Understanding normal behavior provides the practitioner with the ability to more easily recognize pathology and abnormal behavior. This allows the veterinarian to provide necessary supportive care and pain management more quickly while performing diagnostics and determining the need for therapeutics. Understanding the behavior of cavies allows the clinician to better educate guinea pig-owning clients and to better and more quickly serve the needs of their guinea pig patients.
Bradley
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Belton Animal Clinic, Belton, Missouri, USA. Belancl@aol.com
D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D006168:Guinea Pigs