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Little information is available on the occurrence of endoparasites in pet guinea pigs ( Cavia porcellus). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of intestinal parasites in cavies kept as pets in southern Italy. Fresh fecal samples were randomly collected from 60 guinea pigs housed in pet shops or privately owned. All fecal samples were processed using the FLOTAC pellet technique to identify and count helminthic eggs/larvae and protozoan cysts/oocysts. In addition, the specimens were analyzed also by the Remel Xpect® Giardia/Cryptosporidium immunoassay. Intestinal parasites were detected in 19 out of 60 guinea pigs (31.7 %). Paraspidodera uncinata eggs were found in 13.3 % (8/60) of the rodents examined, Nippostrongylus-like eggs in 10 % (6/60), and finally Eimeria caviae oocysts were found in 10 % (6/60) of the animals. In one case, both E. caviae oocysts and P. uncinata eggs were found. None of the samples was positive for Cryptosporidium or Giardia. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first survey of endoparasites in pet guinea pigs in Italy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author discusses the experience of middle school students at a language arts sixth-grade class during the year that their teacher brought three guinea pigs inside the classroom. Some of the events that happened include the symbiotic relationships formed between the pets and the students wherein the pets received care while the students gained solace from the pets. Also mentioned are the attributes of a successful middle grades school and the students' learning about the cycle of life.

A personal narrative is presented which explores the author's experience of raising a guinea pig and attending a meeting on how to care for guinea pigs at a guinea pig lady's house.

Abstract: Exotic animals, including small herbivores, are increasing in popularity as companion animals. Commonly owned exotic herbivores include guinea pigs, chinchillas, and rabbits. These animals fall into the category of prey species with an inherent instinct to hide their illness until severely affected by the disease process. Therefore, any of these animals presented as an emergency case must be carefully evaluated for chronic underlying illness. Cardiovascular emergency and critical care principles are similar across all mammalian species. However, specialized techniques and adaptations are occasionally required because of the unique physiology and natural behaviors of these animals. It is essential to evaluate and stabilize these patients before attempting definitive diagnostic plans. Emergency cardiovascular presentations, as in other mammals, consist of congestive heart failure, arrhythmias, pericardial effusion, and toxicities that can result in cardiac and pulmonary arrest. Cardiac disease is a relatively common finding in small exotic mammals, but there are few peer-reviewed reports regarding diagnosis and treatment of heart disease in these species. Diagnostic testing and treatment options are generally based on knowledge of small animal medicine. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate precision and establish a reference range in healthy guinea pigs for total plasma thyroxine (T4) using a point-of-care analyzer. One-hundred-nine (109) healthy pet and laboratory-housed guinea pigs were included in this study in which plasma T4 concentrations were measured on a point-of-care analyzer. Some of the samples were analyzed in duplicate and then compared using an intraclass correlation coefficient (r i ) and coefficient of variance to assess precision. Statistical analysis was performed to test for normal distribution of data and a reference range was established. Differences in subsets of the tested population were evaluated using t tests and analysis of variance. The r i was 0.95 and the coefficient of variance was 4.2%. Data were normally distributed and a reference range for plasma T4 of 2.26 μg/dL to 5.82 μg/dL was established. No significant differences between or among mean plasma T4 concentrations were found when sexes, housing type, and sampling protocol were compared. In addition, no significant difference was found between the mean plasma T4 concentrations of 2 age groups (2 months and 8 months). The overall precision of this testing modality was determined to be excellent, indicating that measuring plasma T4 with enzyme immunoassay on the point-of-care analyzer yields consistently repeatable results. This study successfully defined plasma T4 reference intervals specific to a point-of-care analyzer in normal guinea pigs. Our results showed that age (2 months and 8 months), sex, housing type, and sampling protocol have no significant effect on the mean plasma T4, although pet-housed guinea pigs had a wider reference interval than laboratory-housed guinea pigs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

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The selectivity of phytomitogens for T (thymus derived/dependent) and B (`bursa- equivalent' dependent/derived) lymphocytes from the mouse spleen has been invesi igated. Responses of normal spleen cell cultures were compared with those of cultures of selected B cells. The latter were obtained from three sources (1) spleen cells of mice that had been thymectomized as adults, lethally irradiated and reconstituted with syngencic bone marrow cells pretreated with anti-θ serum (2) spleen cells from congenitally athymic (`nude') mice and (3) spleen cells from normal mice treated with anti-θ serum plus guinea-pig complement prior to culture. Using a variety of different culture conditions it was shown that B cells respond well to pokeweed mitogen, and poorly if at all to phytohaemagglutinin. Responsiveness to the kilter mitogen in normal spleen cell cultures appears to be a property of T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the history of the term guineapig. The keeping of guineapigs as pets and their use as objects of medical experimentation are noted. The origin of the term guineapig as a metaphor for an experimental subject is ascribed to a pronouncement of George Bernard Shaw regarding child rearing.