Metastatic Calcification in Guinea Pigs

Metastatic calcification in guinea pigs is a diseased condition of the internal organs, in which the organs harden as the result of calcium being deposited in the tissues of the organ.It can spread throughout a guinea pig’s body, often without symptoms. In fact, an affected guinea pigs can die suddenly from this disease without ever having appeared ill.

Metastatic calcification is most likely to occurs in male guinea pigs that are older than one year of age.

Symptoms and Types

• Weight loss
• Muscle and/or joint stiffness
• Unwilling to be handled due to joint pain
• Dull and depressed appearance
• Increased urination due to kidney failure

Causes

A diet that is rich in calcium and phosphorus and deficient in magnesium is believed to be leading cause of metastatic calcification.

Diagnosis

You will need to give a thorough history of your guinea pig's health and diet. Your veterinarian will suspect metastatic calcification based on the clinical signs that are observed, but a confirmatory diagnosis is possible only by visually examining the organs by X-ray and by taking blood and fluid samples for laboratory analysis.