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Treatment

Certain antibiotics specifically designed to treat infection of streptococci bacteria are available. Because antibiotics can be dangerous for some small animals, including guinea pigs, your veterinarian will determine if this is the appropriate treatment for your guinea pig. Supportive therapy with fluids, along with vitamin and mineral supplements may be needed in case of very weak and debilitated guinea pigs.

Living and Management

The recovering guinea pig will need plenty of rest in a calm and clean environment, away from heavy traffic areas in the home, in order to have the best chance of a full recovery from a streptococcosis infection. Make sure that your guinea pig’s cage is thoroughly cleaned and disinfected before reintroducing the animal in it, and separate any infected guinea pigs from the noninfected guinea pigs in order to prevent spread of the infection. Consult your veterinarian about supportive care that can be given at home, including any temporary diet changes that may be made, so that you can provide your pet guinea pig with the best opportunity for a healthful recovery.

Prevention

Properly cleaning the cages -- regularly removing any feces, urine and changing soiled bedding material routinely -- is essential for the prevention of streptococcosis infection, and for preventing it from spreading once it has been diagnosed in one of your guinea pigs. If you have more than one guinea pig, preventing and controlling outbreaks of Streptococcus pneumoniae infection requires keeping your pets and their cages or tanks clean at all times, and removing guinea pigs that are sick from the company of the others.

You will also need to take your own precautions to avoid becoming a potential carrier yourself, by wearing disposable gloves when cleaning the cages and handling the infected guinea pig, and cleaning your hands and clothing before handling the next guinea pig.