Guinea Pig Ear Red Help

[Sapphire]

Hi! I noticed today my baby guinea pig has this really red ear. Do you know if it’s anything to worry about and what I can do cool it down. Thanks.

 

[Caramelchip18]

Have you checked inside the ear? Do they show any dry or roughness on the ear or skin/fur? Is there a crust? It could be infected, irritated, skin issue. Watch for any fluid and crudités, if fluid comes out or they seem uncomfy take them to a vet or contact one for help.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please do have your piggy seen by a vet. If they were both the same colour I’d be less inclined to think it an issue, but given it is only one of them looking very red, then it is definitely worth having a vet check it I

 

[weepweeps]

Definitely get it checked out if you’re worried and if it was only one ear and if it didn’t go away. My Percy has lovely pink ears. They go very pink when he’s hot. Was your piggy hot at the time?

 

[Freela]

Hmmm... is it puffy or swollen? Does it feel hot? Has your piggie been shaking his head a lot? Was the weather warm? Pink-eared pigs will get flushed ears when they are warm... the blood supply to the ears increases. But that's usually both ears, and the ear wouldn't be puffy or otherwise abnormal, just pink/warm.

 

[Wiebke]

Guinea pigs regulate their body heat via the blood flow in their ears so they can look really red is your piggy is feeling overheated. But in this case both ears should be the same (unless your piggy has different skin colour on the other), the same temperature and feel. You can see the same phenomenon in pink-skinned feet.
Guinea pig body quirks - What is normal and what not?

See a vet if your piggy has an ear that is showing signs of infection (thickness from swelling, heat when the other ear is pale, thin and cooler to the touch) or if there is some visible discomfort with that ear (repeated head shaking or scratching or a head tilt). Always check first in symmetric body parts whether the other side of the body/foot/ear etc. is the same or not.

 

[Sapphire]

hi! Thanks for your responses but there is no fluid, it’s just hot and red. She hasn’t shown any signs of diccomfort. I just noticed it and wondered what it was. It’s only on that one ear too.

 

[PigglePuggle]

I wonder if this sounds like an aural haematoma... where a small injury to the ear can cause blood to leak between the layers of cartilage? One of our piggies had this, it occured actually several moths after a small bite wound to the ear that looked to have healed... more common in floppy-eared dogs but can occur in piggies too! Worth a vet check anyway if it is only one ear, to rule out any infection and if it is a haematoma it can be drained by the vet with a syringe very fast with only a dab of local anaesthetic cream and will then be more comfortable for piggy.

 

[Wiebke]

hi! Thanks for your responses but there is no fluid, it’s just hot and red. She hasn’t shown any signs of diccomfort. I just noticed it and wondered what it was. It’s only on that one ear too.

If it is just the one ear, then please have it vet checked. It will need a hands-on examination.