ABSTRACT
Recommended supplies and equipment that should be maintained for basic veterinary care of guinea pigs include the following, although additional items may be needed for particular animal care protocols: Stethoscope, Small-animal rectal thermometer, Tube of lubricant, Nail clippers and extra. Guinea pigs that have just arrived at the facility should be maintained in housing separated from all other animals. Proper sanitation is imperative for controlling diseases in laboratory animals. Cages and animal rooms should be cleaned and disinfected routinely. General anesthesia is a state of temporary, controlled, and reliable unconsciousness with adequate analgesia and muscle relaxation to allow surgical manipulations. Local anesthesia is the loss of sensation to a limited area of the body produced by the injection of a local anesthetic agent. Administration of gas anesthetic, alone or in combination with injectable agent, provides an excellent way to control the length and depth of anesthesia.
