Has your guinea pig gotten into your dog’s food during floor time, or have you been thinking of feeding them some kibble? You might wonder if dog food can hurt guinea pigs.
In this article, we’ll discuss why guinea pigs shouldn’t eat dog food, other foods to avoid, and what to feed them instead!
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Dog Food?
Guinea pigs should never eat dog food, even in small amounts. Dogs and guinea pigs have very different dietary needs. Guinea pigs eating dog food can lead to digestive issues, obesity, nutritional deficiencies, and bladder problems.
If fed dog food for long periods, a guinea pig’s health will deteriorate. This is especially true if they aren’t getting appropriate foods such as grass hay, vegetables, and guinea pig pellets.
Dog vs Guinea Pig Diets
Guinea pigs are herbivores, meaning that they strictly eat plant matter. Dogs are omnivores who eat both plants and meat. You can see these differences in their teeth, which look and function very differently!
A guinea pig’s incisors will struggle to chew through dog food, as this isn’t what they were made for. They also have much weaker jaws than dogs and may hurt themselves if they try to eat kibble.
In addition to these large-scale differences, these animals also have different nutritional needs. While dogs can make their own vitamin C, guinea pigs cannot. It must be included in their diet, typically through dark, leafy greens, bell pepper, and guinea pig pellets.
Dogs require a lot of calcium in their diet–even more than humans! Meanwhile, this much calcium can cause health problems in guinea pigs and may lead to bladder stones.
Risks of Dog Food for Guinea Pigs
- Poor nutrition
- Scurvy
- Digestive issues, including deadly bloat
- Obesity
- Bladder stones from excess calcium
What to do if Your Guinea Pig Eats Dog Food
If your guinea pig eats even a small amount of dog food, keep a close eye on them for the following days. Make sure they’re drinking and eating normally, have normal poops, and are peeing without strain.
If your guinea pig stops urinating, call your veterinarian. This may mean that they have a bladder stone that requires medication or surgery.
If your guinea pig develops a swollen abdomen, lethargy, and is hunching over in pain, see a vet immediately for help. Bloat (also known as gastric dilatation-volvulus or GDV) is a deadly condition that requires emergency surgery.
Keeping Guinea Pigs Away From Dog Food
In the future, it’s vital to keep guinea pigs away from your dog’s food. Even if they enjoy the taste, it’s not worth the health risk or the vet bills!
Before letting your guinea pig out for floor time, guinea pig-proof the area. This means picking up anything they might chew or eat, including the dog’s food. It also means getting the dog out of the space, as dogs and guinea pigs should not be allowed to interact.
If you can’t guinea-pig-proof the entire room, consider buying a playpen for your guinea pigs or using extra C&C grids to block off spaces where your guinea pig shouldn’t go.
Can Guinea Pigs Eat Cat Food or Rabbit Food?
Now that you know your guinea pig can’t eat dog food, you might wonder whether they can share food with your other pets. The quick answer? Please only feed your guinea pig food designed for their species!
We’ll dive into more detailed answers below.
Cat Food
Like dogs, cats have very different diets to guinea pigs. While dogs are omnivores, cats are obligate carnivores. This means they must have meat in their diet without exception. Guinea pigs are the complete opposite!
You’ll see similar problems in guinea pigs who eat cat food as with dog food. Tooth injuries, digestive issues, bladder stones, and obesity are all possible. Scurvy may occur if cat food is fed long-term without other food to supplement vitamin C.
Rabbit Food
You may think that feeding your guinea pig rabbit pellets is a much better solution than dog or cat food. Rabbits and guinea pigs are both herbivores with similar diets consisting of fresh grass hay, daily vegetables, and pellets.
However, they do have key nutritional differences that can make rabbit pellets harmful to guinea pigs:
- Guinea pigs require more vitamin C in their diets and can develop scurvy or even die if they do not consume enough.
- Rabbits need less protein and fiber than guinea pigs, leading to more nutritional deficiencies.
- Rabbit pellets sometimes contain seeds or other dangerous ingredients for guinea pigs to eat–though ideally, both species should be fed a plain timothy-based pellet mix without these additives.
While a small amount of rabbit food isn’t as likely to cause health problems as cat or dog food, long-term feeding can lead to health problems.
The same goes for their salads. Please research which vegetables are best for each animal to eat daily, as feeding them the exact same diet can lead to health problems for both species.
What Should Guinea Pigs Eat?
We’ve discussed everything guinea pigs shouldn’t eat, but you can still be lost when it comes to feeding these little creatures! Here’s what guinea pigs should eat:
- Fresh grass hay such as timothy hay or orchard grass: This is 80% of a guinea pig’s diet, and they must have constant access to it. Pile it into the cage and never limit how much hay they eat.
- 1 cup of daily vegetables: A variety is best! Stick to primarily dark, leafy greens. They can eat a slice of bell pepper daily as it’s an excellent source of vitamin C. Only feed sugary vegetables such as carrots sparingly.
- ⅛ cup of timothy-based guinea pig pellets: They must be made for guinea pigs, not other small pets. Look for plain, “boring” pellets without shapes, dyes, and additives such as seeds or fruit. These are the healthiest!
While we’ve discussed guinea pigs’ need for vitamin C, there’s no need to feed them supplements if they’re getting the foods above.
Vitamin C supplements are often ineffective because vitamin C dissolves in the light. In addition, they can make guinea pigs stop drinking from their water bottles due to the bad taste. The best way to give your guinea pigs vitamin C is through fresh vegetables!
