Pregnancy toxaemia is a metabolic disease with a high mortality rate. The causes are not well defined: stress, fasting or inadequate diet, sudden changes in diet, excessive ambient temperature, endocrine and metabolic imbalances, insufficient blood flow to the uterus, lack of exercise, obese mother, very large or numerous foetuses and hereditary factors have been implicated. The incidence is higher in the first or second pregnancy.
This condition occurs during the last 2 weeks of pregnancy or the first week post-partum. It can be asymptomatic, lead to sudden death, or cause ketoacidosis with depression, anorexia, dyspnoea, miscarriage, convulsions, coma and death within 4-6 days. The urine appears clear, with a pH below 6, and contains ketones and proteins. Biochemical tests show hypoglycaemia, hyperlipidaemia and hyperkalaemia.
The prognosis is very guarded. Treatment consists of the intravenous administration of Ringer’s lactate solution, calcium gluconate, glucose 5% and corticosteroids. If the guinea pig survives, new pregnancies must be avoided.
Prevention consists in minimising stress (for example, unnecessary moves), preventing obesity and factors that can cause anorexia (such as sudden changes in diet or excessive ambient temperature), administering a nutritional diet and allowing the mother to move around (which stimulates blood circulation).
Cytomegalovirus infection
LThe prevalence of cytomegalovirus infection is probably low and infection by this virus is usually subclinical. Latent infections, which can persist for years, have been reported. The virus is transmitted transplacentally, in saliva and in urine. Depression and death within 2-3 days can occur in pregnant guinea pigs; sometimes there may be weight loss and adenomegaly, or late miscarriage, birth of dead foetuses or death of foetuses shortly after birth. The severity of the signs is believed to be related to individual factors, immune status and presence of pregnancy.