BASIC HEALTH CONSIDERATIONS
One of the veterinarian's major responsibilities is to provide a preventative medicine program for research animals. There are several aspects to a sound program.
Animals should be purchased only from reliable vendors that can provide healthy animals. Periodic necropsy of representative animals with parasitological, serological and microbiological monitoring will also help determine quality.
Animals should be quarantined long enough to establish their health status. This period will also allow animals to become acclimated to their new environment.
Guinea pigs from different vendors should be separated until their health status is clear.