Guinea Pig — grooming (owner-practical care, Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner)

Source: first-hand Merck Veterinary Manual pet-owner text, saved to source_file; every claim below is a C1 byte-substring of it.

Does My Guinea Pig Need Grooming and Nail Trimming? Yes.
Trim nails regularly to prevent overgrowth and injury to handlers.
Use nail clippers designed for small animals or people.
Start clipping nails when guinea pigs are young so they become used to it.
Avoid cutting the quick (the blood vessel inside the nail).
Hold a bright light to the nail to see the quick in dark nails.
Have the cage set up, and have food, bedding, chew toys, food dishes, a water bottle, and a brush ready.
Use a shampoo that's especially for small animals—shampoos for people can dry the skin.
Long-haired breeds need regular brushing to prevent matting.
Check for: Bright, clean eyes (no crusting or cloudiness) Clear nose, ears, and anus (no discharge) Formed stool (no diarrhea) Clean, unstained teeth, with the top front teeth overlapping and touching the lower ones Equal weight on all four feet No sores, redness, or flaky skin on the feet Also check the housing.
It should be clean, have little odor, and not be overcrowded.

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Source: pdf-raw/owner-care/merck_guinea_pig.txt · https://www.merckvetmanual.com/all-other-pets

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