Evaluation of neurologic testing in guinea pigs (Cavia porcellus)

Background: Specialized literature provides very little information on performing and interpreting clinical neurological tests on guinea pigs. Study description: Two neurologists performed separate neurological examinations of 25 guinea pigs. The structure of the examination was like those performed in other companion animals. Each test was evaluated for feasibility, reproducibility, and associated stress level for the animals. Results: The foll wing tests revealed an excellent ability to elicit the expected response: hopping reaction in the thoracic limbs, wheelbarrowing and hemiwalking, medial and lateral palpebral reflex, auricular sensitivity, maxillary sensitivity, horizontal oculocephalic reflex, tone of the jaw, voluntary movement of the tongue, direct pupillary light reflex. On the other hand, a poor ability to elicit the expected response was observed in the following tests: visual paw replacement of the thoracic limbs, tactile paw replacement in thoracic and pelvic limbs, paper test for thoracic and pelvic limbs, mandibular sensitivity, vertical oculocephalic reflex, menace response, patellar reflex, cutaneous trunci reflex, perineal reflex. The most reliable spinal reflex test with a good ability to elicit the expected response was the withdrawal reflex for both thoracic and pelvic limbs. Conclusion and relevance: It is possible to apply several neurological tests on guinea pigs and produce meaningful results. Therefore, we propose a possible protocol for neurological examination in guinea pigs. This is the first study to evaluate a full range of clinical neurological tests performed on guinea pigs. The results of this study could lead to a better understanding of lesion localization and guide further diagnostic and therapy in guinea pigs with neurological diseases.