Guinea pigs are widely used in biomedical research and vaccine testing, with significant opportunities to improve their welfare through social housing, environmental enrichment, and refined procedures.
Solo housing of guinea pigs, once standard practice in research facilities, causes measurable chronic stress that compromises both animal welfare and data reproducibility. The shift to pair housing is one of the most impactful refinements in guinea pig research welfare. Barren caging without hides causes persistent fear responses in these prey-adapted animals. Dietary management must prevent vitamin C deficiency, which is both a welfare and a research validity concern. Handling technique matters significantly as rough handling increases fear and stress reactivity. Implementation of grimace scale monitoring enables real-time welfare assessment during and after procedures, allowing earlier intervention when pain is detected.