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My guinea pig's grease gland is dark. Is it okay to clean with Dawn?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Small Animal | Guinea Pig | Male | unneutered | 7 months and 1 day old

I've noticed that Sebastian's grease gland has become dark, almost black. I've read online that it should be cleaned and that you can use Dawn dish soap to clean it. I don't feel good about using Dawn on him. Will he clean it himself or should I? Does his grease gland look okay? How do I tell if it's active?

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1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Dr. Dayna, DVM, CVA

Veterinarian, Certified Veterinary Acupuncturist

Published on July 17th, 2018

The picture is very difficult to tell. However, Dawn is very safe to use on your guinea pig. The most important part is to make sure to rinse really well. If there is any redness, crusting, or sores then he should be evaluated by a veterinarian soon. Best of luck and I hope he does well. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

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