Guinea pig internal anatomy

3D ModelNoAI

Guinea pigs, also called cavies, are a domesticated species of rodent (Cavia porcellus). They were originally native to South America. However, they have been popular for thousands of years as pets and as food, and this species no longer exists in the wild.

They have many biological similarities to humans, beyond the simple fact that they are mammals, which make them useful in many fields of research. Guinea pigs have been used as experimental animals for centuries; hence ‘guinea pig’ for a human experimental subject.

Studies on guinea pigs led to the discovery of:

Vitamin C the tuberculosis bacterium adrenaline

Guinea pigs were used in development of:

vaccines for diphtheria and TB replacement heart valves blood transfusion kidney dialysis antibiotics anticoagulants asthma medicines