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Can Guinea Pigs Get Colds?

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chloeyerma

chloeyerma

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Hi! My guinea pig Clyde has been making a funny noise recently. Its not that loud but the other doesn't make it so I know its not me being paranoid! (I can do that sometimes with my pigs!)
Its like when you have a slightly blocked nose, slightly wheezy but not breathless. Almost like a whistling? Hes eating fine and moving around and seems fine apart from his musical nostrils.
They are outside piggys so is it just the time of year or is it a trip to thr vets? I was only there last week with the other one, I should get my own personal chair :)
Thanks in advance.
 
There is also no snotty nose or weepy eyes. Just his whistley nose!
 
I had a pig who made funny hooting breathing noises I took him to vets but they didn't find anything, but it is better to be safe than sorry he made the noise for his whole life but only lived to 5. It could be an allergy or a rti. my pig seemed to make them usually in morning when the heating was going on.

I would say vets trip is first job then if they cant find anything look at environment. What bedding to you use? If it is a dusty bedding like shavings maybe consider a less dusty one.
 
It's for sure a breathing noise and not the typically piggy 'talking to you' squeaky noise? Some pigs are 'chattier' than others. If in doubt, I would get a vet to check it out, though. Guinea pigs do get colds and chest infections and they can get serious in a hurry.
 
Yeah it sounds litrally as if his little nose is blocked. His squeeking to me is much louder.
 
For bedding I use wood shavings, newspaper, hay, shredded paper bedding and then a soft paper bedding. Its pretty much the ritz!
 
Hi,

Get your pig to a vet. A sound coming from a pig like that can indicate a cold like symptom that is a upper respiratory tract issue. Been there before....

Do consider there bedding also as above. Extra warmth maybe required as an outdoor piggy, presumably you are using heat pads? If not, I would recommend using a couple. When one of my piggies has gotten the snuffles, the word my vet has used, I immediately use heat pads.

Good luck
 
Hi,,I haven't got heat pads no. They live in a shed with a cover and insulation under the cover with fleecy beds stuffed full of soft bedding.
I didnt think heat pads were needed after all that?
Did the heat pads stop it?
Thanks
 
Sounds like a proper piggy palace then! Probably not, just check the template re of your pigs ears, that normally tells me a lot. Would still see a vet though. Mine was an indoor pig when the illness struck.
 
Yeah..... I spend far too much on them, but I just cant say no when I see how cosy they look! My vet opens at half 8, and I finish early today so wil give them a call.
 
I have just been out to feed them and much to Clydes disgust (its feeding time not cuddling time) I got him out and the nose is hardly there. Its been going on for a week so I know its real I just hope it doesnt dissapear at the vets!
 
When mine started doing funny noise, it turned out he needed dental treatment, so tell vet to check his teeth just in case, probably he will do it anyway but if not ask him to.
 
I didnt get this till after vets, she didnt. If it doesnt go away in a week il go back! Got some antibotics, she said it is probably the start of something but he looks well, so just in case. There was a very slight click aparntley which signals upper respiratory but she said it was nothing serious. Is that infectious? I have two pigs you see.
 
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