Choking On Hay?

[Fusion2000]

Is it normal for a guinea pig to choke cough on hay a couple times a week? Sometimes it seems like they choke on nothing, but I presume that it's hay since they always have something in their mouths that they chew on from time to time, but at other times they choke when I just put in new hay recently. It's like when they choke on wet vegetables, exept it's hay.

 

[The Furry Godmother]

I'm sure mine have done it before, sometimes food and drink just goes down the wrong way!
Assuming they don't have any symptoms of anything else?

 

[Rodentopia]

Sometimes they eat too fast and cough, i often hear odd ones of mine doing it. If there is no other symptoms then its just then eating too fast.

 

[Freela]

What does the choking look like? It is a coughing sound, or does it look like they are pulling their lips back and trying to dislodge something that is stuck? Mine do the cough thing occasionally (usually with lettuce and not with hay, though. It's usually my gutsy pig, I think she is trying to eat to fast to prevent her sister getting to it first!) But the lip pull/pawing at the mouth/acting like something could be stuck is often a sign of long molars or dental spurs, so if that's what you're seeing I would ask a vet to assess the back teeth.

 

[Fusion2000]

Just a sound.

 

[biscandmatt]

is the hay dusty? sometimes they inhale a bit of dust and cough. it can also be because of dental issues though and not being able to chew correctly.

 

[Fusion2000]

A bit dusty, but it's the only hay I can get my hands right now, but it's not disastriously dusty, just a bit, it's not perfect, but not horrible.

 

[AbiS]

Barney regularly coughs when eating/drinking - he is just a greedy pig who eats too fast!

 

[Gizi]

IF the hay is dusty i would recommend you shake some of the dust of before giving to them. I know this is a silly idea but i do it all the time with my hay which is a little dusty and most of the dust does come off.