Coughing Piggy With A Possible Wheeze?

[McSophieChops]

I was woken up last night by my piggy Nebula making a loud sound which I can only assume was coughing. It seems to come in waves; she will cough a couple of times every 30secs or so for a couple of mins then stop. She has had maybe 3 or 4 of these coughing episodes since 4am, the last at 6am.

Just now I noticed a very quiet added breath sound when she breathes out (I think) which I can only assume is a wheeze. But this keeps disappearing

She seems a bit quieter than usual having not emerged from her pigloo for the fresh hay or pellets I've just put in (perhaps because I'm sat next to their cage obsessively listening to her breathing sounds!)

Is this something I need to rush to the vet? The problem with taking her to a vet is that in between coughing she sounds fine again! Could this be an URTI? Or is it more likely to be a small bit of hay caught in her throat or something?

 

[sport_billy]

I would get here checked out to be on the safe side. They will be able to listen closely to her chest with a stethoscope better than our ears. We have a lot of good vets in the west midlands https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/how-to-post-photos.112751/

Let us know how she gets on

 

[Wiebke]

If the coughing doesn't stop, please see a vet. It is likely rather caused by something stuck in the airways than a URI, but it is worth having it checked out.

 

[McSophieChops]

Thanks for replying. She hasn't coughed or wheezed since I posted, typical! But so relieved, she appears completely back to normal (eat, sleep, play, repeat!) so it must have been something stuck which she managed to dislodge like you suggested.

Gosh these girls are gonna make me go grey