Guinea Pig Still Snuffly/croaky Sounding But Fine Otherwise. Vets Again?

[LozzyBee]

I took Barlo to the vets 9 days ago as he was snuffly and had sneezed a few times. Besides that, he was fine.

The vet couldn't hear anything on his chest but said that under the light he could see one of his nostrils was very slightly bunged up (he didn't use that terminology, sounded better when he said it)...so gave him an antibiotic injection and said to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't go off his food.

Barlo had a couple of days during the week where he's sounded fine, and then the past couple of days he sounded snuffly/rumbly. It's not consistent, and he doesn't sound like it all day long. He's still eating, still popcorning, still runs from me like the clappers, still humping his reluctant cage mate...it's just this snuffling.

Should I take him back to get him checked over again? I'm worried that if I leave it until he's off his food it'll be too late, yet at the same time everything I've read sounds like if it was a URI I'd know about it by now.

I did use a wood bedding under their hay in their hay bed but have swapped it for just newspaper, and have just ordered some hay from dust free hay to see if that makes a difference.

I feel like a neurotic parent all over again!

 

[helen105281]

I would get him checked again if you are worried, always best to go with your gut feeling. If they give you a round of antibiotics though, he will need probiotics too. Have you noticed any improvement since you switched the bedding? Has he been near any air fresheners? You could try a bowl of hot water next to the cage with 2 drops of Olbas oil in it to see if that helps clear his nose.

 

[Wiebke]

I took Barlo to the vets 9 days ago as he was snuffly and had sneezed a few times. Besides that, he was fine.

The vet couldn't hear anything on his chest but said that under the light he could see one of his nostrils was very slightly bunged up (he didn't use that terminology, sounded better when he said it)...so gave him an antibiotic injection and said to keep an eye on him and make sure he didn't go off his food.

Barlo had a couple of days during the week where he's sounded fine, and then the past couple of days he sounded snuffly/rumbly. It's not consistent, and he doesn't sound like it all day long. He's still eating, still popcorning, still runs from me like the clappers, still humping his reluctant cage mate...it's just this snuffling.

Should I take him back to get him checked over again? I'm worried that if I leave it until he's off his food it'll be too late, yet at the same time everything I've read sounds like if it was a URI I'd know about it by now.

I did use a wood bedding under their hay in their hay bed but have swapped it for just newspaper, and have just ordered some hay from dust free hay to see if that makes a difference.

I feel like a neurotic parent all over again!

Would you consider switching to fleece bedding for the long term? Many of our forum members have; as have I for the last 6 years. it is more ideal for indoors cages, but there are also other alternatives to wood shavings.
Bedding For Guinea Pigs - Overview
Member Gallery: C&C cages/homemade cages

I get the occasional crackling breathing/bung up if the locally source hay is particularly dusty at the bottom and one of my RIP piggies was particularly susceptive to hay dust. She did develop URI symptoms in the nasal and throat area whenever this happened, so I had to be very careful, but you are already checking that angle.

It is however good if you kept checked her at the vets and talked about your various options until you get to the bottom of what is causing the symptoms.

 

[LozzyBee]

Thanks for the replies. I did go with my gut and take him back to the vets.

They're on fleece bedding, but do spend quite a lot of time in their hay bed (dog basket) which I previously had wood shavings on but switched to newspaper.

The vet still couldn't hear anything on his chest. She heard him snuffling, and I showed her a video of him snuffling at his worst and she said to her it really sounded like an allergy. She even wondered if it could be dust mites in the fleece!

She's given a course of Baytril but said she didn't feel entirely comfortable with it as his chest sounds clear, he's gained 50g since last week, and he's fine in himself. She said it was more to rule things out and also to go ahead and look at alternative bedding, and to change to a hay rack so they're not snuffling around in the hay. She suggested newspaper but the sound of it makes them quite jumpy so I'll have to look at something different...or could possibly try it just for a couple of days to see if it helps.

I am wondering if it is the fleece to be honest...she asked when he sounds worse and when I thought about it I realised its when he's in the hidey which sits on the fleece.

Hmmm...need to get my thinking cap on as I know I'll be worrying for as long as he's snuffling

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for the replies. I did go with my gut and take him back to the vets.

They're on fleece bedding, but do spend quite a lot of time in their hay bed (dog basket) which I previously had wood shavings on but switched to newspaper.

The vet still couldn't hear anything on his chest. She heard him snuffling, and I showed her a video of him snuffling at his worst and she said to her it really sounded like an allergy. She even wondered if it could be dust mites in the fleece!

She's given a course of Baytril but said she didn't feel entirely comfortable with it as his chest sounds clear, he's gained 50g since last week, and he's fine in himself. She said it was more to rule things out and also to go ahead and look at alternative bedding, and to change to a hay rack so they're not snuffling around in the hay. She suggested newspaper but the sound of it makes them quite jumpy so I'll have to look at something different...or could possibly try it just for a couple of days to see if it helps.

I am wondering if it is the fleece to be honest...she asked when he sounds worse and when I thought about it I realised its when he's in the hidey which sits on the fleece.

Hmmm...need to get my thinking cap on as I know I'll be worrying for as long as he's snuffling

It rather sounds like an environmental factor. I would however start with the hay as the most likely source of his blocked nose/sneezing issues - and it is nothing worse, so please take a deep breath!
He is more likely sleep isin the hidey with his airways relaxed, so generally any blockages of the airways are more noticeable when they are relaxed.