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Health advice needed.

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Guineapiggirl34

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She is wheezing a little like my boy when he got pneumonia, but I’ve also had guinea pigs make this noise when the temperature has changed. Do you think she needs a vet? Or some humidity?
 
A wheezing noise (from the chest) always needs to be checked by a vet.
It may be due to temperature but breathing issues (particularly if you are in a hot area - 32 here right in the east of England now) always require you to err on the side of caution and get checked

What temperatures are you experiencing?
What temperature is their room?

I hope she is ok
 
How hot is it where their cage is? Is it indoors or outdoors?

Here is the guide for dealing with hot weather Hot-weather-management - Heat-strokes and Fly-strike

For a start, you could put a wrapped ice pack in their cage and see if she will sit by or on it. If she moves away from it, then she isn't too hot - yet. Have a read of the guide for things you can do to try to prevent the heat getting too much.
 
Mum has appointment for 5. So will pick her up,at 4 I am concerned of her being in her carrier in a car at 4/5 pm. Be very hot!
 
Could you try and get the car cooled down before you put her in and maybe put a damp towel over the carrier for the journey and also a cooled piece of cucumber to keep her hydrated? How far time wise is the journey? 💐
 
Ok good so the room isn’t too hot at present

I’m glad you’ve got an appointment.
- Keep the car as cool as possible - use the air conditioning if your car has it
- Park it in the shade a few hours before if possible so it can start to cool before you leave
- Open the doors to air it out as much as possible before you leave
- wrap an ice pack in a towel and take it with you. But I would not put it on the bottom of the carrier if it means she has to sit on it. She needs the option to sit away from it
- offer her cucumber slices on the journey for hydration
 
Will let you know what the vet says. She is my precious one, she loves cuddles, is very tiny compared to everyone else, and is definitely the underdog in her cage. I love an underdog, try to make them feel special. And she is the only pig that her sister will likely tolerate so got to keep her healthy!
 
Mum was out when she made appointment. She said car was 35 when she got in to come home but cooled to 28 after a few mins. We have changed appointment to latest 6 pm, so will leave here 5.15ish. Covered car windscreen and opened windows. Got ice packs. Going to put hernia largercardboard box not carrier, so space for her to be on ice or not, carrier too small for her to choose. She is still breathing faster and little popping noises. So I feel it is a necessary journey.
 
Guineapiggirl34 said:
Mum was out when she made appointment. She said car was 35 when she got in to come home but cooled to 28 after a few mins. We have changed appointment to latest 6 pm, so will leave here 5.15ish. Covered car windscreen and opened windows. Got ice packs. Going to put hernia largercardboard box not carrier, so space for her to be on ice or not, carrier too small for her to choose. She is still breathing faster and little popping noises. So I feel it is a necessary journey.
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I hope the car will cool down

Personally I would take the ice pack with you and put it on top of or beside the carrier (rather than in it) so it can help cool the air but put her in a secure carrier, not a cardboard box.
A cardboard box isn’t very safe for a car journey (nor walking about with her in it ).
Don’t forget it’s recommended to take both piggies together to the vet appointment
- bonded pairs shouldnt really ever be separated

let us know what the vet says. I hope she is ok
 
Oh, we have never taken bonded pairs before? We aways took one and then brought it back and put it home and it said hi to its friend? What about when a piggie has an operation? The vet has never suggested to us to take more than one to an appointment?

Problem is I can’t leave the house so mum will be driving the piggie to the vet so can’t really keep checking whether to put ice pack with her or not. Just bad circumstances me ill and housebound , only exotic vet 45 mins away at this time of year.
 
Bonded pairs should always go to the vet together. You will find all of us on here do, I have never only taken one piggy to the vet.

Separating bonded pairs causes stress, and the other piggy basically acts as a paw holder for the poorly piggy which can really benefit.
Even when one has to have surgery - both piggies go together in almost all cases. Separating one for surgery can in some cases mean they fight when they go back together - the different smells etc can see the poorly piggy be rejected or at least make things difficult getting them back together - sadly we have seen it happen on the forum.
Most vets recognise the importance of never separating bonded pairs

Ok. I would in that case, still take the pack but perhaps try to tape it or secure it to the carrier.
If the car is cool enough when your mum gets in then the ice pack can just be put aside and not be used
 
Ok what sort of carrier do you use to take a bonded pair? We only have little rosewood boxes which just fit two piggies while their cage is being cleaned, a bit tight for a journey?
 
I have cat carriers. Fits two piggies no problem (I have rabbits as well and a cat carrier also fits both rabbits in so there is more than enough room for two guinea pigs )
 
It is funny no vet has ever said to us to take both 😳 I would have understood at the original vet which did not have any exotics, but we go to one especially for exotic. They deal with our’ local ‘rescues pigs. They have never said anything about it, we have taken so many pigs on their own! So far in 5 years I have had 6 piggies, five have been to vets alone, one hasn’t because she has never been sick. Poor things! What carrier do you recommend for such a journey.
 
A vet would probably just be dealing with the situation in front of them at the time rather than thinking about whether they’ve got their companion with them.
Although even general vets understand a lot about the importance of bonded pairs being kept together (My vet isn’t an exotic vet).
 
When you go to the vet do you put a water bottle in with them? I never have but have found pig carrier that does have water bottle holder. Makes me wonder if I should.
 
Put some cucumber slices in with them for the journey - they will provide enough hydration.
Cat carriers have bars at the front so you may be able to add a bottle to it very easily.

I don’t add water bottles but that’s mainly because my vet is in my village and only about 3 minute drive away
 
Ok, so cat carriers are much larger than the rosewood ones. The room I and the two piggie cages share is large but is packed with Guinea pig stuff (double as one of everything for each cage) mobility aids, craft supplies and DVDs ( modern tv is too noisy and flashy for my illness). You might remember I have two cages of pigs because my stressy black piggie hates the boy cage. We have two of everything all kept well apart all different colours so no mix ups. If I were to buy cat carriers for them, I would need to get two well labelled so not to mix them up. They would have to be stored in a shed probably with our cats carrier. Question, can the two carriers be stored next to each other and not stress out my little stresshead? It is not as though they go in them very often, or for very long. Probably only once or twice a year so the smell should not linger too much? Thank you in advance.
 
Yes I do remember the situation with them

I actually wouldn’t worry about having two carriers. They’re plastic so incredibly easy to clean and honestly smells aren’t going to linger on them for months at on end (probably wouldn’t even a hang around for days at a time particularly if you clean after each use).
 
So vet said little girl is breathing normal no abdominal breathing not laboured. She did not make the snuffly noise for vet at all. Now she is home having a cuddle and cucumber she is snuffling again. Maybe the heat? It can’t be hotter here than in car. It is an old stone barn we live in, stays cooler than normal houses…
 
Guineapiggirl34 said:
So vet said little girl is breathing normal no abdominal breathing not laboured. She did not make the snuffly noise for vet at all. Now she is home having a cuddle and cucumber she is snuffling again. Maybe the heat? It can’t be hotter here than in car. It is an old stone barn we live in, stays cooler than normal houses…
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I’m glad to hear her chest was clear. Keep an eye on her for a few days though.
it is not uncommon for piggies to hide symptoms when they are at the vet and then display again when they get home.
One of my boys was limping on a back leg. I took him to the vet, the vet had him walk across the floor and he walked perfectly normally, no limp whatsoever. Luckily the vet believed he was hiding it and prescribed anti inflammatories for a week. I brought him home and the moment I put him back in his cage he was limping again.
 
She is back in the cage again and I can hear her snuffling across the small room. Is there anyway I can add moisture to the air a bowl and boiling water?
 
Piggies&buns said:
I’m glad to hear her chest was clear. Keep an eye on her for a few days though.
it is not uncommon for piggies to hide symptoms when they are at the vet and then display again when they get home.
One of my boys was limping on a back leg. I took him to the vet, the vet had him walk across the floor and he walked perfectly normally, no limp whatsoever. Luckily the vet believed he was hiding it and prescribed anti inflammatories for a week. I brought him home and the moment I put him back in his cage he was limping again.
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How do they know to hide the symptoms at the vet! They are not as daft as they act! I know they get jealous. If I cuddle both pigs as once they try to bite each other esp if I amkissing them, they say no she’s my mummy. Never or rarely argue in the cage! They are such scamps!
 
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