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Hopefully Not A Uri

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Hannah Boyd

Hannah Boyd

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Today I noticed that Honey pig was sneezing - she sneezed 2-3 times at around 11am this morning. I did not hear her sneeze again (although she may have done, I was in the house but not always in the same room), until this evening at around 8.15, I took her out and checked her over, no obvious signs of any issue. Listened to her breathing etc, there may have been the smallest of crackle but it wasn't continuous and I am still not sure it was actually there. I phoned the vets (Holly House, piggie recommended) and they said that as she's bright and her usual self other than the sneezing then just bring her in tomorrow. So she's booked in for 9.45am. I have syringed her some vitamin C, and fed probiotic on some red pepper. She is in with 3 other female piggies, and I decided to leave her there after reading some advice on here. I guess I'm just writing to get my thoughts down 'on paper' and see if it helps me worry less! I lost a piggie to a URI last June and I may be being over cautious, but better safe than sorry! Holly House vets do seem good though. She is 5, very active, eats lots of hay and veggies, has almost unlimited floor time during the day and is kept in a C and C cage with 3 others.
 
Hi! Please take a deep breath and calm down.

Guinea pigs sneeze occasionally when they have some dust or pollen caught in their noses; they also sneeze when they 'piggy wash' to help clear the nose. We've had a lot of early spring shrub pollen in the air yesterday, with it being the first real spring day of the year.

You need to see a vet if the sneezes are frequent, persistent and don't go away after a few hours. You suspect URI when the breathing is crackly, rattly or laboured; appetite diminishes or stops completely or if you get thick yellowish gunk in the eyes or coming out of the nose.
(clear fluid is there to transport any irritation away and hooting usually indicates an obstruction in the nose, not further down).
 
Ah thank you @Wiebke ! I suspected as such!

The sneezes this morning were a few minutes apart. This evening she sneezed 10-15 times in about 15 minutes. She has not sneezed now for two hours, and I have the piggie cam set up so I can watch them from upstairs tonight. I will probably still take her to the vet just to be sure, but she has none of those symptoms you list, she is bright and energetic and has been running up and down to their loft many times since posting. They are not turning their noses up at the snuggle pads though, haha!
 
Hannah Boyd said:
Ah thank you @Wiebke ! I suspected as such!

The sneezes this morning were a few minutes apart. This evening she sneezed 10-15 times in about 15 minutes. She has not sneezed now for two hours, and I have the piggie cam set up so I can watch them from upstairs tonight. I will probably still take her to the vet just to be sure, but she has none of those symptoms you list, she is bright and energetic and has been running up and down to their loft many times since posting. They are not turning their noses up at the snuggle pads though, haha!
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It sounds typical for something stuck in the nose that is causing irritation; you get that flurry of sneezes which then settles down once the irritant is out. ;)
 
If I don't catch any sneezes in the morning then I may not take her after all. And there was me about to rush her in to the emergency vet tonight! haha.
 
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