Is My Guinea Pig Sick Or Does She Have Allergies?

[lissbee100]

Hello, about two months ago I got my guinea pig Cindy. I took her to the vet because I noticed she was sneezing a bit, and sometimes she made a small quiet popping sound. But I read online the popping sound could be due to long teeth, the sound doesn't sound like crackling or wheezing. I took her to the vet to make sure she was okay, he listened to her breathing, and told me she was fine, that she could just have allergies, and to take her back if she stopped eating, became lethargic, or had a crusty nose or discharge from the eyes. Weeks went on, she still sneezed, but this last week I noticed some concerning things. Yesterday, there seemed to be a slight whistle in her noes, and for a very brief amount of time, she seemed to be making a hooting sound, the two sounds didn't last long at all. Today, she coughed three times while eating, but I also read that could be from eating fast. Also, lately, every once and a while she will have a bit of clear drops around her nose after sneezing, but her nose isn't ever crusty, it is always just one or two little clear specks. Is it possible my piggy has been sick the entire time I've had her, two months, or does it sound like allergies/asthma? I love her very much, she still seems very happy, popcorns all the time, and eats plenty! Should I try new things, like washing her hay ? Or should I take my little Cindy back to the vet? I'll do anything to make sure she is healthy.

 

[Wiebke]

All healthy guinea pigs sneeze a few times during the day, often when they wash themselves, to clear their nose. If the nose is getting even a little bit blocked by some hay dust, they can make hooty or crackly noises, which tend to last only a short while and are nothing to wrry about, as they disappear as soon as the nose is clear.
Guinea pigs can't breathe through the mouth, unlike us humans. Most hooting is simply due to a temporarily blocked nose and not because of heart disease - for that, you need persistent long term hooting and some more symptoms that point towards potential heart problems.

I would worry about the sneezing only if it is more than a few times a day. If the sneezing is regular, see whether it is more frequent with a load of fresh hay or whether it can be connected to dry heated indoors air in winter or air conditioning in summer (in which case you could see whether a bowl of steaming water next to the cage brings a change in her breathing, in which case you may want to look into humidifiers for the longer term). There is no indication for a URI from what you are telling me.

As long as your girl is happy, active, eating well, has her usual healthy poos and is doing fine on her weekly weigh-in, I would not worry.
Here is our link to spotting early signs of illness: Early Signs Of Illness
See a vet if she is really sneezing a lot every day; in that case, it may be worth thinking about things that could trigger it.

Your piggy doesn't sound sick to me, but I would recommend to you to not go overboard reading up on stuff too much, as that can be counterproductive for your enjoyment of your little girl.

 

[lissbee100]

All healthy guinea pigs sneeze a few times during the day, often when they themselves, to clear their nose. If the nose is getting even a little bit blocked by some hay dust, they can make hooty or crackly noises, which tend to last only a short while and are nothing to wrry about, as they disappear as soon as the nose is clear.
Guinea pigs can't breathe through the mouth, unlike us humans. Most hooting is simply due to a temporarily blocked nose and not because of heart disease - for that, you need persistent long term hooting and some more symptoms that point towards potential heart problems.

I would worry about the sneezing only if it is more than a few times a day. If the sneezing is regular, see whether it is more frequent with a load of fresh hay or whether it can be connected to dry heated indoors air in winter or air conditioning in summer (in which case you could see whether a bowl of steaming water next to the cage brings a change in her breathing, in which case you may want to look into humidifiers for the longer term). There is no indication for a URI from what you are telling me.

As long as your girl is happy, active, eating well, has her usual healthy poos and is doing fine on her weekly weigh-in, I would not worry.
Here is our link to spotting early signs of illness: Early Signs Of Illness
See a vet if she is really sneezing a lot every day; in that case, it may be worth thinking about things that could trigger it.

Your piggy doesn't sound sick to me, but I would recommend to you to not go overboard reading up on stuff too much, as that can be counterproductive for your enjoyment of your little girl.

Thank you so much for all the information! I appreciate it

 

[Beckb]

Hi, my Guinea pig Truffles has been making a crackling sounds on and off. My other Guinea pig, Puffin, also made this sound last week so I took them both to the vets. The vet prescribed some antibiotics and Puffin doesn't make the sound anymore, but Truffles still makes it intermitedly. There are no changes in behaviour, both eating and drinking fine. I am taking them back for their checkup today, but wondered whether Truffles just has allergies? Would appreciate any help. They sleep on fleece bedding and go outside during the day.