Just Choking Or Coughing?

[Pippy & Daisy]

Helloooo, so I'm sure I've actually posted about this topic before but can no longer find it and can't remember exactly what I've asked. Anyway, does a choking sound (as in when they eat too fast) sound different to a cough (like you'd hear in a URI)?

Last night when I got home after being out for far longer than I thought I'd be, I gave the girls some food which they basically inhaled and I heard one of them choke/cough like they do when they scoff food, which I didn't think anything of as it'd been quite a few hours since they'd had anything. I heard it again a few minutes later, but Daisy was scoffing pellets and Pippy was scoffing hay so I again thought they were just eating too fast. Then this morning I've heard it probably three times again but only when they've been pigging out on hay! I've heard the sound before when they eat too fast and I'm sure whoever it was just had something in their throat as I gave them a really watery bit of cucumber and haven't heard it since. But it still always worries me!

So my question is - would a sick cough sound different than a pigging out cough/choke? Does this sound like anything to be concerned about?

Thanks

 

[Elwickcavies]

In my experience of URIs, it's more often a sneeze than a cough, with snot being the major symptom, but they would sound different. From what you say, it sounds like someone has a bit of something stuck and the cucumber did the trick. As ever, keep an eye (or ear) out and see the vet if things get worse or you are worried.

 

[Wiebke]

If it reoccurs, I would see a vet if necessary. Some piggies are greedy eaters and cough if they are gobbling down too much too quickly. The sound is usually different from a URI cough.