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Piggies making a strange cough/sneeze/click sound-help!

  • Thread starter Thread starter stacy_eric_ernie
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stacy_eric_ernie

Hey Everyone,

Have noticed Eric and Ernie have both started making this very strange sound, kind of half sneeze/half cough and a bit clicky, it's really worrying me as they've never been ill, have looked in a few books which say it could be an allergy, but just wanted some friendly advice, they've only been doing it for the last 4-5 hours, to the vets straight away or will it go away? They're on megazorb which is changed every 4 days without fail, nothing has changed in their diet or their living area (they are inside) ANY help would be appreciated!

Thanks all!

Stacy.
 
going through the threads i have read, megazorb(what ever that is) is too dusty and piggies should be on baytril 0.4mls twice a day. i would definately take your piggies to the vet and get them checked out even if it is just to relieve your mind. every guinea pig is different and they can go down hill quickily. i would take to the vets and change megazorb for hay as bedding. pl,ease keep us updated, sorry i wasn't much help. hugs and cuddles to you, ernie and eric. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
They could have a Chest Infection if they are making a clicking noise. A trip to the vet is what is needed I think. Megazorb can be dusty but its still ok for pigs to be housed on it.
 
Oh no! Have been using megazorb since i got eric and ernie following advice from on the forum!! Where do i get baytril from?! Thanks Chloe!
 
Hi Stacy

Sorry to hear they're making funny noises - have you listened to their breathing? If you haven't got a stethoscope you can just hold them to your ear - if it's rattly then they might have a bit of infection. Hopefully someone who knows more will be along soon!

Sophie
x
 
Baytril can be gotten from a vet, but they need to make a diagnois first. Hope they are ok. x
 
Theyre not making any wheezing/rattling noises when they breathe and i havent heard the cough/sneeze noise for over half an hour but it's still worrying :embarassed: theyve never been to the vets before but i will keep checking on them and see how they are, thanks for all the advice!
 
If they've been doing any sort of clicking when breathing then I'd get them checked out. I've used megazorb for 2 years now and found it no more dusty than hay and have not had one URI in the time I used it.

Baytril is absolutely not something that you can just get and, in my opinion, should never be used unless prescribed by a vet. It's over-use of antibiotics that are causing a lot of infections to become resistent. It is also a very strong antibiotic - the dose depends on the strength as it comes in different concentrations.
 
i am not saying metazorb is bad-i don't even know what it is. i read in a couple of post that it is dusty and the OP was advised not to use it for bedding. and as for the baytril all i know is it is a medication used for most things in guinea pigs. until i'd joined this forum i had never heard of it. another thing i have read on here is perhaps put a teeny bit of vicks somewhere on the cage not where they can lick it but where it will help breathing if there is a problem. i am truly sorry i didn't mean to scare you! sending you, ernie and eric hugs and cuddles and hoping they both get better! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: did they have a drink or something that went the wrong way? just a thought. take care and sorry for scaring you! and also sorry my advice was wrong, was just trying to help. sorry again. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Really sounds like a URI. I've heard a lot of good reviews of magazorb but 2 of mine got sick as soon as i started using it and i've heard of a few cases now, not had any problems since they've been back on vetbed and fleece. get them to the vets, baytril may do the trick if you've caught it early 0.2mls twice daily i think is the dose for most pigs though it depends on age and weight. if the baytril has not worked within a week ask the vets for septrin, think the dose is 0.25mls to start with for septrin, not certain though. dont worry just get them to the vets asap to stop it getting worse xxxxx
 
Megazorb is made of paper pulp and is much more absorbent than wood shavings etc - it's used for horses and esp. horses that are allergic to other bedding.

:)
 
Thanks so much everyone for your advice, will try and get them into the vets after work tomorrow and have made notes of all the things mentioned here (what am i like?!) Just worried for my poor piggies! Will let you all know how they get on, thanks for the best wishes :)
 
Good luck at the vets tomorrow.

To be honest I have never heard about Megazorb being to dusty for piggies and a lot of people seem to use it. Anyway i hope it is OK as I have ordered my first bag :-\
 
most people dont have any problems with it, when i got it it was very dusty and ive heard others say this too. my vet suggested that megazorb was probably the cause of my pigs getting sick, thats not to say yours will 3 of mine were ok on it. lots of people use it with no problems i just prefer fleece and vet bed, no dust at all :) and no URI's or eye infections :)
 
Yes I wish I could use vetbed. I tried fleece and loved it but to be honest the girls missed not being able to sit on hay (especially Fluffy :smitten:) and because I live in a flat without a garden it's hard for me to shake off the hay from the fleece. mmmm we shall see how Megazorb goes. Anyway I will stop highjacking the thread sorry! :embarassed: Thanks for the advise though :)
 
Just a bit of an update, the pigs haven't made the strange noise since last night and both appear bright and are tucking into their breakfast as i type! will still get them to the vets as i dont want to risk anything, as for megazorb have always found it ok fo the pigs but must admit it always makes me sneeze! its a very economical bedding but if the vet tells me to stp using it i will start using vetbed ;) thanks again everyone, i will be in touch!
 
Good luck at the vets with them love, you're doing the right thing taking them O0
Healing wheeks for the little ones :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Best to let a vet check the lungs,just in case,but this does sound more like a allergy reaction to something.If they have a urti they would be worse by now .

If it happens again give them 0.3ml of Sudafed ,the one for children.

The bedding needs to be changed every day,whatever er you use.I often change my pigs beds twice a day because it does not take them long to wet It.!.
 
good luck at the vets, sending hugs and cuddles to you and your piggies from us in oz. hoping all goes well, like i said maybe water or something went down the wrong way or as maryh said it might have been an allergy. either way hoping the problem gets solved. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Well, what a day! Spent all day at work worrying about my poor little chaps and took them to the vets at 5pm and the diagnosis.....they have a bit of cold! Rather like snuffles in rabbits, however nowhere near as serious thank god! They have some Baytril to take for 3 days and they seem fine, jumping and wheeking as normal and best of all NO strange noises! I am also going to change to vet bed to ensure they're in a dust free zone, however vigilant you are with indoor pigs i suppose its impossible for no household dust to get into their cages so by swapping from megazorb i hope this will help prevent this from happening again ;) Thanks everyone so much for your concern and advice, although i was very stressed and worried last night coming onto the forum really helped to calm me down a bit!

Take Care evryone!

PS- The vet also weighed both pigs... Eric 1.1 kilo, Ernie 1.2 kilo, thats that extra bit of cabbage Ernie is always stealing from his brother! ;D
 
;D ;D

awwwww glad to hear its nothing serious :smitten: i bet your so relieved :)
 
Yes can't begin to express just how happy i am! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
so glad that ernie and eric are doing better. and i know exactly what you mean about being stressed, worried and then you come on here and even though you are still worried you do feel calmer. they are certainly wonderful people here, they care for the piggies and their owners. i think everyone is wonderful on here! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: hope your little guys continue onto the road to recovery! sending hugs and cuddles to you and your boys! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Aww thanks everyone ;) I'm off work today and tomorrow so i can keep a close eye on eric and ern, they're jumping around as normal! Have ordered some vet bed on ebay and skippy is chuffed he has the megazorb in his hutch now (silly rabbit!) so all is good :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
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