Piggy with allergies - planning ahead

[pelicano]

One of my 3 has a chronic respiratory problem which mostly presents itself during hayfever season (only I could have a piggy with hayfever! rolleyes) Anyway, she's fine at the moment, but I'm expecting her to start showing symptoms in a couple of months, as she has for the past 2 years, so I'm trying to plan ahead for it.

For the past 2 years I've used Bisolvon, which helps with mucus build up, but doesn't help with sneezing. I've also used Olbas oil on tissues around the cage (ie high up so they can't pull them down).

I wondered about getting a nebuliser, but I don't know what I could put in it. I used a nebuliser once before when she had an infection and it was great, but I don't know how useful it would be for this, given that it is allergy-related. :{

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Bless, she is obviously sensitive to a particular pollen in the air! Have you tried smearing a tiny, tiny bit of Vicks Vaporub on her nostrils? I find this can help with rhinitis issues (I have two with minor, intermittent rhinitis - possibly allergies) but it may help with sneezing. Although, having said that, instead of Vicks a tiny dab of Vaseline on the end of her nose could stop pollen irritating the nostrils and making her sneeze. This is advised for humans but I have no experience of doing this with piggies, though I have heard of Vaseline being used on piggies so don't see any problem with trying this. I may be wrong - someone please correct me if I am - but in my eyes, it wouldn't hurt to try since it is such a tiny smear.
I don't advise this for inexperienced owners unless they have been shown the correct way to do this.
No advice on the nebuliser unfortunately, but as you said I'm also not sure how effective it would be for allergies.

 

[rw3399]

I've used vaseline on my sow and she showed no adverse symptoms. I used it on her skin when her fur fell out to prevent urine scald.

 

[pelicano]

Thanks for the replies. I'm a bit nervous of the vaseline when she's bunged up, in case I get too much on and make the situation worse. ") It's a toughie...

It took me far longer than it ought to have done to figure out the hayfever connection - it was only one morning when I was sneezing my head off then went in to find Sukie sneezing her head off too that I finally figured it out. The following day I wasn't so bad and neither was she, etc etc. I take antihistamines for mine, but I obviously wouldn't want to give them to a piggy!