Sneezing A Little Blood

[Mudpuppy]

Hello piggy lovers

My Muppet is happy and healthy, loves his veggies, hay and pellets and drinks properly, but recently has started to sneeze more frequently. He is a lone rescue piggy and approx. 3-4 ish. He had a one off bleed last month but was fine afterwards.. so we thought he had bumped his nose against his cage... but tonight he has had two sneezes where he's sneezed a bit of blood.

Before I take him to the vet, does anyone have any suggestions as to what it may be that's causing these random bleeding sneezes? His other sneezes have been non-bloody. I've searched older threads on the subject and seen that it could be all sorts, e.g. hay up the nose, URI, lack of vitamin C (don't think it's this as he's eating lots of pellets and veg) or teeth problems?

As I said, he's fine otherwise - no wheezing/breathing problems etc.

Thank you
x

 

[Pebble]

We cannot tell you what it may be - but we can tell you this is not normal and needs to be investigated by a qauliifed vet.

It's clearly not a sudden trauma - so could be a foreign body (eg hay seed) ...a polyp ....or something else.

It's not a common condition so you really need to find an experienced cavy savvy vet.

I note you are in Wales - you are therefore very lucky to have Lance Jepsom et al on your doorstep who are extremely cavy-savvy and have suirgeries throughout Wales
http://www.originvets.org/surgeries
x

 

[Mudpuppy]

Thanks.... yeah, I will get him an appointment for tomorrow morning to see if they can work out what it may be..... sadly I am in the North though - that company doesn't seem to have surgeries up here but thank you for the recommendation - I am on the lookout for a cavy specialist x

 

[Freela]

One of my pigs, Linney, had recurrent nose bleeds. Some of them were 'sneezing a little blood' and others were gushers! We never managed to get a really good diagnosis. I was told it could be anything from a benign nasal polyp to malignancy in the bones or nasal cavities. They suggested an x-ray to look for a tumor, but since she was happy and comfortable and there was no real treatment that we would consider for a tumor in an elderly pig, we decided just to leave her be. At any rate, she had occasional nose bleeds for about six or seven months before she passed away from old age (not related to the nosebleeds, or at least not in any way that we could see.) They didn't seem to bother her any (the minor ones she just ignored... the bigger ones were messy, and she would spray blood everywhere sneezing it out, but she continued normally as soon as they stopped.) I suspect she may have had a polyp or a weakness in a vein that would intermittently bleed, but that's just a guess and not something the vet could confirm. Unfortunately with those little nostrils it's really hard to get a look up there! I hope you get some answers... if you get a diagnosis, let us know, because I'm curious about what another vet has to say!

 

[Mudpuppy]

Thank you Freela.... sounds like the exact same situation! Muppet is happy and healthy apart from these random nosebleeds.
Took him to the vet this morning - she is not sure what is causing them, but couldn't find an obstruction in the little nostrils nor could she find anything wrong with his gums (healthy colour). Also, his chest sounded clear. So she is thinking it may be a slight URI, so he's had an injection of Baytril and MEtacam, and a course of both to take this week. I'm going to monitor him closely though, as my last piggy stopped eating when on the above, and it would be a shame for Muppet to go down hill because of antibiotics if we're not 100% he needs them.
The only other thing I suggested to the vet was his curious little habit of pushing his pigloo along with his nose! He moves it along all around his playpen! He's done this from day on when he was with his previous owners too... so I wonder if this has caused a weakness and/or irritation in his nose.......
I will keep you posted.....! :-)