Sneezing Non Stop

[MadisonAnn]

I had purchased a Guinea pig from a pet store called Solidans. I hadn't even had him a week when I noticed eye boogers and sneezing. I took him and my other one to the vet and they gave me medicine for an upper respiratory infection and I gave them the meds for fourteen days twice a day like instructed. It's been about two or three days since the fourteen days has been up and they are sneezing non stop. Sometimes just once and then sometimes three in a row. When I was giving them their medication it subsided and I would hear a sneeze every now and again. But this past day or two I hear it 20+ times a day. I'm not sure what to do. If I should take them back to that vet or if I should take them to a new one.They eat all day and still go to the bathroom a lot as well.. Any advice?

 

[Critter]

May we ask what meds they have been prescribed already? Some are more affective than others with chest infections.
Did your vet check the heart, and check for fluid on the lungs?
Also have you tried changing your hay? As daft as this may sound some guinea pigs can actually get sneezy with certain types of hay. Anything dusty can make them sneeze too. Do you mind me ask what bedding you use please? Some beddings can throw up quite a lot of dust and can make their eyes run and give them the sneezes. Sadly with really dusty bedding, like saw dust (which some pet shops do recommend) it can lead to actual chest infections.
Do you use any air fresheners or scents in the room? Again this can cause sneezes. But whilst you are ruling these things out, I do think it would be wise to take them to a vet, maybe a different one, and certainly getting those lungs and heart checked out.
@helen105281 @Wiebke @Abi_nurse

 

[Wiebke]

I had purchased a Guinea pig from a pet store called Solidans. I hadn't even had him a week when I noticed eye boogers and sneezing. I took him and my other one to the vet and they gave me medicine for an upper respiratory infection and I gave them the meds for fourteen days twice a day like instructed. It's been about two or three days since the fourteen days has been up and they are sneezing non stop. Sometimes just once and then sometimes three in a row. When I was giving them their medication it subsided and I would hear a sneeze every now and again. But this past day or two I hear it 20+ times a day. I'm not sure what to do. If I should take them back to that vet or if I should take them to a new one.They eat all day and still go to the bathroom a lot as well.. Any advice?

Hi! The vet you have taken them has done the right thing to treat for URI (Upper respiratory infection), as it is by far the most common illness, especially with new guinea pigs.

As the sneezing has not stopped, you now need to look at potential irritants in the environment that could cause the sneezing.Guinea pigs have a very sensitive respiratory system.
Please check:
- air fresheners, scent sticks, cigarette smoke, perfumes (remove them from the room)
- dusty hay or bedding with irritants like pine
- too dry air

If that doesn't bring any changes, see your vet again, but as both are doing it and there doesn't seem to be no URI, it is more likely an environmental issue than an allergy.

 

[MadisonAnn]

The medication is Trimethoprimsulfa. She did check the heart and lungs and she said both sounded fine in both of them. But one of them did have a fever. So that is why she gave me medicine. And for both because they live together. The bedding I use is fleece and u haul pads down together. And the hay may be a factor. It is somewhat dusty, but they have an eating area which is on a top level which is separate from the rest of the cage ( they have a c and c cage ) and they sneeze whilst on the bottom level also. I don't have any air fresheners and it's a smoke free house. Do you recommended any good brands of hay? I know oxbow is good but they only have the stacks where I'm at, not the long strand hay. @Wiebke @Critter

 

[Critter]

I'm not sure I can recommend any brands but we do have fellow members from the USA here who perhaps can help with that.
As for meds I asked in order to help those more knowledgeable when they read the thread , but me - I cannot help you myself in terms of telling if it's good or not.
It sounds like they have a good environment. I really hope you get to the bottom of the issue and I'll be following the thread in hope of good news for them

 

[MadisonAnn]

You're very kind! I've only had them for a month or so and I'm definitely a worrier. Since they've been sick I've been super stressed, I just feel so bad for the little guys. I'm a first time Guinea pig owner so I'm still learning. The vet helping me is pretty involved too, she called a couple days ago to check in on them but sadly she only works Tuesdays and Wednesday's.

 

[Wiebke]

The medication is Trimethoprimsulfa. She did check the heart and lungs and she said both sounded fine in both of them. But one of them did have a fever. So that is why she gave me medicine. And for both because they live together. The bedding I use is fleece and you haul pads down together. And the hay may be a factor. It is somewhat dusty, but they have an eating area which is on a top level which is separate from the rest of the cage ( they have a c and c cage ) and they sneeze whilst on the bottom level also. I don't have any air fresheners and it's a smoke free house. Do you recommended any good brands of hay? I know oxbow is good but they only have the stacks where I'm at, not the long strand hay. @Wiebke @Critter

Tripmethoprimsulfa is usually sold as septrin in the UK and bactrim in US and other countries, but it is an OK brand. Your vet seems to be decent and has certainly not made a boo boo.

Thank you for coming back on the other issues. It is a bit of detective game right now trying to find out whether there is a factor in the home that you can eliminate before you take them back to the vet.

Could you order Oxbow hay online? You could also try and see whether a bowl of steaming water next to the cage is making a difference.

 

[MadisonAnn]

I can order it online, I was unsure from where though. What does the steaming bowl of water do? Does it help with the dry air? And I plan on getting new hay for them today. Thoughts on kaytee hay? it's what the store has most of for sale.

 

[Wiebke]

I can order it online, I was unsure from where though. What does the steaming bowl of water do? Does it help with the dry air? And I plan on getting new hay for them today. Thoughts on kaytee hay? it's what the store has most of for sale.

The steaming water helps with the dry air and can also tamp down on any pollen, if there are issues with that.
Can you google "oxbow hay"? You should then have a number of online providers pop up.

 

[MadisonAnn]

Update: I changed bedding , bought new hay, and bought a humidifier to help with dry air and nothing helped. Walter keeps sneezing non stop, has a runny nose but doesn't have any eye boogers. And Franklin does occasionally sneeze but he does have eye boogers now in each eye, just like he did when he had a URI. I called the vet and she won't be in until later today . I'm unsure of what to think. They sleep a lot. I'm not sure if they are sick again with a URI but I don't see how because they were treated and their symptoms went away but now they're back.

 

[Wiebke]

Update: I changed bedding , bought new hay, and bought a humidifier to help with dry air and nothing helped. Walter keeps sneezing non stop, has a runny nose but doesn't have any eye boogers. And Franklin does occasionally sneeze but he does have eye boogers now in each eye, just like he did when he had a URI. I called the vet and she won't be in until later today . I'm unsure of what to think. They sleep a lot. I'm not sure if they are sick again with a URI but I don't see how because they were treated and their symptoms went away but now they're back.

I am sorry. Please see your vet again and consider allergy. You have been able to exclude a lot of environmental triggers.

Perhaps you could start giving them extra vitamin C to help boost their immune system. about 1/8 - 1/4 of a human tablet, either diluted in 1 ml of water and syringed or fed sprinkled on veg (if they take it).

@Abi_nurse @helen105281