Sudden Snorting

[mmmarta6]

Hi there! My piggy it's having a kind of "snorting attack", he's eating, drinking anda moving just fine but i'm worried he might got a cought by getting wet with the Frozen bottles or the aire climatizer (it's really hot in Spain, I try not to point the climatizer directly at them but not too high either since the room it's already at 28°C ...). I Saw him doing It right after refilling the hay with the last left on t'he box, so it could also just be that and I was already about to book an appointment for his regular senior checking, but I'm just wondering if this might me urgent enough to go to the 24h emergency vet. It's the first time this happens to me, any advise?

Thanku!
Marta

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there! My piggy it's having a kind of "snorting attack", he's eating, drinking anda moving just fine but i'm worried he might got a cought by getting wet with the Frozen bottles or the aire climatizer (it's really hot in Spain, I try not to point the climatizer directly at them but not too high either since the room it's already at 28°C ...). I Saw him doing It right after refilling the hay with the last left on t'he box, so it could also just be that and I was already about to book an appointment for his regular senior checking, but I'm just wondering if this might me urgent enough to go to the 24h emergency vet. It's the first time this happens to me, any advise?

Thanku!
Marta

Hi

It sounds much more likely that something has gone up his nose, either from drinking too greedily or hay dust. Since the nasal airways are very small and narrow, even the slightest obstruction can cause some rather alarming sounding sound effects.

The symptoms for respiratory infections you need to be alert for are protacted crackling or rasping breathing from the throat area that is not a one-off and goes on for hours (bacterial respiratory infection, URI); it becomes more urgent in combination with loss of appetite and drinking.
Any clicking from the chest area can be a symptom of pneumonia and should be seen promptly as should be any sudden deterioration/loss of appetite and weight.
The need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat. Loss of appetite/weight in combination with respiratory symptoms is a common symptom for a more serious respiratory symptom.

I hope that this helps better with keeping respiratory issues in perspective.

Please don't fill the bottle with ice cold water if the room is air-conditioned. This is overkill; as is feeding very cold veg. Piggies will actually drink more if the water is in the normal temperature range - neither ice cold nor too hot to drink.
Adding some ice to water is great for situations where their living space cannot be air conditioned and the owner is not around to refresh the water frequently with fridge cooled water. if your piggies are plastered to a wrapped frozen bottle, they are already overheated. Ideally they should stay away from them because it means that they are not feeling too hot.

 

[mmmarta6]

Hi there! Thank you so mutch for your answer! I'm still taking him to the vet but on deixat but for his regular checking appointment. There's been no more "snorting" and he is eating, drinking anda running around just fine (also beautifull poos jeje) so I imagine It might have been due the hay. Still, really usefull information

I don't have AC, that's why i got the evaporative climatizer but It can only do so much and the coolest It can get the room to be is 28-29°C. That's why i also use the Frozen whater bottles (not to drink but to Cool the air a bit more and prevent the strock), along some tiles. In Spain we are having heat waves Up to 40°C, is It better in that case to keep the frozen botles or does anyone now any better tricks/devises? I've checked Portable AC and It does not look that healthy and I've just ordered a bathroom Air extractor for the hot air (i Hope that can help to keep It under 27°C at least)

Anyway, thanyou so much for taking the time!
I'll Keep the respiratory disease signs you described in mind too

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there! Thank you so mutch for your answer! I'm still taking him to the vet but on deixat but for his regular checking appointment. There's been no more "snorting" and he is eating, drinking anda running around just fine (also beautifull poos jeje) so I imagine It might have been due the hay. Still, really usefull information

I don't have AC, that's why i got the evaporative climatizer but It can only do so much and the coolest It can get the room to be is 28-29°C. That's why i also use the Frozen whater bottles (not to drink but to Cool the air a bit more and prevent the strock), along some tiles. In Spain we are having heat waves Up to 40°C, is It better in that case to keep the frozen botles or does anyone now any better tricks/devises? I've checked Portable AC and It does not look that healthy and I've just ordered a bathroom Air extractor for the hot air (i Hope that can help to keep It under 27°C at least)

Anyway, thanyou so much for taking the time!
I'll Keep the respiratory disease signs you described in mind too

Hi

Thank you for clarifying. Please keep the frozen water bottles.

You can find the largest collection of cooling tips in our Hot Weather guide. Please be aware that guinea pigs will actually accustom to constantly higher temperatures (they do so in Far East countries and you can also see the same in inner-city flats) but it will take them a number of days with gradually rising temperatures.
Here is the link to our guide, which I have tried to make as comprehensive as possible.
Hot Weather Management, Heat Strokes and Fly Strike

What they struggle with more is sudden large temperature swings with temperatures in outdoors hutches even in the UK passing 40 C and piggies exposed to sun-heated breezes of over 50 C from open windows or on the lawn (even when in the shade where it is still exposed to the hot air blowing across). These are classic heat stroke situations.

 

[mmmarta6]

That's so helpful! I've already checked t'he guide but I was still worried, mu piggies are use to It and I always try to make It as gradual as possible but its my first summer since I moved and It gets hotter than the last One.
Luckly I can manage It to be gradual so I'm happy to hear that.

Thank you so much!