What are some symptoms of a respiratory infection

[Nfrye]

Last night one of my piggies died and I wanted to know if he had a respiratory problem because I know that those are contagious and I need to know so I can catch it early and my remaining pig doesn’t get sick

 

[Katiedid]

Mine become quieter at first, hide away more, puffed up and hunched, eat but not as much (smaller poops and weight loss), get gummy eyes, then start to have noisy breathing and finally stop eating.

 

[Wiebke]

Last night one of my piggies died and I wanted to know if he had a respiratory problem because I know that those are contagious and I need to know so I can catch it early and my remaining pig doesn’t get sick

I am very sorry for your loss.

Unless you have got young, stressed and/or frail piggies, URI can be usually fended off by healthy companions, but it is always good to have the companion of a piggy that has died from an infectious disease vet checked and to conduct a full 2-3 weeks quarantine before getting a new mate, ideally from a good standard rescue that only rehomes healthy, fully quarantined and vet treated piggies.
Importance Of Quarantine

Here is a list of URI symptoms in ascending order: Guinea Lynx :: URI
See a vet promptly if you notice any of them, but be aware that piggies sneeze several times a day when they clean themselves to get rid of any hay dust in their noses. Nor does one-off sneezing fit count. You need to see persistent sneezing over several hours before it is a symptom of URI.

Here are our tips of what you can do for the surviving companion: Looking After A Bereaved Guinea Pig