Aspiration?

[beanmopep]

Hi! I’m new to this forum, but I thought it was the right place to ask something like this. This morning, one of my piggies was eating her pellets when she started making a coughing sound. This didn’t stop her from eating and afterwards she’s been acting fine. It’s been maybe an hour and she hasn’t coughed at all or had labored breathing or anything. We’re currently cuddling and she’s being her normal sweet self. I was a little worried about aspiration, but when I was researching on Google, everyone was just talking about aspiration from syringe feeding. Is it possible to aspirate from eating pellets?
She’s almost a year old and has never had any health issues or symptoms. I also want to mention that the air quality in my town right now is really unhealthy, it smells like smoke everywhere. I know piggies are sensitive so I have an air filter next to their cage that I set up last night but I’m not sure if that’s what would cause the coughing?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

It’s not uncommon for piggies to eat too fast and to cough. It’s usually a one off occurrence with no impact. This is most likely what has occurred in your situation.

However if you are concerned then we obviously cannot replace a vet check.

Aspiration is inhaling food into the lungs. Most commonly occurring during syringe feeding if too much food is pressed out of the syringe in one go.

 

[weepweeps]

Hello and welcome to the forum.

It sounds like it was just a little cough caused by eating too fast.

We love pictures of piggies if you’d like to share.