Choking and snuffling

[ratatellie]

Hi!

Not long after I got in tonight I noticed Gloria eating some dry food and she suddenly made a loud noise a bit like a cough. She seemed immediately fine and ate her evening veg fine when I gave them dinner not long after. After dinner she was lying down on her favourite cushion and I've noticed a snuffly/crackling noise coming from her. It's not every single time she breathes but it's fairly frequent. I got her out for a cuddle and to take a closer look and she seemed perfectly active as usual, and had no runny nose or anything but she still made the same noises. It definitely sounded more as though the noise was coming from her head than her chest. I've put her back in the cage now but still I can hear it every so often but she's behaving otherwise normally - munching on leftover celery and playing with her balls (and even having her usual mini-squabbles with Astrid, lol).
I know I need to get her to the vets if this carries on but is there anything I can do to help in the meantime or anything that I can keep an eye on? I'm still fairly new to keeping piggies and I haven't experienced any vet trips or illness, and I'm trying not to let myself get too worked up over this!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi!

Not long after I got in tonight I noticed Gloria eating some dry food and she suddenly made a loud noise a bit like a cough. She seemed immediately fine and ate her evening veg fine when I gave them dinner not long after. After dinner she was lying down on her favourite cushion and I've noticed a snuffly/crackling noise coming from her. It's not every single time she breathes but it's fairly frequent. I got her out for a cuddle and to take a closer look and she seemed perfectly active as usual, and had no runny nose or anything but she still made the same noises. It definitely sounded more as though the noise was coming from her head than her chest. I've put her back in the cage now but still I can hear it every so often but she's behaving otherwise normally - munching on leftover celery and playing with her balls (and even having her usual mini-squabbles with Astrid, lol).
I know I need to get her to the vets if this carries on but is there anything I can do to help in the meantime or anything that I can keep an eye on? I'm still fairly new to keeping piggies and I haven't experienced any vet trips or illness, and I'm trying not to let myself get too worked up over this!

Hi

Please see a vet if the snuffly/crackly noise continues by tomorrow and is not just a one of from something gone down the wrong way and up into the nose; especially if it getting worse rather than disappearing.

Guinea pig airways are very narrow so the least obstruction is very audible. I hope that it is just a little one off from swallowing at the wrong time.

If it helps you to feel calmer, you can place a bowl of steaming water by the cage to help ease the breathing a little.