Guinea pig croaking sound

[Wizzy]

My guinea pig pepper has started making croaking noises, similar to a frog and it sounds a little bit chesty. I checked her nose and eyes and they’re both fine and other than the croaking noise nothing is out of the ordinary. Does anyone have any clue as to what this is as i’m wondering if she’s either ill or just irritated from the hay?

 

[MWpiggies]

My guinea pig Eddie had a similar problem when I gave him hay that was too dusty. I found that a vaporizer helped him, but still took him to the vet to be on the safe side. In the end, nothing was wrong but I felt a lot better knowing he was healthy. I strongly recommend that you take her to the vet as it could be the early stages of an upper respiratory infection which is deadly if not treated.

 

[Wiebke]

My guinea pig pepper has started making croaking noises, similar to a frog and it sounds a little bit chesty. I checked her nose and eyes and they’re both fine and other than the croaking noise nothing is out of the ordinary. Does anyone have any clue as to what this is as i’m wondering if she’s either ill or just irritated from the hay?

Hi!

Could you please take a video, upload it on a public setting elsewhere and copy into your post.
Everybody has a different way of describing sounds - and by your own description you are already putting on your own interpretation.

Guinea pig airways are very small and guinea pigs don't breathe much through their mouths, so every little or larger obstruction is very audible. Anything that is not disappearing within a couple of hours on its own or is connected with your piggy losing the appetite/being lethargic/developing heaving sides or clicking in the chest should be seen by a vet as quickly as possible.

 

[Wizzy]

Hi!

Could you please take a video, upload it on a public setting elsewhere and copy into your post.
Everybody has a different way of describing sounds - and by your own description you are already putting on your own interpretation.

Guinea pig airways are very small and guinea pigs don't breathe much through their mouths, so every little or larger obstruction is very audible. Anything that is not disappearing within a couple of hours on its own or is connected with your piggy losing the appetite/being lethargic/developing heaving sides or clicking in the chest should be seen by a vet as quickly as possible.

Hi, thanks for the reply. I’m unable to get a video but it sounds sort of like a hooting sound. It went away after a few hours on Friday and was fine all of Saturday, only to come back again around 3 hours ago. It’s not constant but she makes the sound very often. i’d say on average once every 2 minutes. There’s no runny or crusty nose/ eyes, she has actually put on weight recently and is acting completely normal. She has always had a bit of stuffy breathing- and a similar thing happened in september only for her to just stop making the noise and recover. I am hesitant to take her to the vet because it always seems to go away and her to be completely fine, but then again i’m not a vet so i can’t be sure- maybe a vet visit is needed and i will take her if this continues

 

[Siikibam]

I think if you’re worried then perhaps email the vet and try to have her seen. It’s good if she’s maintaining weight though.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, thanks for the reply. I’m unable to get a video but it sounds sort of like a hooting sound. It went away after a few hours on Friday and was fine all of Saturday, only to come back again around 3 hours ago. It’s not constant but she makes the sound very often. i’d say on average once every 2 minutes. There’s no runny or crusty nose/ eyes, she has actually put on weight recently and is acting completely normal. She has always had a bit of stuffy breathing- and a similar thing happened in september only for her to just stop making the noise and recover. I am hesitant to take her to the vet because it always seems to go away and her to be completely fine, but then again i’m not a vet so i can’t be sure- maybe a vet visit is needed and i will take her if this continues

In the vast majority of cases hooting is just a mild blockage in the nasal passages; lile a bit of pollen or dust in the nose.
However, if it is constant or very frequent, you can contact your vets and see whether they want to check on her or not. Whatever it is is on the mild side anyway.

 

[Wizzy]

In the vast majority of cases hooting is just a mild blockage in the nasal passages; lile a bit of pollen or dust in the nose.
However, if it is constant or very frequent, you can contact your vets and see whether they want to check on her or not. Whatever it is is on the mild side anyway.

Hiya, it went away and she seemed absolutely fine and then it came back last night but only for a few minutes- she sneezed and then it went away. Just now i’ve noticed that her sides move when she breathes- i’m not sure if she’s always done this but i didn’t think it was anything out of the usual until i read about it online which freaked me out. Her sides seem to move in and out as she breathes. I’m not sure that this is a sign of illness or not as i thought she had always done this but again i’m not too sure

 

[Siikibam]

Piggie’s sides do move when they are Breathing. But I think if you’re worried or think the breathing looks laboured then maybe take her to the vet for a check. If she stopped then started and it cleared after a sneeze then it may be what’s been discussed above.

 

[Wizzy]

In the vast majority of cases hooting is just a mild blockage in the nasal passages; lile a bit of pollen or dust in the nose.
However, if it is constant or very frequent, you can contact your vets and see whether they want to check on her or not. Whatever it is is on the mild side anyway.

It seems to have come back, along with a runny nose. Over the past 2 days i’d say she’s had it on and off. She has a slight runny nose but other than that she’s showing no other signs. I’m worried it is something worse... i managed to convince myself she had heart problems yesterday so i don’t think the internet is doing me much good. My other pig has confirmed diabetes and bladder sludge problems so they don’t get much veg nowadays, so i thought about scurvy as a problem. I’ve ordered the oxbow natural science vit c tablets which will hopefully do her some good. I just hope it isn’t a uri- which i know are dangerous. My current vet is closed at the moment but i can take her somewhere else if Necessary

 

[Wizzy]

It seems to have come back, along with a runny nose. Over the past 2 days i’d say she’s had it on and off. She has a slight runny nose but other than that she’s showing no other signs. I’m worried it is something worse... i managed to convince myself she had heart problems yesterday so i don’t think the internet is doing me much good. My other pig has confirmed diabetes and bladder sludge problems so they don’t get much veg nowadays, so i thought about scurvy as a problem. I’ve ordered the oxbow natural science vit c tablets which will hopefully do her some good. I just hope it isn’t a uri- which i know are dangerous. My current vet is closed at the moment but i can take her somewhere else if Necessary

okay so now her nose isn’t runny now it’s her eyes...

 

[Wizzy]

okay so now her nose isn’t runny now it’s her eyes...

Sorry for the constant add ons, my vet is closed and my parents are refusing to take her anywhere else, which makes things very difficult. I have Baytril which is a year old and is the correct dose for her weight (i’ve just weighed her, she’s 1.2kg) so i could always give her that although i know it isn’t ideal.

 

[Siikibam]

Please don’t give any meds until the vet says it’s necessary. It may end up masking the problem as well as making matters worse. I wouldn’t give the vitamin c unless recommended by the vet. There is vitamin c in hay and also pellets so they shouldn’t need more.

Please tell your parents that your piggy needs to be seen. URIs can get worse very quickly so piggy needs seeing. One of the welfare rights is access to a vet when they need to be seen. Good luck and let us know if you manage to get her seen.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Definitely don’t give any medications, especially not one which has been opened for such a long time
I don’t know much about diabetes in piggies, but bladder sludge is not really a reason to stop giving veg - giving a wet veg diet can actually help flush the bladder through and help against such sludge issues
If a URI is brewing then she needs to see a vet and get appropriate treatment

 

[Wizzy]

Please don’t give any meds until the vet says it’s necessary. It may end up masking the problem as well as making matters worse. I wouldn’t give the vitamin c unless recommended by the vet. There is vitamin c in hay and also pellets so they shouldn’t need more.

Please tell your parents that your piggy needs to be seen. URIs can get worse very quickly so piggy needs seeing. One of the welfare rights is access to a vet when they need to be seen. Good luck and let us know if you manage to get her seen.

Thank you for the reply. I’ve gathered enough money to get her seen and i just need my mum to take me. If i ring the vets tomorrow and get an appointment asap, should she be alright for 2-3 days? I haven’t given her any baytril or anything like that as it’s harmful to give old medication. Is there anything i can do to help her in the mean time?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Thank you for the reply. I’ve gathered enough money to get her seen and i just need my mum to take me. If i ring the vets tomorrow and get an appointment asap, should she be alright for 2-3 days? I haven’t given her any baytril or anything like that as it’s harmful to give old medication. Is there anything i can do to help her in the mean time?

Given it’s already been going on for a few days then I would try to get her seen as soon as possible. We couldn’t say whether 2-3 days wait would be ok as it really depends on what is going on with her

 

[Wizzy]

Great thank you. I have enough money so i was thinking if my mum refuses.. would i be able to take her myself regraded i pay for everything? I’m not exactly a child but i am under 18 so i don’t know if that would be possible.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Great thank you. I have enough money so i was thinking if my mum refuses.. would i be able to take her myself regraded i pay for everything? I’m not exactly a child but i am under 18 so i don’t know if that would be possible.

It would be best to ask them when you call for an appointment - each practice may have different rules regarding minors and consenting to treatment

 

[Wizzy]

It would be best to ask them when you call for an appointment - each practice may have different rules regarding minors and consenting to treatment

So, we took pepper to the vet and he said she has pneumonia, and gave her an injection and a weeks course of antibiotics and said that would clear it all up. She’s a bit traumatised from the injection lol but other than that she’s fine. How long until i should start too see her recovering? Thanks for the advice everyone and my mum came around and ended up paying anyways.

 

[Wizzy]

So, we took pepper to the vet and he said she has pneumonia, and gave her an injection and a weeks course of antibiotics and said that would clear it all up. She’s a bit traumatised from the injection lol but other than that she’s fine. How long until i should start too see her recovering? Thanks for the advice everyone and my mum came around and ended up paying anyways.

oh and also, the vet said her lungs don’t sound *too* bad and she was otherwise in good shape.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Sorry to hear this. I don’t have experience of pneumonia, but I will tag in some other health members to see if they have further advice @Siikibam @Pound Shilling & Pig @Swissgreys

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Hi, you should start to see some improvement within a couple of days, especially if the infection has been caught early. Was the injection she was given also antibiotics? Sometimes if they have fluid on their lungs they are given a diuretic too.

 

[Siikibam]

Glad to hear you got her seen. Hope she starts feeling better soon.

 

[Wizzy]

Hi, you should start to see some improvement within a couple of days, especially if the infection has been caught early. Was the injection she was given also antibiotics? Sometimes if they have fluid on their lungs they are given a diuretic too.

Hello, i’m not too sure to be honest. Because of the virus the vets basically came to see us in the car, we told them what was wrong and he took pepper inside to examine her, and then came back out and told us everything. He did tell us that we wouldn’t need to start giving antibiotics until tomorrow morning, and that again her lungs weren’t too bad and she seemed to be in good condition otherwise. So i think the injection was probably antibiotics. Pepper has been quite lethargic since we got back from the vets but she’s eating, drinking and maintaining her weight. Hopefully this clears up soon

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

Sounds like it was most likely an antibiotic injection then. Hopefully you will see some improvement soon.

 

[VickiA]

Poor Pepper. So good that you got her seen and she’s now on antibiotics. Hope you see some improvement soon.

 

[Wizzy]

thank you everyone! she’s doing well. I was wondering though- should i be worried about my other guinea getting sick from it, is it contagious? My other guinea pig brexit (yes, when we adopted her we misheard the name so she became brexit) is a year older but isn’t showing any symptoms at all. Peppers breathing isn’t as noisy, she’s been more active today but still has a running nose and eyes which hopefully will clear up very soon