Guinea Pig w/ the Sniffles?

[pigpatch]

Hello, I am a young guinea pig owner with currently two boys. I've had piggies most of my life and I've also had my fair share of dealing with sick piggies as well. I'm afraid its made me more paranoid for my guinea pigs' health, and I just want to get advice whether I should take action or not.

My guinea pig, Fred, seems a little under the weather lately - he's been like this for a while. The only symptoms I see are sneezing a little more frequent than usual, and maybe a stuffy nose that causes funny breathing through the nostrils. I've checked his nose before and I've only noticed a small dry booger and nothing else. For the most part he seems healthy - he's eating regularly, he's a good size for a piggie (he hasn't lost any weight), and he's very active as well. He likes to play with his cagemate Pico, popcorning and running around the cage with him. Pico also seems to be fine as well, very healthy though he did have pneumonia as a baby that quickly went away after a vet visit. I'm just starting to get concerned since it's going to be winter and it is awfully cold and since Fred sneezed on his buddy, I don't want anything bad to happen. I don't know why this is happening, he's been like this even during the summer and it's only been weird breathing and sneezing sometimes and nothing else. I know guinea pigs hide illness very well until it is too late but I want to know whether it's just allergies or I should be very concerned.

 

[Siikibam]

Sometimes dusty hay can cause sneezing. Also make sure you don’t have any irritants in the same room as them - air fresheners, perfumes etc. However, I would have your boy looked over by the vet just to be on the safe side. Another thing you can try is to put a bowl of steamy water next to the cage. Or run the shower/bath and have him (with his friend) in the steamy bathroom. But I think a vet check is in order.

Hope he’s better soon.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, I am a young guinea pig owner with currently two boys. I've had piggies most of my life and I've also had my fair share of dealing with sick piggies as well. I'm afraid its made me more paranoid for my guinea pigs' health, and I just want to get advice whether I should take action or not.

My guinea pig, Fred, seems a little under the weather lately - he's been like this for a while. The only symptoms I see are sneezing a little more frequent than usual, and maybe a stuffy nose that causes funny breathing through the nostrils. I've checked his nose before and I've only noticed a small dry booger and nothing else. For the most part he seems healthy - he's eating regularly, he's a good size for a piggie (he hasn't lost any weight), and he's very active as well. He likes to play with his cagemate Pico, popcorning and running around the cage with him. Pico also seems to be fine as well, very healthy though he did have pneumonia as a baby that quickly went away after a vet visit. I'm just starting to get concerned since it's going to be winter and it is awfully cold and since Fred sneezed on his buddy, I don't want anything bad to happen. I don't know why this is happening, he's been like this even during the summer and it's only been weird breathing and sneezing sometimes and nothing else. I know guinea pigs hide illness very well until it is too late but I want to know whether it's just allergies or I should be very concerned.

Hi!

Please see a vet for a course of antibotics to make sure that the sniffles are not bacteria related and can cause harm in the long term by encapsulating in the middle ear (bulla). This breaking news newly found syndrome (calcified bulla syndrome or CBS in guinea pigs) is rather common in American pet shop piggies because respiratory infections are so widespread in the USA and Canada. Once the bacteria have encapsulated, there is very little you can do.
Because of this connection, our forum advice is changing on this point and we are recommending to make sure that you prevent CBS first and foremost before looking at other factors.
Since UK pet shop piggies do not usually present with respiratory problems after the main chain changed their breeding supplier and started with totally new healthy breeding stock a number of years ago, CBS is much rarer in the UK. We do have however much more of a ringworm problem, which is hard to get on top of in a shop setting.

Alternatively, you are looking at environmental factors - hay and house dust, dry radiator air, irritants etc.
See whether a bowl of steaming water is easing the symptoms and look at humidifying during the winter if that is the case.
Irritants to Avoid Around Guinea Pigs