guinea pig weird noise while eating hay

[kikiandnugget]

Hi! My guinea pig keeps this weird grunting noise while eating hay and I’m really worried she has problem with breathing. She doesn’t keep this noise while doing anything else. I have checked her at the vet and she got some antibiotics but the vet wasnt worried about her breathing. This noise is still coming after antibiotics.

 

[Siikibam]

Hello and welcome.

How long was she on the antibiotics and what antibiotic was she on? What did the vet suspect when they prescribed it? Is the hay particularly dusty? And you’ve not heard her making the sound while doing other things - resting, running around or drinking etc?

Sorry for so many questions!

 

[kikiandnugget]

Hiii its okay I try to answer as well as I can I’m from finland so I don’t speak very well english! She had one week antibiotics, 2x day and it was Ditrim Duplo. Hay is dusty yeah. Vet suspected that she had got cold too much in the winter now. We immediately rised the temperature inside the house. And yeah she never makes the noise only eating hay! Also, she in the beginning when i got these two guinea pigs (now have had them over a year) got less vitamin C cause the other pig always ate her food. Now I have vitsmin C cookies which they both get their own and I always check other doesnt eat more.

 

[kikiandnugget]

Hello and welcome.

How long was she on the antibiotics and what antibiotic was she on? What did the vet suspect when they prescribed it? Is the hay particularly dusty? And you’ve not heard her making the sound while doing other things - resting, running around or drinking etc?

Sorry for so many questions!

i have videos of the sound but idk how to put in here shes making it rn

 

[Popcorns & Wheeks]

Hi! My guinea pig keeps this weird grunting noise while eating hay and I’m really worried she has problem with breathing. She doesn’t keep this noise while doing anything else. I have checked her at the vet and she got some antibiotics but the vet wasnt worried about her breathing. This noise is still coming after antibiotics.

Hi, sometimes when piggies are eating hay they can get some lodged up into their nose obstructing their airways. This can cause a sort of grunting/hooting noise.

My piggie Heidi used to do this also and it was when I would put her new hay in her cage. I took her to the vets when she first began doing this and she got the all clear. It can however be a sign of many other things such as a URI, heart disease/murmur.

Is she still acting normally, eating and pooping?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Guinea pigs don’t get viral colds, they get respiratory infections caused by bacteria which need treating with antibiotics. Being physically cold in your house won’t help their general wellness though but it’s not piggy catching a cold (it doesn’t happen like that).

If piggies eat too fast it can cause them to cough. Equally dusty hay can cause irritation in their narrow airways and cause them to sneeze or have hooting/nasal noises.

 

[kikiandnugget]

Hi, sometimes when piggies are eating hay they can get some lodged up into their nose obstructing their airways. This can cause a sort of grunting/hooting noise.

My piggie Heidi used to do this also and it was when I would put her new hay in her cage. I took her to the vets when she first began doing this and she got the all clear. It can however be a sign of many other things such as a URI, heart disease/murmur.

Is she still acting normally, eating and pooping?

yes she is very active, eating and pooping normally

 

[Piggies&buns]

i have videos of the sound but idk how to put in here shes making it rn

To add a video you need to upload it to YouTube first and then post a link to it here. We cannot host video directly on the forum

 

[Popcorns & Wheeks]

yes she is very active, eating and pooping normally

I would just keep a close eye on her and if you are still concerned or if her apetite decreases, her poops become less frequent or become smaller/misshapen then take her back to the vets. I hope she is OK.

 

[kikiandnugget]

Guinea pigs don’t get viral colds, they get respiratory infections caused by bacteria which need treating with antibiotics. Being physically cold in your house won’t help their general wellness though but it’s not piggy catching a cold (it doesn’t happen like that).

If piggies eat too fast it can cause them to cough. Equally dusty hay can cause irritation in their narrow airways and cause them to sneeze or have hooting/nasal noises.

oh yeah well the vet didnt talk about any infection which was my guess too that it could be itbut she did have a little heavy breathing while listening to it the vet said so thats why the antibiotics

 

[kikiandnugget]

I would just keep a close eye on her and if you are still concerned or if her apetite decreases, her poops become less frequent or become smaller/misshapen then take her back to the vets. I hope she is OK.

yeah i will

 

[Piggies&buns]

oh yeah well the vet didnt talk about any infection which was my guess too that it could be itbut she did have a little heavy breathing while listening to it the vet said so thats why the antibiotics

Antibiotics are prescribed when there is infection so if it is a URI then it should hopefully help.

It would be a good idea to switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh her daily so you can monitor her hay intake more closely.
Watching for adequate poop output is fine but because it is 1-2 days delayed, by the time you see any decrease in poop output, piggy has already not been eating properly for a few days.

 

[kikiandnugget]

Antibiotics are prescribed when there is infection so if it is a URI then it should hopefully help.

It would be a good idea to switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh her daily so you can monitor her hay intake more closely.
Watching for adequate poop output is fine but because it is 1-2 days delayed, by the time you see any decrease in poop output, piggy has already not been eating properly for a few days.

how can i watch her poops when there are two piggies? Yes i will weight her daily from now on

 

[Piggies&buns]

how can i watch her poops when there are two piggies? Yes i will weight her daily from now on

You can’t accurately watch poops unless you see them being produced and can check it looks healthy. This is why the daily weight checks are so so important when a piggy is unwell. It gives real time information on hay intake and is the only way to know they are still eating enough, enabling you to step in with support much more quickly and efficiently.