Hay and Farmer’s lung

[Ivien825]

Hi,
We just started having two pet guinea pigs two weeks ago. We use dust free hay.
For some reason, I feel like I have started to have a cough and some a bit of wheeze. This made me google things and suddenly come across “farmer’s lung” which made me now paranoid.
Any thoughts on this?
Thank you.

 

[Qualcast&Flymo]

Welcome to the forum to you and your piggies
I don't know anything about farmers lung, but I would think your reaction is more likely to be hay fever (allergic rhinitis). I've had hay-fever since I was 20, but a few weeks after getting our first guineas my symptoms got worse and became year-roynd. They aren't so bad now though.
I did once have an unpleasant asthma-like reaction (serious wheezing and difficult breathing) when I opened one particular large bag of Oxbow hay - I don't know why, but wondered if it had had pesticides sprayed or drifted in to it.

I hope your coughing etc eases with time.

 

[Ivien825]

Welcome to the forum to you and your piggies
I don't know anything about farmers lung, but I would think your reaction is more likely to be hay fever (allergic rhinitis). I've had hay-fever since I was 20, but a few weeks after getting our first guineas my symptoms got worse and became year-roynd. They aren't so bad now though.
I did once have an unpleasant asthma-like reaction (serious wheezing and difficult breathing) when I opened one particular large bag of Oxbow hay - I don't know why, but wondered if it had had pesticides sprayed or drifted in to it.

I hope your coughing etc eases with time.

Thank you for the kind welcome.
According to google Farmers lung is some sort of lung inflammation that can happen when you get exposed to certain allergens like mold from hay, etc. It said it can cause chronic lung disease in people who work in farms, deal with crops, grains and hay.
I guess this isn’t something that is common in guinea pig owners is it? I apologise, it’s just me being my usual overthinking, paranoid self.
It might well be hayfever.