Hoarse Wheeking?

[MyPiggyMoo]

Hello!

Recently I've been noticing my Guinea Pig wheeking less. I noticed today that it wasnt less, it's just I could barely hear her. Her wheeks, squeaks, and bubbles are all sounding hoarse and muffled. I've thought it could be a cold, as everyone in my house has had one recently, but I've done my research and it appears they don't get colds? Would anyone happen to know what could be the problem? She has been eating her lettuce and drinking her water, non less than usual so I really don't understand what could be the reason of this.. Does anyone know anything about this? Has your Guinea ever had this issue? All advice gladly received. (:

 

[DM030819]

It might be worth a checkup at the vet just in case, as I don't think changes in wheeks are common. I'm usually quite paranoid and prefer to have a vet look at things just in case.

But, one of mine did wheek less when he was older. His wheeker started to sound broken too, and it sounded more like a huff noise than a full on loud wheek.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello!

Recently I've been noticing my Guinea Pig wheeking less. I noticed today that it wasnt less, it's just I could barely hear her. Her wheeks, squeaks, and bubbles are all sounding hoarse and muffled. I've thought it could be a cold, as everyone in my house has had one recently, but I've done my research and it appears they don't get colds? Would anyone happen to know what could be the problem? She has been eating her lettuce and drinking her water, non less than usual so I really don't understand what could be the reason of this.. Does anyone know anything about this? Has your Guinea ever had this issue? All advice gladly received. (:

Guinea pigs can lose their wheeks, especially their big wheek (which is not all that uncommon). However if you are worried, please have her seen by a vet.
Guinea pigs get bacterial, but not viral respiratory infections (URI), which can kill if left untreated or not treated promptly. The symptoms are usually crackly, raspy or wheezy breathing, loss of appetite (the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat), coughing and yellowish/greenish crusts on the eyes and nose. Hoarse wheeks are not a symptom of a respiratory infection.

Please have a look at her diet; she needs more vitamin C and variety in her veg than just lettuce. Also be aware that 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, which you cannot control. Weigh any seemingly healthy piggy once weekly and switch to weighing a piggy you are worried about or that is not well once daily at the same time.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

 

[MyPiggyMoo]

T

Guinea pigs can lose their wheeks, especially their big wheek (which is not all that uncommon). However if you are worried, please have her seen by a vet.
Guinea pigs get bacterial, but not viral respiratory infections (URI), which can kill if left untreated or not treated promptly. The symptoms are usually crackly, raspy or wheezy breathing, loss of appetite (the need to breathe comes before the need to drink and only thirdly the need to eat), coughing and yellowish/greenish crusts on the eyes and nose. Hoarse wheeks are not a symptom of a respiratory infection.

Please have a look at her diet; she needs more vitamin C and variety in her veg than just lettuce. Also be aware that 80% of the daily food intake should be hay, which you cannot control. Weigh any seemingly healthy piggy once weekly and switch to weighing a piggy you are worried about or that is not well once daily at the same time.
Recommendations For A Balanced General Guinea Pig Diet
The Importance Of Weighing - Ideal Weight / Overweight / Underweight

Thank you. She is getting her Vitamin C through Vita-Drops, but I am planning on picking up water drops instead. I am trying to plan a vet visit soon, but I don't think it would be a respiratory infection because this is happening on and off. Right now her voice is fine, but yesterday around noon this was happening. It has happened a few times but this is the only times I've thought anything of it. Thank you for the reply, I will definitely keep an eye out for the symptoms.

 

[Wiebke]

T

Thank you. She is getting her Vitamin C through Vita-Drops, but I am planning on picking up water drops instead. I am trying to plan a vet visit soon, but I don't think it would be a respiratory infection because this is happening on and off. Right now her voice is fine, but yesterday around noon this was happening. It has happened a few times but this is the only times I've thought anything of it. Thank you for the reply, I will definitely keep an eye out for the symptoms.

Please do not add vitamin C to the drinking water. Guinea pigs don't like it and drink noticeably less. Always give any vitamin either directly or by syringe after you have dissolved it in a little water to make sure that any piggy gets the full benefit.
Be aware that there are lots of other nutrients, vitamins and trace elements that your piggy is missing out if you only feed lettuce, which is generally pretty low in nutrients. These are NOT automatically added to pellets. A good diet really make a difference in overall help and longevity.

Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

 

[MyPiggyMoo]

Please do not add vitamin C to the drinking water. Guinea pigs don't like it and drink noticeably less. Always give any vitamin either directly or by syringe after you have dissolved it in a little water to make sure that any piggy gets the full benefit.
Be aware that there are lots of other nutrients, vitamins and trace elements that your piggy is missing out if you only feed lettuce, which is generally pretty low in nutrients. These are NOT automatically added to pellets. A good diet really make a difference in overall help and longevity.

Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links

Oh, well I didn't know that. Her pellets are full of nutrience and different vitamins, and her Pellets also have extra hay included which she loves. I feed her different veggies it's just I feed her what we have. Like for instance we always have Lettuce, Carrots, Bell Peppers, Tomatoes and Cucumber, but I am going to be getting other Veggies soon. She is very picky about fruits, so I normally wouldn't give her any of those. I would say all in all, her diet is pretty alright. It is only her, so she of course gets tons of hay and her veggies which she loves. (: