Hooting.. tiny nose?

[Lymaine]

We got Norman at the end of May and noticed straight away he was hooting. Took him straight to the vets who couldn’t hear anything but put him on antibiotics to be safe. It stopped then started again a week later. It’s been on and off ever since. We’ve had him back to the vets (few different ones to get opinions) they’ve listened to his chest and checked him over and declared him healthy…. Yet he still hoots.

He is gaining weight at a normal rate, no blue gums or cold feet.. bounces about as normal. Eats EVERYTHING - loves his food and cuddles!

I’m listening to his chest constantly and I can’t hear anything.. yet the hooting is on and off all the time. Sometimes he sticks his nose right in his hay and he’ll get very hooty and loud afterwards.. then he does a big sneeze and all clear.

Now one thing I’ve noticed is one of his nostrils is like a 1/4 size than the other. Could it be this? I’m fairly convinced it is but sometimes his hooting gets so loud and he sounds awful.. I get really worried but like I say then it just goes again. The vets don’t seem to think there’s anything wrong with him. He has no other symptoms or a URI or heart issues.
I’ve thought about getting them to X-ray his chest but money is tight and I don’t know if it’s worth putting him through the stress of another car journey if it’s just going to be another “he’s fine!”.

Anyone else come across this?

 

[Lymaine]

I should also add he is on fleece not woodshavings, I dust and hoover the room he’s in regularly when he’s not in it (I don’t use polish, I use a damp cloth), we don’t spray any perfumes or deodorants anywhere near him, the fleece is washed in unscented liquid and he’s on really good quality hay.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Guinea pigs have narrow airways which means any obstruction becomes very audible. Hooting from the nose is very common for hay dust in the airway, a sneeze and it clears until they stick their head back in hay again!
The fact he has been declared healthy by vets and you cannot hear any chest noises then it most likely going to be hay dust in the airways.

 

[Lymaine]

Guinea pigs have narrow airways which means any obstruction becomes very audible. Hooting from the nose is very common for hay dust in the airway, a sneeze and it clears until they stick their head back in hay again!
The fact he has been declared healthy by bets and you cannot hear any chest noises then it most likely going to be hay dust in the airways.

Thank you that’s what I’m really hoping! I just worry that he’s struggling to breathe. I wondered if I could get a teeny tiny oxygen mask
My husband just says he takes after him with his hay fever lol

 

[Swissgreys]

Does he live with another pig and do they have any breathing issues?
Or is it just Norman?

You have done all the right things having him seen by a vet, so it may simply be that he has narrower airways than other piggies.

 

[Bill & Ted]

My Ginger hoots very occasionally, she’s been checked by Simon Maddock a couple of times and he says she has very narrow nostrils even for a guinea pig

 

[Lymaine]

Does he live with another pig and do they have any breathing issues?
Or is it just Norman?

You have done all the right things having him seen by a vet, so it may simply be that he has narrower airways than other piggies.

He lives next to another piggy in side by side c&cs. Only Norman does it. They did live together but they fell out. Branston never did it even when they lived together.

 

[piggieminder]

I have a small boar (runt of the littler) who does this very frequently. He has narrowed air passages from a severe infection he had as a baby (5 years old now), so any dust or hay going up his nose when he's eating starts him off.
You have done all the right things by your boy having him checked by several vets. I know it's hard but try not to worry it does sound as if he has narrow airways like Caspy.