Please help! My boar is "hooting"

[Zelsi]

I have done a lot of research on this and seen a few vets with no success, hopefully someone has some idea!

He sounds exactly like this little chap:

If you take a look at the description:

"We never found out what was wrong with Grenwen, but breathing problems can be a sign of a potentially deadly URI (upper respiratory infection) which needs treatment FAST. Something like this can also be a sign of heart problems which can usually be successfully treated with medication. The guinea pig in the video had no URI or heart problems, and has continued to occasionally have this problem her whole life with no apparent ill effects. But you can't guarantee that's the going to be the case with your pig unless you can rule out these other things.

Something is wrong with Grenwen's breathing- intermittently she will make this noise for hours at a time, sometimes over the course of several days. It is NOT her intentionally making the noise, because she will make this noise all the time in the cage, and she is not trying to make normal guinea pig vocal noises, because I've heard her do those at the same time as wheeze/coo like this. As you can see in this video where she is casually interested in the camera, she is not seemingly distressed even though her breathing sounds awful.

I feel it happens too intermittently for it to be a URI- she's had periods like this on maybe 3 occasions in the last year, including the first one where she was treated with anti-biotics. There is no discharge from her eyes, no sneezing- the only things I have heard/seen are her coughing a few times, and also once have the hiccups (guinea pig variant of the hiccups, nothing like the human kind.)"

Monty has the identical problem to this.

We have tried:

• Anti-inflammatories (to rule out inflammation)
• Antibiotics (to rule out infection)
• Different types of hay and bedding (to rule out allergy)
• Removing him from the cage to different rooms and outdoors (to rule out allergy)

He has seen a specialist as well and had a full checkup including a CT scan. This scan showed no medical problems whatsoever, no URI, no heart issues.

The only thing was that they noticed something odd in the upper respiratory tract. They said it may have been Monty twitching / breathing OR could be some sort of blockage. When he sneezes this clears the problem. So combined it could be that he becomes congested due to a blockage.

When he was rescued he did not have this issue and started having it about 6 months after I got him. He is worse around Spring / Summer.

Now with a blockage of course fixing it would involve putting a tube into his nose to find out what it is and see if it could be removed.

Monty is coming up to 3.5 years old and he also did not recover well from his CT scan (spent a week hand-feeding as he got a UTI and bloat, I think he was so stressed from the ordeal).

I'm desperate for some advice or what others would do it if was their pet. Thank you.

 

[sport_billy]

I have made the description text red in case somebody thinks that relates to your piggy.

Sorry to hear Monty is hooting.

How long has monty had this issue? How often does the hooting go on for? The blockage is a strange one Did they definitely she this on the scan?

What is he bedded on?

 

[Zelsi]

I have made the description text red in case somebody thinks that relates to your piggy.

Sorry to hear Monty is hooting.

How long has monty had this issue? How often does the hooting go on for? The blockage is a strange one Did they definitely she this on the scan?

What is he bedded on?

Thank you!

In answer to your questions:

• He has had it for probably 6+ months now, on and off.
• During winter he barely had it at all but now the weather is improving it's recurring.
• The scan is inconclusive - the vet doesn't know for sure if it's a blockage or just the result of breathing / movement.
• He has hay on newspaper bedding. I have tried other things that are paper based but am cautious to go back because they can / do eat that and it can block them.
• It tends to "start" in the mornings (not every morning though) and can go on for a few hours before he sneezes and resumes normal sounds

It definitely is odd and I've struggled to find anything online relating. I was thinking perhaps an allergy and antihistamines (vet prescribed of course) might help...

Also he does live with a younger boar, Simba. He also used to live with his brother Trevor but he passed away. Neither of them had / have this issue.

 

[Freela]

Given that it's on and off and nothing has helped and tests have not turned up anything, I would wonder if it's something irritating his upper nasal passages, causing swelling/narrowing (like a human allergy.) The fact that a CT scan showed nothing is encouraging. Hadley did have hooting with an upper respiratory bug, but that cleared with antibiotics. I would wonder if an allergy med/antihistamine that is safe for pigs might be a logical step before anything more invasive.

 

[sport_billy]

Thank you!

In answer to your questions:

• He has had it for probably 6+ months now, on and off.
• During winter he barely had it at all but now the weather is improving it's recurring.
• The scan is inconclusive - the vet doesn't know for sure if it's a blockage or just the result of breathing / movement.
• He has hay on newspaper bedding. I have tried other things that are paper based but am cautious to go back because they can / do eat that and it can block them.
• It tends to "start" in the mornings (not every morning though) and can go on for a few hours before he sneezes and resumes normal sounds

It definitely is odd and I've struggled to find anything online relating. I was thinking perhaps an allergy and antihistamines (vet prescribed of course) might help...

Also he does live with a younger boar, Simba. He also used to live with his brother Trevor but he passed away. Neither of them had / have this issue.

Is he an indoor or outdoor piggy?

 

[Zelsi]

Given that it's on and off and nothing has helped and tests have not turned up anything, I would wonder if it's something irritating his upper nasal passages, causing swelling/narrowing (like a human allergy.) The fact that a CT scan showed nothing is encouraging. Hadley did have hooting with an upper respiratory bug, but that cleared with antibiotics. I would wonder if an allergy med/antihistamine that is safe for pigs might be a logical step before anything more invasive.

That's what I was thinking so I might have a chat with my vet and see. I want to try all the safe options first before anything major.

Is he an indoor or outdoor piggy?

He lives indoors. The room he's in is well ventilated, it's the large dining room. They have a C&C cage.

 

[Emz1999]

I won't know as much as others on here, but perhaps it could be the structure of his face? A little girl of mine makes this sound constantly, but hers is on a higher pitched scale and her issue is also accompanied by everything on the UTI list. She has been on metacam but it didn't seem to make a difference. When a cavvy savvy vet saw her she recommended we nebulize her, and this seems to do wonders. Just the simple trick of taking her upstairs in the bathroom and putting the hot shower on for 10mins seems to sort the issue, and this only needs doing twice a week.

But when I say structure, she has a shorter than normal snout. It's shorter than any other pigs I've ever seen. Vet says she could have the same issues that a pug or bulldog has, and this is what causes it. Since you've tried a variety of medications, perhaps try to nebulize and see if this helps. It won't fix it permanently, but it should make him evidently more comfortable.

I wish you luck and hope you find a way to make alleviate his symptons.

 

[sport_billy]

That's what I was thinking so I might have a chat with my vet and see. I want to try all the safe options first before anything major.



He lives indoors. The room he's in is well ventilated, it's the large dining room. They have a C&C cage.

have you tried fleece?

I would speak to the vet in case of allergies @furryfriends (TEAS) @helen105281 @Freela @Abi_nurse @Jaycey @Pound Shilling & Pig Do you know of any antihistimines being prescribed for piggies?

 

[DM030819]

@Zelsi I've heard of people using human allergy meds but I haven't tried them myself and I don't know if they were vet prescribed. I'm sure your vet could advise if you wanted to try it.

One of my pigs had damaged airways after a few URI's and he would get hooty breathing at all sorts of random times. It didn't seem to be the hay as we tried different types. The only thing I could find that seemed to be a link was him going outside. But he sometimes honked even when inside.

We started to nebulise him after a vet recommendation and it really helped him.

I have a pig that honks now on occasion but I know that's related to getting gassy and he's fine again when have dealt with it.

 

[Freela]

have you tried fleece?

I would speak to the vet in case of allergies @furryfriends (TEAS) @helen105281 @Freela @Abi_nurse @Jaycey @Pound Shilling & Pig Do you know of any antihistimines being prescribed for piggies?

I don't know any specific ones, but I do think the vet can prescribe them, as they mentioned it in passing for Leela, who gets watery eyes outside that I think is probably due to allergies. We never tried them because they don't seem to bother her, though, so I can't give you a name.

 

[Abi_nurse]

It may be an allergy and unfortunately you may have to work though all the potential allergens for a while before you see any change. It could be if he has a shorter face (brachycephalic) but may happen even if not. Only other potential is some reflux which is very uncommon but not impossible and may cause thirst irritation. You could trial something like omeprazole for this. Also consider some nebulising too. Twice daily.

Personally if her were mine and considering how much you have worked him up I would leave him be providing he is bright, eating and maintaining his weight. I've had many who 'hoot' without issues and just nebulised with f10 on and off.

 

[Merab]

I can’t offer any advice but did want to offer support

 

[daisy glutenberg]

I have done a lot of research on this and seen a few vets with no success, hopefully someone has some idea!

He sounds exactly like this little chap:

If you take a look at the description:

"We never found out what was wrong with Grenwen, but breathing problems can be a sign of a potentially deadly URI (upper respiratory infection) which needs treatment FAST. Something like this can also be a sign of heart problems which can usually be successfully treated with medication. The guinea pig in the video had no URI or heart problems, and has continued to occasionally have this problem her whole life with no apparent ill effects. But you can't guarantee that's the going to be the case with your pig unless you can rule out these other things.

Something is wrong with Grenwen's breathing- intermittently she will make this noise for hours at a time, sometimes over the course of several days. It is NOT her intentionally making the noise, because she will make this noise all the time in the cage, and she is not trying to make normal guinea pig vocal noises, because I've heard her do those at the same time as wheeze/coo like this. As you can see in this video where she is casually interested in the camera, she is not seemingly distressed even though her breathing sounds awful.

I feel it happens too intermittently for it to be a URI- she's had periods like this on maybe 3 occasions in the last year, including the first one where she was treated with anti-biotics. There is no discharge from her eyes, no sneezing- the only things I have heard/seen are her coughing a few times, and also once have the hiccups (guinea pig variant of the hiccups, nothing like the human kind.)"

Monty has the identical problem to this.

We have tried:

• Anti-inflammatories (to rule out inflammation)
• Antibiotics (to rule out infection)
• Different types of hay and bedding (to rule out allergy)
• Removing him from the cage to different rooms and outdoors (to rule out allergy)

He has seen a specialist as well and had a full checkup including a CT scan. This scan showed no medical problems whatsoever, no URI, no heart issues.

The only thing was that they noticed something odd in the upper respiratory tract. They said it may have been Monty twitching / breathing OR could be some sort of blockage. When he sneezes this clears the problem. So combined it could be that he becomes congested due to a blockage.

When he was rescued he did not have this issue and started having it about 6 months after I got him. He is worse around Spring / Summer.

Now with a blockage of course fixing it would involve putting a tube into his nose to find out what it is and see if it could be removed.

Monty is coming up to 3.5 years old and he also did not recover well from his CT scan (spent a week hand-feeding as he got a UTI and bloat, I think he was so stressed from the ordeal).

I'm desperate for some advice or what others would do it if was their pet. Thank you.

My Piggie did this before and it was related to the heart also.

 

[Claire W]

My Piggie did this before and it was related to the heart.

This is an old thread from 2018. Please start a new thread to get the attention of members. Hardly anyone will see your reply to this particular thread

 

[Siikibam]

that is not true..hooting is NOT related to the heart

Please be careful about posting misinformation. As I said on another thread, not every circumstance is the same. Not all hooting is caused by dust. It would be dangerous to think that’s the only cause, given guinea pigs can develop URIs. Left untreated, they can be very bad.

This thread is also from 2018. It’s best not to resurrect such threads.

 

[VickiA]

Its not a breathing issue..Hooting only happens when hay gets in their nose thats all

Sorry to correct you again. In your case your vet was able to reassure you about your piggy. However this is not the same for all piggies with a hoot. Hooting is a sign that the animal needs to see a vet for examination and diagnosis. I am closing this thread as it is rather ancient.