Reoccuring URIs and hooting

[Nifen]

Hello, I have a girl who's been sneezing lately a lot and making this hooting sound when she tries to sleep sometimes. I took her to the vet recently because I thought it was a URI. The vet said her lungs sounded clear; however, I gave her antibiotics for two weeks. It's been a little less than a week, and she's back to sneezing and hooting. I'm not a vet, but I do have a stethoscope and know how to detect fluid in the lungs, and they still sound clear to me. She's been to the vet multiple times in the past year for URIs and a reoccurring eye infection. I looked into it and read that heart disease can sometimes mask itself as a URI in guinea pigs, and hooting can also be linked to heart issues. I myself am having respiratory issues, so I'm also afraid she may be catching something from me as well. I'm going to make an appointment in the morning for her, but I am just wondering if anyone has any thoughts on this issue or experience with a piggie with heart issues.

 

[SeijiBrinandtheTwins]

Just bumping your post so that it gets seen.
Hope someone who can help turns up soon.

 

[piggieminder]

I am going to bump you up again. Hopefully a health expert will be along soon.

 

[Pantalaimon]

I have had exactly this with one of my pigs, apart from the eye infection. I can’t advise on treatment though.
She developed URI symptoms (hooting, croaking, nasal discharge, sitting puffed up). Was treated with antibiotics and anti-inflammatories twice (two complete courses a few months apart), each time symptoms came back within a few weeks.
The vet thought it could be a heart problem but at another appointment said her heart sounds excellent, her lungs often sound completely clear at appointments.

The vet has come to the conclusion that she may just have an underlying infection that she can’t quite get rid of but can live with. I am not sure if this is it at all but she’s ok for now. It has taken two years but

I now have learnt to manage it quite well and she rarely has bad days. Here’s what I do, perhaps some of it could help your pig.

She has one brand of hay that she is ok with, I shake it to remove any dust first. The hay area is lined with non-loose bedding that is changed daily.
Cage is lined with fleece which is completely changed and washed weekly, as well as being taken outside and shaken violently for around 30 seconds every 2 days to remove any dust.
The room is kept between 17 and 19 degrees C. Any hotter or colder and she wheezes. She also always has many fleece beds as well as log bridge hides and a hay area to sleep in so that she can regulate her own temperature. I provide heat pads if I’m not there when it’s cold.

If you are also having issues, could it be an environmental factor? (Air quality, mould, damp, gas, dust etc.?)

I hope some of this may help.
If you do find out what is wrong, I would be most interested to know what it is as it does sound extremely similar to mine.