Sneezing

[LynnFin]

Hello everyone. This may be a silly question but can guinea pigs get colds?
Both my two girls have recently started sneezing in the past couple of days. They are inside piggies, but as the weather has been nice I put them outside on the grass in a run and it seems to have started since then. I don't leave them outside due to having a nesting pair of red kites in the area. Thank you xx

 

[Claire W]

Hi, guinea pigs do not get colds, rather upper respiratory infections (URI).

Sneezing is a symptom of URI but it is usually accompanied with other symptoms.

Perhaps their current hay bag is dustier than normal? May be there’s an irritant in your home that they’re sensitive too?

If those things have been illuminated and the sneezing continues, they produce snot, their breathing becomes crackly, their eyes water, I’d be inclined to have them checked at the vets to rule out a URI x

 

[Wiebke]

Hello everyone. This may be a silly question but can guinea pigs get colds?
Both my two girls have recently started sneezing in the past couple of days. They are inside piggies, but as the weather has been nice I put them outside on the grass in a run and it seems to have started since then. I don't leave them outside due to having a nesting pair of red kites in the area. Thank you xx

Hi

Guinea pigs do not get viral colds like we humans; they get bacterial respiratory infections (URI) which are more like a bronchitis than a human cold. \
But if the ground has still been cold or damp to your own bare feet and your piggis are not used to it, it can trigger it. The breeze has been rather cool lately as well.

However, URIs don't typically start with just sneezing for days. Have you also started a new bag of hay? Pollen can also affect piggies.

If you have any concerns please see a vet.