Sneezy pigs?

[Rebecca01]

Hi all
Over the last couple of days I have heard more sneezing from my cage than usual - tends to be a short period of more sneezing and then it settles down again
However I have four sows and have been unlucky in spotting 80% of the culprits when I heard sneezes! The ones I have spotty seem to be when they have been recently in the hay/foraging
None of them have any other symptoms- all are eating and breathing normally, clear eyes and nose not runny, up and about for food etc
I haven’t switched hay but wonder if it is a dustier bale (yes it is dust extracted jay) or if they are more sensitive at the moment?

I’m trying to not overthink as like I said all are behaving the same as usual, so hopefully this settles down soon!. Any advice?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all
Over the last couple of days I have heard more sneezing from my cage than usual - tends to be a short period of more sneezing and then it settles down again
However I have four sows and have been unlucky in spotting 80% of the culprits when I heard sneezes! The ones I have spotty seem to be when they have been recently in the hay/foraging
None of them have any other symptoms- all are eating and breathing normally, clear eyes and nose not runny, up and about for food etc
I haven’t switched hay but wonder if it is a dustier bale (yes it is dust extracted jay) or if they are more sensitive at the moment?

I’m trying to not overthink as like I said all are behaving the same as usual, so hopefully this settles down soon!. Any advice?

Hi

Please take a deep breath. You are likely dealing with a dustier batch from the bottom of a large pile of hay when the bags were filled. There can also be some pollen in the dust. Symptoms shuould disappear on their own once you have finished the bag.

Dust extraction can vary a lot in quality.

Strangely enough, my piggies have mostly been on not dust extracted farm hay and have never had any sensitivity problems with the exception of a piggy that I adopted with an existing sensitivity and who could not cope with full hay so I had to keep her on pet shop hay instead of farm hay for the rest of her life...

 

[Rebecca01]

Hi

Please take a deep breath. You are likely dealing with a dustier batch from the bottom of a large pile of hay when the bags were filled. There can also be some pollen in the dust. Symptoms shuould disappear on their own once you have finished the bag.

Dust extraction can vary a lot in quality.

Strangely enough, my piggies have mostly been on not dust extracted farm hay and have never had any sensitivity problems with the exception of a piggy that I adopted with an existing sensitivity and who could not cope with full hay so I had to keep her on pet shop hay instead of farm hay for the rest of her life...

yes I did think maybe it’s the hay or shavings irritating their nose it’s just peculiar it’s happening more suddenly! But luckily they all seem healthy and healthy I’ll just monitor

 

[Wiebke]

yes I did think maybe it’s the hay or shavings irritating their nose it’s just peculiar it’s happening more suddenly! But luckily they all seem healthy and healthy I’ll just monitor

It's happened with the odd bag of hay with mine over the years but has always disappeared again on its own.

Serious sensitivities usually appear with a change of brands in guinea pigs that come into a complex pet home from a rather sterile mass breeding background and that can struggle with adapting to the new conditions.

 

[fluffysal]

One of my boys used to sneeze a lot when they were bedded on shavings. It got progressively worse, to the point of concern, but disappeared as soon as I started using fleece.