sneezing

**ksiusha237** · #1 10-21-08, 07:50 pm

Hello,
So I recently adopted a baby guinea pig from a rescue named Stasik... I would say he sneezes maybe twice a day or once. Definitly not more than twice. His eyes are not runny, he is energetic and eats. There is no discharge from the eyes or nose, but sometimes I notice he wipes his nose. I have a vet check up on Sunday, but was wondering what it could possibly be? The other guinea pig living with him is not sneezing. I lost a guinae pig to pnemonia in the summer..are there any ideas? We are having some construction, could it possibly be the dust? They are not near the construction, it is on the upper floor. Any ideas?

**AnimalHouse36** · #2 10-21-08, 07:51 pm

Is he like almost cleaning his nose?

**Deenanicole08** · #3 10-21-08, 08:08 pm

Dust can fall to the bottom floor and you just dont notice, I'm not gonna rule out some sort of sickness, since he sneezes everyday, but it's very possible it's just dust making it sneeze, but then again the other one isn't sneezing so it's hard to determine. I would bring both in to the vet at the same time, since if one has something, the other most likely has caught it. Guinea pigs dont show signs of sickness unless it's gotten pretty bad because they are prey animals. But I would guess it was only dust making it sneeze, but you never know. It would be best to take both to the vet.

**ksiusha237** · #4 10-21-08, 08:15 pm

I'm definitly bringing them both to the vet. It is almost like he is cleaning his nose, and he almost sneezes or sniffles around once or twice a day. I hope it is nothing serious. Is it possible he has a cold? How is that treated?

**Ly&Pigs** · #5 10-21-08, 09:10 pm

Guinea pigs don't get colds. They get URI's (Upper Respiratory Infections) which can progress into pneumonia if left untreated. They need safe antibiotics from a qualified cavy savvy vet. There are basically only 4 safe antibiotics that pigs can take. Baytril, bactrim, Doxycycline and Chloramphenicol. Everything else is toxic to them.

**plopper** · #6 10-22-08, 05:57 am

It's good you are going to take them both to the vet, I always take a buddy along in the carrier just to support them during the car journey etc..
Have you considered the possibility that he could have something like a seed or small piece of hay lodged in his nostril ?

**fieryone** · #7 10-22-08, 08:19 am

I'm glad you're bringing them in to make sure. My Lucy seems to have a sensitivity to wood shavings and/or the dust that comes from them. She sneezed a little here and there and had a tiny bit of boogies in her nose, but it cleared up almost immediately when I removed the Aspen shavings from under a hidey house and used Carefresh instead. This was over a month ago and not a single sneeze (that I've heard) since! So it's probably possible that he's sensitive to dust, but best to check it out with a vet and rule out anything more serious!

**Haley0489** · #8 10-22-08, 10:13 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haley0489

Same thing happened with my pigs! They sneezed a lot, and still have little sneezing fits. They never had a URI though, they're just ... sneezey. Just be sure you know all the signs of a URI and if any other accompanying symptoms appear take them to the vet.

^ Something I posted about sneezing the other day.

but it cleared up almost immediately when I removed the Aspen shavings from under a hidey house and used Carefresh instead.

I switched to fleece after having my pigs for several months. Before they were housed on Carefresh, which I found to be very dusty. They don't sneeze nearly as much now, usually just when they've shoved their nose to the bottom of the pellet bowl. They also get KM bluegrass now instead of Timothy, they seem to prefer it and it's not as dusty. ...So my point is [lol] that some pigs are just prone to sneezing and are sensitive to dust. It worried me to death because I always thought they had a URI, but as long as no other symptoms are about, you're probably good to go.

**Haley0489** · #9 10-22-08, 10:13 am

Oops! Computer is acting wonky. Sorry for the double post.

**fieryone** · #10 10-22-08, 10:33 am

Quote:

Originally Posted by Haley0489

Before they were housed on Carefresh, which I found to be very dusty.

Mine are also on fleece (always have been) and the Carefresh is only in the litter areas. The first time I ordered Carefresh online, it was the Ultra. But the white color showed everything so I bought a package of the colors, which is just regular Carefresh. I find the regular to be more dusty than the Ultra (which I don't find dusty at all), but Lucy hasn't had any problems with it. Still, I'm switching back to the Ultra when this bag is finished even if it does show everything

**Deenanicole08** · #11 10-22-08, 12:41 pm

Before when I wasn't so cavy savvy I had cheap Kaytee hay and boy was that dry and dusty. It make me and the pigs sneeze. But now that I use kleenmama, and occasionally oxbow if I run out, we dont sneeze nearly as much.

And I like that the Carefresh Ultra shows everything, because then I know if I need to change it a little earlier (I have it in my kitchen area). I used to use the basic Carefresh, but that was really dusty, and so was the Colors. I'll never go back from the Ultra.

**ksiusha237** · #12 10-22-08, 02:26 pm

My guinea pigs are on the oxbow pellets and hay and they are on carefresh as well. They have fleece in their play area outside of the cage. What is the difference between Ultra and regular? Is Ultra colorful? I think I saw that. Would you recommend this instead of the regular carefresh? I also used ecostraw from oxbow but don't do that much anymore.. it is dusty. Stasik seems fine, eating, he's a spunky little guy. I am definitly still taking them both to the vet, just to get it checked out.

Thank you for the help!

**Deenanicole08** · #13 10-22-08, 05:57 pm

Carefresh Ultra is only in white. It's supposed to be ultra absorbant and control odors better than the regular. The Regular is the plain brown kind, and the Colors is well, colored. I found the that Ultra is way less dusty and softer and I like it more because I can see the pee better so I know when to change it instead of just the once or twice a week thing.

**ksiusha237** · #14 10-22-08, 08:10 pm

I will look into getting that type of carefresh and see how they do with it. I notice with Stasik, that sometimes when I get close to him he sniffs in the air(which is normal) but the difference is that I can here him sniffing from his nose. With Hriusha he makes no noise doing this.

What does this mean?

**ksiusha237** · #15 10-29-08, 02:54 pm

Another question...

So I brought Stasik to the vet, they are not certain he has URI it could be an allergy as well. Anyway, they have be giving him .13 ml of enrofloxacin and .23 ml of doxycycline twice a day. I've noticed Hriusha sneezing more, he's sneezed 4 times today. Should I give him some medicine too? The quantity would be more for him wouldn't it? Since Stasik has been on the medicine, he's been sneezing less.

Any ideas? :(

**Ly&Pigs** · #16 10-29-08, 03:29 pm

Allergies are pretty rare in pigs, so it's most likely the beginnings of a URI.

I wouldn't dose Hriusha without consent from the vet. Sneezing 4 times isn't so much. Were the sneezes all within a short period or scattered out?

**ksiusha237** · #17 10-29-08, 04:33 pm

The sneezes were in a short period, within 10 minutes or so. Is this an issue? I hope not.

Do you think I could call the vet and ask her to perscribe more medication?

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