Throwing Up?

[sabriel_paws20]

Every once and a while I heard my pig make this weird...but cute noise. It sorted of sounded like a cutsy sneeze/clearing of the throat thing. I never saw it, just heard it.

Anyways, one time I was watching her and I witnessed this "sneeze". Before the actual sneezing she was gagging like my cats do when they have a hair ball! I was worried she was chocking but then she finished with the funny/cute noise. Then I remembered that I've been noticing these goopy white blobs in there cage. I think she is throwing up! But, I'm confused....I read that guinea pigs didn't have gag reflexes?

What could this possibly be? Anyone had a pig do something similar?

Thanks guys, you rock!

[Treen]

You're right, pigs can't vomit. What it sounds like to me is a litle cough because something is stuck in her airway. They do cough every now and then (if they did it a lot you'd want to see if you were giving them anything which might be a choking hazard, nuts or seeds for example).

If they heave a few times before the cough then it could be a case of 'heaving hiccups' - see this page for a good description http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/heavinghiccups.htm. I've seen it once and it did give me a fright!

As for the 'white gloopy blobs' - do you mean you find them on the bedding (as if they may have passed them) or anywhere? Offhand, I can't think of anything that could be, but if they have discharge from their nose or are passing mucous, then a trip to the vet for a check up would be a good idea.

[blink1177]

I've heard one of my pigs making that noise but I've never found anything he vomited up or sneezed out.

[Denise]

When my Pineapple was sick with her URI (at it's worst) when she would sneeze, she would spray us with her nasal congestion! YUCKIE!!! She's all better now!

[CavyCatastrophe]

this morning i heard that. its not the first time ive heard it and it was dark so i couldnt see it. and i had just woke up so i didnt hear anything before it all i heard was the sneeze. it kind of worries me because i just switch to aspen because i didnt know that kaytee pine wasnt kiln dried. Do you think i should switch back to a kiln dried pine or should i just keep using the aspen and they will stop eating it?

[sabriel_paws20]

The link was really helpful, Treen, thanks! The "heaving hiccups" it described was exactly like what my pig was doing. I'm glad to hear that it's normal and she's not dying or something.


I'm still not sure about the white blobs though...they are sort of mucusy, but other than the hiccups, my pigs seem very healthy...hmmm...? I use fleece bedding so they are very noticable and kind of gross. I didn't think much of them before but now I'm going to keep a close eye on those.

Thanks for all the input guys!