Sneezing Guinea Pigs allergic to something in our apartment?

Kmg095 · Oct 4, 2016

My 13-14 week old guinea pigs Piglet & Sugar both have been suffering from a URI (at least that's what the vets have said). They have now been on 4 different antibiotics. Bactrim, Baytril, Doxycycline and currently now Chloramphenicol (which was started last night but they seem to be sneezing more all a sudden). They are also taking benebac with there food an hour before the antibiotics. What I am wondering about is if they are allergic to something in our apartment (an old early 1900s home turned into 4 apartments). My BF and I have been having what's feel like a non stop "cold" or some nose sinus or coughing issues since we have moved here (march of this year). I am thinking something in our apartment is causing us to have these issues and possibly our guinea pigs too. I have looked for mold but haven't found any. Since none of the antibiotics have seemed to rid our piggies of the sneezing I am almost convinced they are allergic to something here. Please help.

bpatters · Oct 4, 2016

Arrgh. Your pigs are too young for Baytril -- it can stunt their growth.

If nothing has helped, they've likely not had URIs. To me, sneezing alone isn't a good enough reason to put them on an antibiotic. I won't do it unless they also show some other signs, such as runny nose/eyes, loss of appetite, sitting puffed up in a hidey or a corner.

It does sound to me like there's some allergen there than you are all reacting to. Have you checked your heaters/air conditioners ducts to make sure there's no mold or dust in there?

Kmg095 · Oct 4, 2016

The Baytril was only used for two days, Piglet got diarrhea and Sugar stopped eating so I stopped the antibiotics. There coats only puff up when they eat vegetables. The apartment has a heater with only two vents (bedroom and family room: where the piggies cage is). We use AC window units. Which will be taken out soon. I can look in the vents and try and clean the dust (heater hasn't run since we have had them). If the problem is mold or some sort of allergen besides cleaning it if we can, is there something for allergies we can give them?

bpatters · Oct 4, 2016

I don't think so. You'd have to remove the allergen.

miniver · Oct 5, 2016

Kmg095 said:
There coats only puff up when they eat vegetables.

Some guinea pigs puff up to look bigger when they eat. It tells other guinea pigs "I am big and strong, so don't even think about taking my my lettuce!"

My smaller guinea pig does that. The bigger one just steals her lettuce anyway

Kmg095 · Oct 12, 2016

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Sneezing Guinea Pigs allergic to something in our apartment?

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