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Conditions Guinea pig URI symptoms?

grsellitti

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I got my guinea back in April and he's been healthy up until about a month ago. He started sneezing every so often (he always did but I guess I just started to notice it more) and just recently he started making these weird sounds that sound like choking. Also earlier today I picked him up and he was breathing heavy and his breathing sounded really congested and with every breath he made like a small wheeking sound. Now the only reason I'm not completely bugging out is because he eats regularly (a lot actually, he's kinda fat), popcorns, and is just overall very active so I'm thinking that maybe it's just allergies? I know that I should probably just take him to the vet but it's $70 and I'm not in a very good financial position right now. By the way his cage-mate seems to be fine. They both play a lot and he also popcorns and eats regularly.
 

Lisa21264

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What type of hay and bedding do you use? Does he have a discharge from his eyes and nose? If he has a discharge I would take him to a vet ASAP. Try changing his hay maybe he's allergic.
 

grsellitti

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What type of hay and bedding do you use? Does he have a discharge from his eyes and nose? If he has a discharge I would take him to a vet ASAP. Try changing his hay maybe he's allergic.

I use Kaytee brand timothy hay and I was using Carefresh until about 5 days ago when I switched to fleece. No discharge but about a week ago he had a little runny nose but it was literally like a drop and it wasn't like snotty. Maybe I will try switching the hay brand?
 

bpatters

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I would take him to the vet. It sounds more like an URI than allergies, and if you wait around, you may have a very sick pig that will require way more money to treat than if you had just taken him in when the symptoms first started.

I know finding money for treatment can be hard, but you assumed the responsibility for this pig when you got it, and that includes making sure that it has medical care. It's not fair to the pig to let it suffer when it can be treated.
 

mimijimi

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If he were my pig, I'd bring him to the vet immediately. Those symptoms you mentioned are serious.
 

grsellitti

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Took him to the vet today and the vet told me he's very healthy. Guess I was just being paranoid. Thanks nonetheless!
 

Colorado Cavies

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did you take him to an exotics vet?
 

MrWhistles

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Your guinea pig likely has URI. If he sounds congested and is sneezing often then he very likely has URI. URI is very deadly and shouldn't be messed around with. My Korra only started off with a lightly crusty nose/1 or 2 sneezes a day. Today she is sneezing more(it has been more than 2 weeks) and I will be taking her into the vet this coming weekend.

I highly recommend you find another vet and get a second EDUCATED opinion.
 

RodentCuddles

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The fact the vet told you he is very healthy concerns me after what you have said.
 

Lisa21264

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If she had ANY discharge from the eyes or nose it's not good probably a URI and I would get a second opinion.
 

grsellitti

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I've been watching him closely and he hasn't sneezed at all and the choking has stopped. The choking only really happened about 4 times which leads me to believe he may have just had something stuck in his throat (hay maybe?) because it all happened within the same day. Also the wheezing might have just been because he was sleeping and when I picked him up he was a bit fidgety (I really don't even know if it was wheezing, it was more just heavy breathing I guess). I should also include that I'm a bit of a neurotic (okay I'm very much a neurotic). I'm starting to believe now that it was the Carefresh bedding because I noticed that it left a lot of dust at the bottom of the cage when I cleaned it. He's pooping, eating, and running around actively so I'm going to monitor him closely until the weekend possibly get a second opinion if he appears worse.
 

MrWhistles

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I've been watching him closely and he hasn't sneezed at all and the choking has stopped. The choking only really happened about 4 times which leads me to believe he may have just had something stuck in his throat (hay maybe?) because it all happened within the same day. Also the wheezing might have just been because he was sleeping and when I picked him up he was a bit fidgety (I really don't even know if it was wheezing, it was more just heavy breathing I guess). I should also include that I'm a bit of a neurotic (okay I'm very much a neurotic). I'm starting to believe now that it was the Carefresh bedding because I noticed that it left a lot of dust at the bottom of the cage when I cleaned it. He's pooping, eating, and running around actively so I'm going to monitor him closely until the weekend possibly get a second opinion if he appears worse.

You're giving yourself excuses to HOPE he doesn't have URI. I did the very same thing with Korra. She too has still been active. PLEASE his life is literally in your hands.
Here is a list of the vets in your state: Veterinarians and Clinics
 
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