Behavior Could my piggy be sick? :(

[Jessie Bates]

Hi everyone,

I am a new piggy owner and i just recently got my piggy last thursday, he is pretty skittish but will eat out of my hand and everytime i walk in the room he runs right up to the bars on his cage and wheeks (hes spoiled and thinks he is getting food lol) but yesterday i went into his room for his morning breakfast and i noticed that he seemed a tad bit sniffly, he has been sneezing since i brought him home as well..he would sneeze and then run his paws over his nose..when i was feeding him i tried to look at his nose and it didnt seem runny to me. He is eating normally and his poop and pee are normal as well. He hasnt been making as much sounds as before but everything else seems normal, hes just as excited to eat as he was the first couple of days. I did see this morning that it looks a little crusty around his nose..like maybe dried boogy? This is my first time owning a piggy and im just nervous he could be sick..i didnt hear any sniffling this morning and he didnt seem to be sneezng as much..he did sneeze a couple times and rub his nose but he doesnt have crusty eyes or have decreased energy..the only thing i notice is some smeezing and maybe some dry boogy around his nose..what do you think? :?:

 

[Saylavi]

Clean off his nose, then check again tomorrow for more boogers. If he keeps getting dried boogers he needs a vet. Is there anything that might be making him sneeze? Dust, dry air, scented products?

 

[bpatters]

Ditto @Saylavi.

 

[HollyLeaf]

My pigs have all been a bit sniffly since I brought Maya home on Monday. But the only one I've noticed having snot in her nose is Pansy, and that's just started this morning, as well as more sneezing. She did this last week too, and it turned out to be nothing. I would guess it's just dust in the air, or maybe the hay? Pick up a handful of hay and shake it, does a lot of dust come off? My hay I've noticed is pretty dusty, and I've had it spread all over for introductions, so I'm hoping that's what the cause is. There seems to have been less sneezing since I cleaned up all the mess last night. I'm going to the vet in just under two weeks for Maya's free physical and I'm bringing all three of them in so I guess well see. I wanted to get in sooner but my vet is very busy.

AnywAy, what saylavi said, if it continues or gets worse, take him in. My vet has told me twice now if there's any green or yellow mucus, lack of eating and drinking, coughing, or decreased energy to bring them in immediately. Pigs go downhill super fast, so the first sign of a uri is the crucial timing to get them in. I'm on edge about Pansy this morning because of much the same thing you're worried about. But she's acting and eating normally other than the sneezing and a bit of white snot. She always seems to be the problem child lol.

 

[Jessie Bates]

well i have a feeling his hay might be a little dusty when we first give it to him..and maybe he is allergic to his bedding? We have kaytee clean and cozy bedding, but other than that we keep him in the room our family is in the most so i wouldnt think it would be dry air..i would love to clean his nose but he wont let me touch him!

 

[Jessie Bates]

he is eating and drinking normally and his poop and pee are fine, he is scratching and itching himself alot too..i do not think its mites but could that also be a sign of sickness?

 

[Saylavi]

I'm sure he won't, but then if you can't touch him he probably also needs a nail trim and an ear inspection. Have someone in the family help you hold him and get those chores done, even if he squirms and squeals and cries don't believe him, a moment of discomfort for him is nothing compared to if he is sick but we can't tell

yes that is a sign of sickness, mites, mange, fungus, or maybe just dry skin.

 

[pinky]

If you got him from a pet store, they're notorious for selling sick animals. Nasal discharge is always a red flag for me. Personally, I'd have him checked by a vet tomorrow if he's still sneezing. It's a good thing to do, anyway, so you have a well check done to see how everything else is with him. It's better to catch a URI in the early stages instead of waiting until it progresses to something more serious.