Coughing Guinea Pig Coughing and Sneezing

[MM78528]

Hi! My friends needed someone to watch her guinea pigs over the winter, so we are taking care of two of them for her. We just got them a week ago. One of them, named Jasmine, we have noticed has been coughing and sneezing a lot (we are not sure if it is coughing and sneezing but it is the best guess we have) since Wednesday. As far as we can tell, she has been coughing at least 2 times a day and going into sneezing fits where she keeps sneezing for a while. She does not have a runny nose or crusty eyes, she is eating fine, and she is not lethargic. We let her owners know, and they said that if she was eating fine then she is OK, but we are the ones living with her so we have to make the decision if she needs to go to the vet. We are not sure what to do, do you have any suggestion or any idea of what could be bothering her?

 

[bpatters]

With no runny nose or crusty eyes, and with eating normally, I'd suspect allergies. I'd weigh her daily (preferably in the morning before breakfast) to make sure she's not losing, and keep a very close eye on her. if she gets worse, then see a vet.

 

[MM78528]

Thanks! We think that she might be sensitive to the laundry detergent because she never sneezed at our friends house.wWe will be keeping an eye on her weight.

 

[bpatters]

I think most of us use unscented laundry detergent and no softener.

 

[MM78528]

OK thanks! We are currently using tide pods free & gentle or the regular tide, we will try the unscented kind. Also, she coughs and sneezes even when she is out playing with us when she is not on her bedding, do you think she would still cough and sneeze if the issue was the laundry detergent?

 

[bpatters]

Yes, it could be. The response to an allergen doesn't start or stop immediately.