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Coughing How to catch a pig who is coughing? Can't figure out which one it is!

butterflylover5

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I have 5 pigs, split up into 2 and 3. I have narrowed it down to the of 3, but one of them is coughing and she always coughs when I'm not looking directly at them!

Back story: 2 of the 3 pigs already had a cough and had meds and it stopped for a while. Now, 1 of the pigs in that cage is coughing AGAIN. Not often, maybe once or twice a day so I can't just stand there all day and stare, but I really want to take her into the vet again to get checked out.

If I take in the 2 that were previously coughing (or all 3) I would have to pay for a visit for each pig...which I am willing to do but I also don't want to put extra stress on the other pigs who don't even need to go to the vet right now.

My only idea was to set up a camera, but that would be expensive to buy, even a baby monitor with a camera would be a lot. Wondering if anyone else has any ideas or suggestions on how to catch the coughing pigs?

Thank you!
 

Guinea Pig Papa

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If your pig is only coughing once or twice a day, it may be nothing. I have a boar who will be two years old in October, and he's ALWAYS been a cougher.

He loves to dive into a hay pile, and I'll hear him hack loudly two or three times in a row, at least 3 or 4 times a day. He's always done this, right from when I got him when he was 3 weeks old.

I'm not saying that there's nothing wrong with your pig. I just wanted to reassure you that it may be nothing at all. Monitor them as best you can, and if it worsens by all means see a vet.
 

spy9doc

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Now, 1 of the pigs in that cage is coughing AGAIN. Not often, maybe once or twice a day

It sounds to me that based on previous experience, you may be overly sensitive to someone coughing and may be over-reacting? Once or twice a day is perfectly normal. It's not uncommon for some cavies to cough occasionally. I have one boy who invariably drinks too fast and will cough as a result.......sometimes while eating as well.

Why do you have to pay for all three if they go to the Vet? If only one of them is being examined, no Vet in his/her right mind would charge you for all three. The other two are just going along for the ride as company to the one with the appointment.

I guess I will never understand why some folks think that taking cavies to the Vet is stressful. Dogs and cats, perhaps, as they may be fearful that they will get injections. My cavies are perfectly calm and even seem to enjoy the car ride. So long as I'm with them, they instinctively know that nothing is going to hurt them.
 

butterflylover5

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If your pig is only coughing once or twice a day, it may be nothing. I have a boar who will be two years old in October, and he's ALWAYS been a cougher.

He loves to dive into a hay pile, and I'll hear him hack loudly two or three times in a row, at least 3 or 4 times a day. He's always done this, right from when I got him when he was 3 weeks old.

I'm not saying that there's nothing wrong with your pig. I just wanted to reassure you that it may be nothing at all. Monitor them as best you can, and if it worsens by all means see a vet.

That is very helpful, thank you!


It sounds to me that based on previous experience, you may be overly sensitive to someone coughing and may be over-reacting? Once or twice a day is perfectly normal. It's not uncommon for some cavies to cough occasionally. I have one boy who invariably drinks too fast and will cough as a result.......sometimes while eating as well.

Why do you have to pay for all three if they go to the Vet? If only one of them is being examined, no Vet in his/her right mind would charge you for all three. The other two are just going along for the ride as company to the one with the appointment.

I guess I will never understand why some folks think that taking cavies to the Vet is stressful. Dogs and cats, perhaps, as they may be fearful that they will get injections. My cavies are perfectly calm and even seem to enjoy the car ride. So long as I'm with them, they instinctively know that nothing is going to hurt them.

I have had my pigs since September and never once heard a cough until the 2 got sick in May, and then they were coughing a lot and when I took them in the vet said their breathing is off and they were wheezing, and they both had a cold.

As for paying for all 3, if I can't figure out which one is coughing I would like to not have to bring all 3 in the be examined and then have to pay for all of the examinations. My pigs don't like car rides and they hide under the fleece the whole time, which they don't do at home.
 

spy9doc

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Please understand that i wasn't being critical of you. Your setup and your life may be quite different from mine.

I work from home a great deal and the boys' cage sits alongside my desk. Very little that they do goes unnoticed so it would be easy for me to know if something is wrong with one.....or both of them. Perhaps you aren't in such close proximity with your cavies on a continual basis?

If you are that concerned, then by all means take them to the Vet. It's just not worth the anxiety and worry that a potentially sick child can cause in you.

Just as a suggestion, if you haven't done so, consider strapping their carrier in the front passenger seat. That way you can reach inside for an occasional reassuring pat and words of comfort.
 
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