snotty nose, sneezing and coughing

Question
our piggy has the above and i am worried about him.please help.we've had him about 2 months and it was like that from the beginning?? help please. lorileighcole37@hotmail.com

Answer
Hi Lori,

Guinea pigs are capable of catching the common cold, so this is my first thought. However, unless he lives outside, it would be very unusual for him to have a cold for so long. I think he is probably suffering from an allergy, most likely due to the bedding you use. Some guinea pigs are very sensitive to their bedding material - I use dust-extracted wood shavings but you may find yours needs a specialist hypoallergenic bedding such as Megazorb. Try switching to a different brand and if his condition doesn't ease within 34 hours, take him to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet - as it could be that a cold has developed into an infection, or that he has a respiratory problem.

Hope this helps and let me know if you have any other questions.

Jenny.