Sniffles!

Question
Ok, I don't know if I'm being too overprotective over my piggies. One of them has a bit of nasal congestion. I hear it sometimes. It's not sever struggle to breath. She breathes fine, but just those times when I hear a sniffle or two. Sometimes I hear her coughing. Its not a lot, just a cough or two, but I get worried. You know, its hard to see if a guinea pig is really sick or not. Some times it can just be harmless allergies, I suppose... I listened to her breathing on the side of her tummy, I just don't know what to look for in her breathing. Sure, they say it would be raspy, but sometimes I just can't tell what exactly IS raspy. My guinea pig is about a year old. She is a girl and she lives with another girl guinea pig. They are best buddies! I'm not sure if the matter is urgent! Please give me advise so I can tend to the matter.

Answer
Hi Sabrina,

I don't think it's urgent, so don't worry.

Guinea pigs do sneeze on a relatively regular basis; this is completely normal and due to living in woodshavings and hay. You may have noticed your guinea pigs push their noses into their bedding to look for more food! From the sounds of it, this is why your girl is sneezing and it's nothing to worry about.

Of course, it is possible that your guinea pig has an allergy, possibly to her bedding. However, she would struggle to breathe and would appear to be obviously more comfortable when you get her out for a cuddle. And she would be in constant discomfort when in her cage.

Guinea pigs can suffer from colds, just like humans. If you notice any fluid coming from her eyes or nose after she sneezes, then this is probably the case. Treat her like a human with a cold: give her extra vitamin c (carrots and brocolli) and keep her warm (extra hay, blanket around cage).

Keep an eye on her and if the coughing and sneezing gets more frequent or she develops raspy breathing, take her to see a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet. Otherwise, try not to worry too much; guinea pigs are very good at hiding their illnesses but as owners we can't be overly paranoid or we won't have time to enjoy our pets!

Hope this helps and if you have any other questions, just ask.

Jenny.