is my pig sick?

Question
I have recently bought a guinea pig and he is great. I think he is sick though. I know sneezing can be common but he sneezes once every 5 to 10 minutes. He also wakes up every morning with crust around his eyes. But he is still eating well. Could he be allergic to his bedding?

Answer
Hi Emily,

Yes, he could be allergic to his bedding. Or he could have a cold.

The best thing to do will be to treat him for both.

For the allergy:
Get a different brand of bedding, and completely clean out his cage. I use newspaper, then plain paper, covered with wood-shavings. In the UK, Megazorb is a special bedding designed for small animals with allergies. If you live elsewhere, I'm sure there's something similar.

For the cold:
Keep him warm, give him extra hay, cuddle him lots. Use a cotton bud soaked in warm water to remove the crust around his eyes.

If he's suffering from an allergy, you should notice a different overnight. If it's a cold, it will be about 2 days before he starts to perk up. If after 3 days there's no improvement, book him an appointment at a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet. He could have an eye infection, or develop another kind of infection from his cold, in which case he'll need some antibiotics from the vet.

Good luck, and if you have any other questions ... just ask!

Jenny.