sneezing piggy!

Question
Hi.  I just bought 2 guinea pigs 5 days ago.  My new piggies are Lenny and Squeaky.  Squeaky is quite the lover, and really likes to be taken out and held.  Lenny is a bit more reserved, and would rather not be held, but is okay with petting.  They are both females, about 6 weeks old, or so I'm told.  I have them in a wire cage, with pine shavings.  At the pet store, they were kept in the biodegradable paper-like bedding.  My piggies are very active, never stop eating, and pretty much chirp constantly!  They're on a diet of piggy food, timothy hay, and fruit (oranges and kiwis).  I have a play pen I just bought for them, and I set it up so that it surrounds the cage door, and they run and jump from the cage to the floor and back again.  Basically, I'm saying that neither is lethargic, and neither has a lack of appetite problem.  But yesterday I noticed that Squeaky has started sneezing.  I looked, and didn't notice any real sign of nasal discharge (if there's any there, it is VERY VERY minimal).  I put my cold mist humidifier back on today, thinking that if it is a URI, the moist air would help some.  How worried do you think I should be at this point?  Should I change bedding in case its an allergy?  Should I wait it out, and see what the next few days hold?  I still have a warranty on my piggies...its good for 14 days, if they get sick or die...but she's such a sweet little pig, I don't want to take her back and get a new one.  What would you suggest?
Thanks so much for your help!
Sarah

Answer
Hello Sarah,

Pine bedding tends to cause sinus problems in alot of piggies. Changing the bedding would be my first course of action. Things should clear up within a day or 2 after the change. Keep a VERY close eye on her (especially for eye or nasal discharge, lethargy, or anorexia) and if she gets worse, take her to the vet. You could return her if she gets worse, but I wouldn't myself. Most pet stores (though not all) will either put her back up for sale without treatment to go to the next unsuspecting owner who may just let her die or the pet store will kill her. I don't know the pet store where you got her from though and they may have a different policy, so it's entirely up to you. You sound like you are already becoming attached though and saving her would be worth it if that were the route you chose. At the very least, change her bedding and wait a few days. She sounds very much like it's just a reaction to the pine. The paper they were using at the pet store (I'm assuming it was most likely CareFresh), Aspen shavings, hay and newspaper, or even a cloth bedding (towels or fleece), should be ok. Good luck with Squeaky and with Lenny too and congratulations on your new pets.

-kkat
http://www.geocities.com/abyssinianguineapigs