Guinea Pigs and Respiratory Issues

[EggSighted4Life]

You can hear his breathing well in this video. He also sounded like he coughed or sneezed right after I stopped recording. When he is just setting in his cage he doesn’t make this noise as often or for as long.

Are you sure that isn't teeth grinding.. something they do when stressed/nervous?

Are you already offering a timothy based pelleted ration with stabilized C, plenty of timothy or grass hay, And some fresh vegetables?

They, like rabbits, need to consume their cecal feces I believe.

I love guinea pigs!

ETA: Oh gosh, it does sound like breathing when I turn it up. If so I would seek veterinary care.. since I think I read that WAS a possibility.

 

[EverythingDucks]

Thank you. That is cool, but I don’t have any of those laying around. I do, however, have some of those wire shelving pieces. My wheels are turning now.

Ooh! I just saw a cage like that!

 

[Mimi13]

Are you sure that isn't teeth grinding.. something they do when stressed/nervous?

Not that I’m aware of.

Are you already offering a timothy based pelleted ration with stabilized C, plenty of timothy or grass hay, And some fresh vegetables?

They are feeding “the pigs” a quality GP feed along with a vitamin C supplement daily. There is fresh hay of some sort in the cage with them. My DIL tried to feed them some carrots yesterday, but I think she said they weren’t crazy about them. It may take time for them to get accustomed to them if they hadn’t been offered any in the past.

They, like rabbits, need to consume their cecal feces I believe.

Yes, I read that disgusting fact I had never heard of. My DIL also said she read something about needing to clean the penis. Is this true?

ETA: Oh gosh, it does sound like breathing when I turn it up. If so I would seek veterinary care.. since I think I read that WAS a possibility.

I told them this evening that I, along with my little sidekick, would take them to the vet Wednesday morning.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

My DIL also said she read something about needing to clean the penis. Is this true?

It's true, I'm not as good of a keeper as I should be and have never done it YET.

I also keep my boys on pine shaving and have never had respiratory or other sensitivity issues YET. Looking into using fleece, but laundry is already horrendous here. And that good guinea pig dad fleece is pricey. I bought wood pellet bedding to try.. like for a wood stove. I like using it in my mini pig litter box, but haven't tried it yet for the guinea pigs.

Aside from the penis, there is another little peritoneal sack that can benefit from cleaning with a Q-tip.

Pretty much any video you can watch from La Guinea Pig Rescue or Scotty's Animals.. one of their volunteers.. will give hugely beneficial information..

https://www.scottysanimals.com/

So glad you will be seeing the vet! Can't wait for an update and also to see this piggies' life transform with you. Thank you!

 

[Mimi13]

It's true, I'm not as good of a keeper as I should be and have never done it YET.

I also keep my boys on pine shaving and have never had respiratory or other sensitivity issues YET. Looking into using fleece, but laundry is already horrendous here. And that good guinea pig dad fleece is pricey. I bought wood pellet bedding to try.. like for a wood stove. I like using it in my mini pig litter box, but haven't tried it yet for the guinea pigs.

Aside from the penis, there is another little peritoneal sack that can benefit from cleaning with a Q-tip.

Pretty much any video you can watch from La Guinea Pig Rescue or Scotty's Animals.. one of their volunteers.. will give hugely beneficial information..

https://www.scottysanimals.com/

So glad you will be seeing the vet! Can't wait for an update and also to see this piggies' life transform with you. Thank you!

Thank you for all this information.

After watching the video, cleaning the guinea pig’s peritoneal sac reminds me of cleaning the “bean” out from a small pouch at the end of a horse’s penis.

I also looked up the Guinea Dad Fleece and you ain’t just a kidding about the pricey part! I love it though and if they were at MY house I would definitely have to have one (or two). But, like you said, I believe their laundry load is much heavier than mine.

Both piggie boys have an appt in the morning with the vet. Even though Hank eats, drinks and acts fine, I’m certain he has a little infection.

I cut both of their toenails this morning. They were fairly long and curly. After I had cut them, Elvis fell asleep in my lap. I was really tickled because he is the shyest one.

They were playing in their little play yard and both ran in their plastic hidey hole.

I can’t wait to look at those websites.

Thank you again. And I’ll update the vet’s finding.

 

[EggSighted4Life]

After watching the video, cleaning the guinea pig’s peritoneal sac reminds me of cleaning the “bean” out from a small pouch at the end of a horse’s penis.

Oh gosh I'm tickled too. I felt the joy welling up behind my eye's seeing that comfy pig! And together.

And after posting earlier.. felt convicted myself, as I often do.. and decided to TRY practicing what I was preaching..

I'm SURE I didn't do AS good as can be done in the future.. but I did successfully clean my 3 boys, now the Musketeers instead of the Amigos.. their ears, their "bean" sacks, and their toe nails. I also was able to see 1 penis, but either need more practice or to get cleaned up a little better in the first place. But I'm so excited to have gotten the courage to take the first step! I got some results despite not being in dire need yet thankfully. And no one was traumatized in the least, whew!

I had re homed them recently and saw them being homed again a month later despite my best effort to select a "good" home. So rushed (6 hour round trip) to ensure that didn't happen since I was already their second home since the pet shop & had been with me a year. I'm so glad they're back, the house was quieter without them. They are glad to be HOME also. I can tell. And before checking back here this evening I was already telling my hubby that "I BET your little ones could already feel the difference too!"

The vet maybe a little scary. Well, it is for me. But when it IS feasible, I have hugely benefited from the knowledge and support and value it tremendously. Hope they're able to help Elvis and his buddy finish getting all spiffy'ed up!

 

[Quatie]

Chances are your guinea pig will need an antibiotics. You can put a small amount of vapor rub just above their nose and it will help them breathe. You don't want to do too much or too often because it can burn them. One or two times a day is enough. You will see it help fairly quickly.

As other people have stated your cage is too small. Guinea pigs are more likely to fight when they are in too small of a cage. It can also have an effect on their health, like bumblefoot.

 

[Mimi13]

Chances are your guinea pig will need an antibiotics. You can put a small amount of vapor rub just above their nose and it will help them breathe. You don't want to do too much or too often because it can burn them. One or two times a day is enough. You will see it help fairly quickly.

As other people have stated your cage is too small. Guinea pigs are more likely to fight when they are in too small of a cage. It can also have an effect on their health, like bumblefoot.

Yes, that cage is too small. I am in the process of building them a larger cage out of a TV stand. It will give them 8 sq ft of space. I hope that will be enough cage space for them.

 

[Mimi13]

Oh gosh I'm tickled too. I felt the joy welling up behind my eye's seeing that comfy pig! And together.

And after posting earlier.. felt convicted myself, as I often do.. and decided to TRY practicing what I was preaching..

I'm SURE I didn't do AS good as can be done in the future.. but I did successfully clean my 3 boys, now the Musketeers instead of the Amigos.. their ears, their "bean" sacks, and their toe nails. I also was able to see 1 penis, but either need more practice or to get cleaned up a little better in the first place. But I'm so excited to have gotten the courage to take the first step! I got some results despite not being in dire need yet thankfully. And no one was traumatized in the least, whew!

View attachment 2469416

I had re homed them recently and saw them being homed again a month later despite my best effort to select a "good" home. So rushed (6 hour round trip) to ensure that didn't happen since I was already their second home since the pet shop & had been with me a year. I'm so glad they're back, the house was quieter without them. They are glad to be HOME also. I can tell. And before checking back here this evening I was already telling my hubby that "I BET your little ones could already feel the difference too!"

The vet maybe a little scary. Well, it is for me. But when it IS feasible, I have hugely benefited from the knowledge and support and value it tremendously. Hope they're able to help Elvis and his buddy finish getting all spiffy'ed up!

Your 3 little piggies are so cute!.

 

[Quatie]

Yes, that cage is too small. I am in the process of building them a larger cage out of a TV stand. It will give them 8 sq ft of space. I hope that will be enough cage space for them.

Make sure the sides have good airflow. If you have more aquarium type cage, it prevents proper airflow and causes elevated CO2 levels in the cage.

8 sq ft should work, but is a bit on the small side for two guinea pigs.

You can get choroplast reasonably at home depot. Most cage bases are made from choroplast and easy to disinfect. Urine can't soak into it.