Guinea pig sneezes: what to do?

Guinea pigs are charming rodents, which, when provided with optimal feeding and keeping conditions, practically do not get sick at home. Often, loving owners are very worried and do not know what to do if a guinea pig sneezes.

If your beloved pet sneezed several times, do not sound the alarm and immediately take the animal to the veterinary clinic. Sneezing is a natural protective reflex of the body, aimed at removing irritating substances from the upper respiratory tract.

If a guinea pig constantly sneezes, a funny pet has:

• red rash on the skin;
• discharge from the nose and eyes;
• lethargy;
• refusal to feed;
• wheezing.

An urgent need to contact the veterinarian. In such cases, sneezing is a symptom of a pathology of the respiratory system or an allergy that requires immediate treatment.

Treating a sick animal on your own is highly discouraged. Lost time and illiterate therapeutic measures can aggravate the condition of a beloved rodent and cause death.

Why does a guinea pig sneeze

The reason for the physiological sneezing of a small animal may be that particles of dust or wool, filler get on the mucous membrane of the nasal cavity, a fluffy animal often sneezes without snot when inhaling pungent odors of paints, perfumes, indoor flowers.

Pathological sneezing in a guinea pig develops with the following diseases:

• allergy;
• cold;
• rhinitis;
• pneumonia.

The body of rodents is characterized by an increased metabolism, which causes the rapid course of all diseases.

With frequently repeated sneezing, it is advisable to show your pet to an experienced rodentologist to find out the cause of the pathology and prescribe the appropriate treatment.

Allergy

Allergies in guinea pigs occur when using:

• new or low-quality filler and hay;
• eating indoor plants by curious animals;
• poisonous or chemically treated herbs;
• prohibited products;
• use for drinking stale or stale water;
• finding a small rodent in a dusty room.

An allergic reaction in a furry pet is manifested by characteristic symptoms:

• a funny animal often sneezes, itches, rubs its muzzle with its paws;
• there is redness of the conjunctiva, lacrimation and light transparent discharge from the nose;
• a red rash and alopecia are found on the skin of the animal;
• there is a rapid baldness of a fluffy animal.

Therapeutic measures include removing the irritant, cleaning the room and cage of the guinea pig, as well as the use of liquid antihistamines for children “Fenistil”, “Zirtek” in a dosage based on the weight of a funny animal.

Cold

A cold in guinea pigs occurs when the rules for keeping cute rodents are violated, fluffy animals get sick in spring and autumn when they are in drafts, in cold unheated rooms. The cause of the disease may be banal hypothermia during transportation of the animal.

For a cold in guinea pigs, a vivid clinical picture is characteristic:

• increase in overall body temperature up to 40-41 C;
• apathy, oppression, refusal of food and feed;
• the oppressed animal hides, lies on its side, does not react to the owner and favorite treats;
• there is disheveledness and hair loss;
• the eyes are reddened, lacrimation is noted;
• clear or purulent snot can be discharged from the nose, the sick pet often sneezes and rubs its nose;
• breathing is heavy, difficult, sometimes a cough develops.

A common complication of a cold in guinea pigs is rhinitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and pulmonary edema, which are fraught with sad consequences, so a sick animal must be treated at the first symptoms of an insidious pathology.

The veterinarian prescribes to a small patient:

• washing the nose with antiseptic solutions, followed by instillation of immunomodulators;
• the use of high doses of vitamin C;
• expectorants and immunostimulants.

In advanced cases, a course of antibiotic therapy is used to avoid the development of serious complications.

Rhinitis

A runny nose in guinea pigs occurs when a cold is complicated or is an independent disease caused by an attack on the body of an animal by pathogenic microorganisms or viruses.

The disease is characterized by the following symptoms:

• the fluffy pet constantly sneezes, wipes the pouring discharge from the nose, rubs and scratches the muzzle;
• hair loss, scratches and ulcers, dried crusts of pus are observed near the nose;
• a sick animal grunts, sniffs heavily through its nose;
• from the nose, first mucous, and then viscous purulent discharge;
• there is swelling of the eyelids, redness of the eyes and lacrimation.

If untreated, the pathological process descends into the lower respiratory tract, bronchitis and pneumonia develop.

Therapeutic measures for rhinitis in guinea pigs include cleansing the nose of mucus, followed by rinsing with a solution of chlorhexidine and instillation of Derinat immunomodulatory children’s drops.

A veterinarian prescribes a course of vitamin therapy, antibiotics or sulfonamides, drinking decoctions of anti-inflammatory and restorative herbs to a small patient.

Pneumonia

Inflammation of the lungs in guinea pigs most often occurs when the animal is hypothermic during the demi-season period, sometimes fluffy animals become infected with infectious pneumonia from sick relatives. Pathology is dangerous for the rapid course and death of the animal.

You can determine that your favorite rodent is sick with pneumonia by the characteristic symptoms:

• guinea pig sneezes, coughs, wheezes, breathes heavily;
• the fluffy animal refuses to feed, stops playing with relatives and the owner;
• there is lacrimation and purulent discharge from the nose.

The outcome of the disease directly depends on the timeliness of the treatment of the owner of the sick animal to a specialist and the correctness of the prescribed therapy.

If the guinea pig sneezes and wheezes, it is recommended to urgently call a doctor at home.

For the treatment of pneumonia in domestic rodents, injections of sulfanilamide or antibacterial drugs are used, washing the nose, followed by instillation of vasoconstrictor and anti-inflammatory drugs, drinking vitamins, expectorant and strengthening decoctions of herbs.

Owners of guinea pigs are advised to be attentive to their beloved pets, if a funny animal often sneezes, refuses food, constantly rubs its nose, it is advisable to urgently contact a veterinary clinic in order to avoid the development of severe deadly pathologies.