Why is my guinea pig breathing hard and sneezing but acting normal?

Thanks for reaching out about Rocky. The described noise is likely a respiratory infection and he is feeling poor enough to stop eating. He needs to see a veterinarian to aid in diagnosis and treatment of the problem. Antibiotics are probably needed at the minimum. As this sounds serious, the sooner the better chance for recovery. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Gizmo. Sneezing can be due to infections, inflammation, dental disease, nasal foreign bodies and more. iI no discharge, try changing the substrate, especially if wood shavings or other dusty material. If discharge from the nostrils, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Buttercup. No all bacterial respiratory diseases are treated with the same antibiotics, and not all respiratory infections are bacterial (could be viral). No all respiratory signs are infectious, as heart disease can appear similar (but unlikely in a young guinea pig). If increased respiratory effort continues, additional treatment needs to be sought. Good luck.

Your guinea pig should not sneeze at all.Sneezing is a sign that there is something in the upper respiratory system that does not belong there. This could be dust, a foreign body or excess mucus or pus. This could mean a broken through abscess or an upper respiratory infection. Make sure her bedding is dust free and observe her for a day or two after changing to dust free bedding and dust free hay (you can wash the hay and feed a small portion at a time....remove what is not eaten after a few hours). If she still keeps sneezing she will need to be seen by a veterinarian.

I am sorry to hear about Pea. If she is consistently having heavy breathing with noticable body movement likely due to the effort I would recommend bringing her in to see the vet. She could have something like a respiratory infection that requires treatment, and with respiratory difficulty the sooner we address the problem the better the chance of a fast and full recovery!

CJ is probably suffering from an upper respiratory infection, this is quite common in guinea pigs and it's treated with oral antibiotics for a couple weeks. i would recommend taking him to the vet ASAP in order to get it treated.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This sign could be compatible with an upper respiratory tract inflammation/infection or possibly to a chronic rhinitis (inflammatory, allergic, infective). A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. Antibiotics may be needed. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!