What causes young guinea pigs to make choking or gasping sounds?

I am so sorry that your guinea pig is having this problem. Since she is so young, it could be a congenital malformation/disease or possibly an infection. You could take her to a veterinarian for an examination to try to determine the cause and see if any treatment would help. Unfortunately, there isn't much you can do at home without veterinary care. So sorry.

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.

Thans for reaching out about your guinea pig. It sounds as if he has an upper respiratory (and possible lower respiratory) infection. A veterinary visit is recommended to provide a diagnosis and treatment plan. The sooner the better, especially with the bleeding from the nose. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Belle. The hard part with this is that different bacteria can be contracted through different routes. Bordatella is a common respiratory pathogen of dogs and rabbits, and can be transmitted to guinea pigs. Other bacterias are common in the environment and become opportunistic. Still other might harbor deep in the lungs, awaiting the opportunity to cause problems. Good luck.

This sign might be compatible with a chronic respiratory tract inflammation/infection, even though is quite vague at this stage. My suggestion would be to just monitor him in case you notice any other sign (lethargy, inappetence, coughing, sneezing, any evident discharge from nose and so on). 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.

Hello. I assume your previous veterinary visits resulted in x-rays, antibiotics, & a good assessment of diet & environmental conditions. If a dust free environment was not suggested, then change to something like Yesterdays News. If not, that is where I would start. Many young GPs can get a respiratory infection called Bordetella. Treatment involves using the antibiotics enrofloxacin (10 mg/kg once daily), & doxycycline ( 2.5 mg/kg every 12 hours ). Nebulization using saline & enrofloxacin may be very useful. Your veterinarian can recommend a protocol, but I like to do this 3 times daily for 10 minutes. Treatment with antibiotics & nebulization may need to be continued for as long as 21 days. I hope Thomas is feeling better soon. Take care.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that Benji isn't feeling well. I do worry that something may be serious going on as coughing is never normal in guinea pigs, and the shrieking makes me think that Benji is either very stressed or possibly painful. Not all upper respiratory diseases include symptoms like nasal or ocular discharge, so it's really important that Benji visit the vet as soon as possible. There is also the possibility that something is obstructing Benji's throat (a piece of food, bedding, etc.), so a thorough exam by a vet is in order. In the meantime, keep Benji warm and as calm as possible. If he is still eating and drinking, that's a great sign - definitely encourage him to continue to do so. Good luck, and I hope that Benji gets well soon!