How To Help A Guinea Pig Breathe Better (7 Simple Tips)

Breathing difficulties in your guinea pig can be one of the scariest things you could ever experience. When that happens, what should you do? How can you help your guinea pig breathe better?

To help a guinea pig breathe better, seek emergency treatment from a veterinary clinic, preferably a cavy savvy vet. A vet will diagnose and administer medicine to help your pet. Immediate home remedies include a steam inhaler and steam bath. This will help clear your little pet’s airways, helping them breathe better. Nebulizers can also help guinea pigs who can’t breathe well.

Aside from the emergency measures above, there are other ways to help your piggie breathe easier. These range from the quality of bedding to the state of their enclosures.

Keep reading to find out simple ways to make sure your little fur baby’s breathing is good.

1. Keep Their Enclosure Clean 

Guinea pigs that are kept as pets spend most of their time in their cages. The hygiene of their cages affects their respiratory health.

The air they breathe day and night needs to be as uncontaminated as possible.

Regularly cleaning their enclosures removes any accumulated dust and any other dirt. It’s recommended that you clean the enclosures once a week (AT LEAST) and spot clean every day. 

This way, you get rid of the smell of urine and poop in the enclosure.

2. Only Use Guinea Pig Friendly Bedding 

Not every soft, fluffy bedding out there is good for guinea pigs. Guinea pigs are sensitive to dust and strong aromas so there are specific bedding for them. The main bedding for cavies are;

• Fleece: It doesn’t contain dust and can be washed and reused several times.
• Aspen wood shavings: Aspen doesn’t contain aromatic oils so it’s safe for guinea pigs
• Kiln-dried pine wood shavings: Once kiln-dried, pine is safe for use as bedding for guinea pigs.
• Carefresh paper bedding: It has been processed well so it’s absorbent and dust-free. It’s quite safe for guinea pigs.

Avoid bedding that’s dusty or has strong, aromatic smell. And steer clear of bedding that doesn’t absorb urine well. That’ll cause breathing issues, too.

Guinea pigs pee a lot so the bedding needs to absorb and mask the smell. Ammonia will cause respiratory problems in your little fur baby. 

The bedding to avoid are:

• Sawdust
• Regular Pine bedding
• Cedar Shavings
• Paper towels
• Regular towels
• Newspaper

3. Use A Well-Ventilated Enclosure

Guinea pigs are prone to respiratory problems in confined spaces, so it’s important to provide them with a well-ventilated enclosure.

A good way to do this is to use a cage with wire sides. This’ll allow air to circulate properly and help prevent the buildup of ammonia and other smells that might irritate your piggies eyes, lungs, and nose.

C&C cages or Midwest cages are the most popular options. But, any cage that has bars on it and that isn’t a fully enclosed aquarium style cage will do.

But, make sure you steer clear of cages with wire bottoms. Those will hurt your piggie’s feet and might make them get bumblefoot. Bumblefoot is a condition where their feet get sores and might even get infected.

Another way to increase air circulation is to use a fan. Just be careful not to point it directly at your piggies because they could get too cold.

Plus, you should avoid using any type of plastic or nylon materials to cover their cage. These materials can trap heat and moisture.

Your fur babies are A LOT less likely to develop breathing issues in a well-ventilated enclosure – as long as you keep their cage clean, that is.

4. Keep Your Guinea Pig Healthy

A healthy pet is unlikely to develop respiratory issues. This is not the case with a cavy with compromised immunity. Pet parents have observed this in their pets. 

There are many ways to keep your little fur baby  healthy:

• Weekly health checks (by you) and weekly weighings
• Inspecting your piggie at least once a day
• Unlimited access to good quality hay and moderate guinea pig pellets. They should also have limited amounts of fruits and vegetables.
• Provide of safe and comfortable bedding
• Enrichment activities like hiding food, playing with toys, and having playdates with other piggies
• Quarantine sick guinea pigs and get your little friends to the vet when needed

It’s not uncommon for guinea pigs to hide their illness until it’s too late. So, keeping a close eye on them is crucial.If you notice any of these changes in your piggies, take them to the vet immediately

5. Avoid Strong Scents

Strong smells are off putting to humans. But, they’re especially harmful to guinea pigs, because they’re sense of smell is so much more sensitive than ours.

Any type of strong scent can cause respiratory problems in your little fur baby. This includes:

• Cleaning products
• Air fresheners
• Perfumes and colognes
• Scented candles
• Smoke

You should also avoid using any sort of scented shampoo, conditioner, soap, or lotion when handling your guinea pigs.

And, if you smoke, you should definitely wash your hands AND change your clothes before handling them. And PLEASE don’t smoke around your guinea pigs.

The chemicals in cigarettes are incredibly harmful to guinea pigs and can cause all sorts of respiratory problems.

6. Use Orchard Hay

If you have a guinea pig with breathing problems, there might be chance that he’s allergic to his hay. There’s a chance that they might be allergic to the timothy hay that’s typically used for guinea pigs.

Timothy hay is the most popular type of hay, because it’s packed with nutrients that are essential for guinea pigs – and it’s pretty easy to find.

But, if your piggie is allergic to it, they’re not going to be able to reap those benefits without sneezy, crusty noses and a difficult time breathing.

If you think your guinea pig might be allergic to timothy hay, switching to orchard hay is a good idea. Orchard hay tends to be a lot more allergy-friendly than Timothy hay.

This makes it a good choice for piggies (or humans) with allergies or respiratory problems.

7. Use A Well-Ventilated Room

Good ventilation in your little pet’s enclosure starts with a well-ventilated room. You shouldn’t keep guinea pigs in a room with a lot of smoke or dust. The room should have good air circulation.

Here’s a few tips to keeping the air quality high in your guinea pig’s room:

• Don’t smoke near your guinea pigs or in their room
• Use an air purifier in your guinea pigs room
• Keep the windows open when weather permits
• Vacuum regularly and dust often
• Avoid housing your guinea pigs in areas where the air quality is such as near a kitchen or in a garage

These tips will help to keep the air quality high in your guinea pigs room and will help them to breathe easier.

The video below will guide you through how to identify good breathing in your guinea pig.

How Do I Know My Guinea Pig Is Having Trouble Breathing?  (How To Help Turn Page)

If your guinea pig is having trouble breathing, watch the movement in the lower back of their head and their midriff area. If the movements are too fast or strained, they’re having a hard time breathing.

Guinea pigs breathe 42 to 105 breaths per minute. Their average breathing rate is 80 breaths per minute.

Difficulty breathing can be spotted through;

• Mouth breathing
• Guinea pig working too hard to breathe
• Wheezing
• Sneezing
• Discharge from the nose and eyes
• Clicking or clacking sound in the lung
• Rapid, shallow breathing

Respiratory infections in guinea pigs are sometimes caused by other illnesses. These include; pneumonia, heart disease, and digestive disorder.

You can tell if breathing problems are caused by other illnesses if your piggie also has;

• Loss of appetite
• Lethargy
• Loss of weight
• Guinea pig raising his head
• Isolated and huddled in a corner

What Do I Do If My Guinea Pig Sounds Congested? 

If your guinea pig sounds congested, take your guinea pig to the vet. The vet will likely prescribe antibiotics.

You can also try some home remedies to help your guinea pig feel better:

• Run a humidifier in your guinea pigs room
• Use a saline solution to clean their nose
• Give them vitamin C
• Add eucalyptus oil to their bedding

Congestion in guinea pigs is mainly caused by colds. A cold can quickly turn into an upper respiratory infection or pneumonia for guinea pigs. Since pneumonia can be fatal, it’s important to take your guinea pig to the vet as soon as possible.

The main signs of cold in guinea pigs are;

• Runny, crusty nose
• Sneezing
• Trouble breathing because of congestion

Do your best to keep your piggie warm. You can wrap them in a warm towel with a hot water bottle.  Congestion clears after a while. 

What Do I Do If I Think My Guinea Pig Has An Upper Respiratory Infection? 

Take your guinea pig to the veterinarian. The vet will diagnose and treat your guinea pig. Keep your guinea pig warm. You can use heating pads, steam inhalers, and nebulizers. Wipe your pet’s nose to stop it from clogging. Give your guinea pig plenty of water.

Respiratory infections show themselves through;

• Nasal congestion
• Wheezing
• Sneezing
• Coughing
• Runny nose
• Cackling sound in the chest
• Difficulty breathing

The best way to find out what your little fuzz spud is ailing from is a visit to the vet.

Daily vitamin C is also a great way to fight respiratory infections (or any other illness). Make sure that the enclosure is clean and well ventilated as well. 

Your fur babies always need clean bedding. Bedding should be replaced often because ammonia can irritate their airways. They should also always have access to clean water, too.

There’s several respiratory diseases that guinea pigs get:

1. Kennel Cough

Although this is common in cats and dogs, guinea pigs get it too. A guinea pig could pick from your other pets or fellow cavies. It mainly causes nasal discharge and difficulty breathing in cavies.

Kennel cough has the potential to be fatal so take your piggie to the vet when they show signs of infection.

2. Adenovirus

Adenovirus affects only guinea pigs. Its primary symptom is nasal discharge. It’s followed by difficulty breathing,  loss of appetite, and weight loss. 

It tends to affect cavies with the compromised immune system, the old or young ones. Adenovirus is contagious so separation of the sick is necessary.

 Make sure to throw away old bedding as well. Unfortunately, the first sign of this virus is a dead guinea pig although some can pull through.

3.Pneumonia

Congestion and cold can quickly progress into pneumonia in cavies. The main symptoms of pneumonia are;

• Trouble breathing
• Fever
• Nasal discharge
• Wheezing
• Sneezing
• Loss of appetite
• Pink eye (conjunctivitis)

Pneumonia is a frequent cause of death in cavies so an immediate vet check is vital. Watch out for the symptoms above. Manage your cavies cold so that it doesn’t progress to pneumonia.

What Noises Do Guinea Pigs Make When They’re Sick? 

When guinea pigs are sick, they make the following noises: hooting, whining, teeth chattering, hissing, shrieking, and sneezing.  All these are signs your guinea pig is sick or injured. These noises will be accompanied by behavioral changes if they’re sick. These can be:

• Lack of appetite
• Lack of energy
• Little to no poop
• Isolation and hiding in the corner

Growling

A guinea pig growl is almost similar to any other animal growl, just smaller. It comes from deep in their throat. They also look quite aggressive when growling and unapproachable.

Hooting

Hooting is similar to a human hiccup. A guinea pig does this when they have an upper respiratory infection or kennel cough. It’s a sound that comes from their chest and you can hear it because it’s quite loud…and pretty scary to hear.

Whining

Whining is usually from great discomfort that is causing your fur baby pain. Whining can be prolonged especially if your piggie is in lots of pain.

Teeth chattering

Although teeth chattering is not always a negative sign, it can also mean sickness. Guinea pigs will chatter their teeth if they’re in pain or fear. Continuous teeth chattering is a sign you should watch out for.

Hissing

Hissing can be pretty short but repetitive. This can be due to sharp bouts of pain your piggie experiences. It can be due to injury or sickness.

Shrieking

It’s a high-pitched noise that can mean your little pet is frightened, scared, or upset. Guinea pigs don’t shriek for no reason so be on the lookout. It can also be an indication of pain.

Sneezing

Sneezing is usually high-pitched and sounds exactly like a sneeze would. A sneeze can be the sign of a cold, a reaction to hay, a nose tickle, or any other respiratory infection. 

Although it’s usually nothing much to worry about, if it persists, it might need to be checked out by a vet.

This video below will tell how to tell the sounds of your guinea pigs apart:

How Do I Know If My Guinea Pig Has Pneumonia? 

The main way that you’ll know that a guinea pig that has pneumonia is you noticing that guinea pigs have a hard time breathing and discharge from the nose.

Sneezing are also pretty common. It may also be accompanied by loss of weight, loss of appetite, pink eye, and depression. Pneumonia frequently causes death in guinea pigs.

It’s caused by bacterial infection mainly Bordetella but also Streptococcus. Cold in guinea pigs can quickly turn to pneumonia. It also causes sudden death in guinea pigs. 

Also, make sure their bedding is always clean and dry. Guinea pigs are more likely to stay healthy if they’re in a clean environment.

Let’s Wrap Up 

Now that we have looked at all the ways to make sure your piggie breathes better, let’s summarize, shall we?

• Always make sure their enclosure is clean. Cleanliness is next to godliness right? Well, it will breathe life into your guinea pig. 
• Use bedding safe and comfortable for guinea pigs. This will reduce irritants such as dust or aromas. 
• Have a cavy savvy vet on speed dial. Vets who have experience and knowledge of guinea pigs are a great help. 
• Make sure the enclosure is well ventilated to allow for good air circulation. 
• Keep your guinea pig healthy. An unlimited amount of hay is a must. Make sure they eat vitamin C every day and get fruits and vegetables several times a week. 
• Avoid exposing strong scents and strong chemicals since they cause respiratory issues in guinea pigs.