Help needed please, what's wrong with our guinea-pig?

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

One of our boars gets a clear nasal discharge from his right nostril only when he's been out grazing.

Not if he's been in the pighouse all day. (so it's not hay). My little pig sneezes with ReadiGrass so I've had to stop this.

I've Googled this- the sites mention eye/nose discharge. But his eyes are fine.

He's rude with health. He's not 'tucked up' or starey coated.
He's not been exposed to damp or draughts.

He's eating to bankrupt Sainsburys (and poohing/peeing)

So can this be a hayfever type problem? It's only when he's out in the run, and it's only now and again.


We'll book him a Guinea MOT (and brother pig. BTW, brother pig's nostrils are fine)

TIA

[BonkeyMollocks]

Have you Googled the symptoms for hayfever?

I know they are prone to it, meant to be similar symptoms to a respiratory infection.

Ooh just found this

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

Thanks for the Georgeous Guinea page - I've put loads of things into Google Search engine sites.

They all come up with similar sites.

But over the past 3-4 weeks they've had days when they've had no grass time for 2-3 days at a time (if I'm at work they might get an hour when I get home if the grass is dry. If I'm home they'll get between 3 hours to all day.).

On the days they are Confined to Barracks he's fine. I use Pets @ Home, Jolleys and The Range bedding hay with Excell naice hay if they've had alot of grass (instead of supper veg)

He's got no other symptoms -no wheezing, no sneezing, no eye discharge and he's bright and alert.

I don't really want him on the antibiotics/probiotics route unless he has to. They can have such side effects .And if it's a pollen allergy they won't help.
Though I can't restrict his grass time, it's not fair to either of them.

<br />
We've got a paved area between the garage and the back of the Pighouse. I'm going to get DH to make a hole in the Pighouse wall, fit a catdoor and build a brick walled run with a metal mesh roof for them to have outdoor access during the day. Then they can be outside but on concrete (I can throw food in). <br />
<br />
DH is <img loading="lazy" class="inline-flex mumsnet-emoji" alt="Hmm" src="https://www.mumsnet.com/assets/images/mumsnet-emojis/base/hmm.png"> but he'll see my way of thinking I'm sure.

[guineapiglet]

Hi again, your guineas sound as if they have a wonderful life and very well cared for!! - Love the idea of the extension for them to run round in! One of mine used to have the symptoms you describe, and as there are no other obvious symptoms, I reckon it must be some kind of pollen allergy - a particular plant or tree ( we are all suffering from tree pollen here, and the pollen count is very high with all this damp) - if he seems happy in himself and has no other symptoms, as you say, it seems sad to restrict grazing time, but there may be something else in the garden causing this reaction. Bless him!

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

they are spoilt rotten.

We don't give them sawdust or shavings in the hoghouse.(common cause of sinusitus according to Peter Gurney site)

They were out today from 12noon-7pm .Absolutley fine. They were on a fresh patch of grass and scoffing the long strands of grass with the seedy bits so if he's drippy tonight then I'll know that's one (possible) cause.
We've got lots of trees so might be them?

His chest sounds clear
Enigma wrapped in a puzzle

[guineapiglet]

My son's nose is like that at the moment - thank goodness for beconase and shame the guineas can't have that! - You may be right with your seedy grass - we live near a huge field and I used to pick loads of seedy grass for the guineas, they devoured the seedy bits like it was manna from heaven.... It has now seeded itself into all our flower beds and paved areas and is absolutely massive - you can see the seeds blowing everywhere in this wind - so maybe it is that causing the irritation? Tree pollen is everywhere too, so much for summer time. IF he is breathing OK and it is just his nose reacting, I reckon pollen is the culprit. Not sure if you can get antihistamines for guineas??????

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

It is hayfever season for children right now isn't it? not a nice time for them, especially if they have exams.

I didn't have to boys last summer -I got them in October as 1 year olds, so I don't know if they had this last year. They had a vet check before we took them, good healthy piggles.

This morning, after a grass fest yesterday piggie was fine.

(I wouldn't want to have to arm-wrestle him into putting anything up his nostrils. Fearsomely sharp teeth )

[silver73]

Hi 70 one of my GPs has something silmilar and is being treated for asthma by a GP savy vet. She is having metacam daily. The vet said that she is treating a lot of GPs with similar symptoms at the moment. I have also had my GP checked over by Vedra at Cambridge Cavy Trust and she thinks it could be hay fever.

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

He's been out for a few hours every day while it's dry (with GP2)

It seems so unfair if a little herbivore to be sensitive to plants

They've had a Gorgeous Guinea Lice'n'Easy bath and are now sulking in a huge box of Golden Barley Soft Straw (more absorbant than hay) to dry off (after a towel rub-down) .They don't like the hair dryer.

[KRITIQ]

Just a thought, but might he have a wee polyp or something up one nostril that makes it more prone to congestion and drippiness? Maybe have the vet look up his snout next time he's in for something else.

Your piggies are spoilt, and so they should be. Mine had showers night before last and I can't stop sniffing them. :)

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

The hogs were inside since Fri (they had an afternoon leisure time ) then they've been in Sat/Sun/Mon/Tues .
Out today.And within 20 minutes he had a tiny dribble.

Must be the lawn

[70isaLimitNotaTarget]

And yes KRITIQ they are spoilt