Guinea pigs are small creatures that are lovely to keep as pets at home. However, it might not be lovely anymore when they have some healthy problems. One of the problems a guinea pig might have is pneumonia.

According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, pneumonia is the no. 1 disease that causes death for guinea pigs. You won’t be able to make sure that your little one won’t get pneumonia in the future, but you can take some preventive actions by knowing the causes, symptoms and ways to prevent it.

Causes of Pneumonia in Guinea Pigs

Pneumonia in guinea pigs is caused by bacterial infection in their lungs. The common bacteria causing pneumonia in guinea pigs is Bordetella bronchiseptica, but there are also some other bacteria called Streptococcus zooepidemicus or Streptococcus pneumonia. There are also some rare cases of pneumonia in guinea pigs that are caused by a type of virus called adenovirus.

Symptoms of Pneumonia in Guinea Pigs

Oozing or discharge from the nose.
Sneezing.
Have difficulty in breathing.
Suffering from inflammation of the eyes (some of them might experience conjunctivitis or pink eye) – the eyes will appear inflamed or pink in color with swelling and possible discharge.
Fever.
Weight loss.
Ear infections – neck twisting, circling to one side and unsteady movement.
Depression.
Loss of appetite – also check loss of appetite in guinea pigs.
Lethargy.

If you see your guinea pig experience one or more of the symptoms above, immediately contact your vet. Sudden death can happen anytime when there are outbreaks among groups of guinea pigs. Your vet will do thorough examination and special tests to check the signs and indications to decide the appropriate treatment.

How to Treat Pneumonia in Guinea Pigs

Once you notice that your guinea pig is showing any of the symptoms above, you are supposed to call your vet immediately to get early treatment. However, while waiting, you can do some of the following ways of treatment.

These ways of treatment are not going to cure your guinea pig from pneumonia, but at least they won’t make the conditions get worse. Here are the ways:

Check the temperature. The normal temperature of a guinea pig is not supposed to be exceeded than 110 F. The healthy temperature for your guinea pig should be about 99 to 103.1 F. You can check the temperature with a thermometer on your guinea pig ears. In addition, you can also feel the ears with your fingers.
Measure the weight of your guinea pig. One of the symptoms of pneumonia in guinea pigs is sudden weight loss resulted from lack of eating. You can check the healthy weight from the guidelines for guinea pigs to make sure they don’t lose too much weight.
Visit your vet. Make sure you visit the vet that is able to treat your guinea pig as some vets are not really knowledgeable of the treatment of guinea pigs. Instead find a specific exotic vet who specializes in dealing with guinea pigs and different range of animals.
Once your guinea pig comes back home, isolate him. Pneumonia is a contagious disease that can be spread to other guinea pigs once they are in contact.
Give all the medications your vet give to your guinea pigs. Remember to give only the prescribed medications, do not ever try to give other medications that you find on the internet. Your vet may give some antibiotics that are for bacterial infections. If your guinea pig refuses to eat or drink the medicine, you can use syringe instead. Feed your guinea pig with healthy food, such as these best fruits for guinea pig a a guide of feeding.
Change the bedding as there might be some causes of respiratory problems on your guinea pig’s bedding, such as cedar or sawdust. You can use folded towels so that it is easy for your guinea pig to move around the cage.

How to Avoid Pneumonia in Guinea Pigs

Here are some ways of preventing pneumonia in guinea pigs:

Never use cedar or pine shavings as the bedding for your guinea pig. These types of bedding are poisonous for guinea pigs and they cause respiratory diseases. Find the best and great ideas for your guinea piggy bedding.
Do regular cleaning to the cage. Guinea pigs are messy animals and that’s why their cage should be cleaned regularly at least once in every 3-4 days. You can use pet-friendly disinfectant to disinfect the full cage. Make sure to remove the feces, urine and dirt to prevent bacteria growth. If you are looking at the best idea to clean the cage, then you can consider these ways to clean the cage of guinea pig.
Keep your guinea pig indoor. The temperature that is fluctuating is known to be one of the factors stimulating pneumonia in guinea pigs. So, it is better for you to house your guinea pig indoor for providing it stable temperature. Check these DIY tunnels for guinea pig to make your guinea pig feels happy at home instead of going outdoors!