Is sneezing a concern?

QMy daughter has two littermate guinea pigs. They are four years old and until recently have never shown signs of illness. Now they occasionally sneeze and seem a bit quieter than usual. Is this anything to worry about?

A

This is certainly worth a trip to the vet as these signs may be an early warning of respiratory disease.

Signs of illness in most exotic pets (meaning not dogs or cats) can be subtle to begin with, but often deteriorate rapidly if not investigated.

Respiratory disease in guinea pigs is common and there are some underlying factors your vet will likely consider.

They may ask about bedding and how often it is changed, as ammonia levels rise if there is any dampness. High ammonia levels irritate the respiratory tract and may lead to infection.

Poor ventilation or draughty conditions are other factors that predispose guinea pigs to infections.

If the diet is deficient in vitamin C it will lead to generalised disease problems, including those of the respiratory tract.

Later signs of this are a rough coat, decreased appetite, weight loss and a hunched posture.

If pneumonia develops, breathing becomes forced and difficult.

An important part of managing early disease will be identifying any underlying problems. Your vet may then want to X-ray the chest and take samples for bacterial culture, so the right antibiotic is prescribed.

Early investigation and treatment has the best chance of preventing serious complications such as pneumonia. This sometimes responds to treatment initially but commonly relapses, and a cure is then unlikely. Q

My 13-year-old male neutered ginger cat has always liked his food but recently he’s been begging for more. Does he need to see a vet? In all other respects he seems very well.

A

Increased appetite is called polyphagia and there are some conditions that will cause this, especially in older cats. It is worth a visit to your vet for a general check-up, and it is likely they will do some blood tests.

If your cat is fed predominantly dry food it will be a good idea to weigh him (in kilograms) and ensure he is getting enough according to the manufacturer’s recommendations. Knowing his weight is very useful information as you can monitor for weight loss, which occurs in some cases of polyphagia.

There are two common conditions to rule out. Diabetes occurs when the body is unable to break down glucose adequately for energy requirements. Usually these cats need to be treated with insulin, and a combination of blood glucose measurement and urine tests for glucose enable a quick diagnosis.

Overactive thyroid glands causing hyperthyroidism is another possibility. These cats will eat voraciously but lose weight and can become very irritable. Again blood tests are diagnostic. There are various treatment options and the outlook is good.

Parasitic infestation with round and tapeworms is less common at this age but easily treated.

Intestinal cancers may sometimes cause polyphagia due to poor absorption of digested food.