[SOLVED ] Q. my guinea pig sneezes occasionally (1 or 2 here and there) and has a little bit of clear watery eyes and has "coughed" today for the first t...

ime?

Experienced and professional animal trainer provide their insights in answering this question :

A. Take him to the vets he may just need some antibiotics or a steam bath.

How to Identify Common Pet Problems ?

Our sources include academic articles, blog posts, and personal essays from experienced pet care professionals :

Just like in humans, clear nasal discharge and sneezing without any other signs of illness occurs commonly in dogs. This is typically due to inhaling irritants or upper respiratory tract viral infections and is not usually serious.

Just like people, dogs can be allergic to pollens, foods, drugs, mites, spores, and chemicals. They can even be allergic to human dander (our shed skin). A dog`s allergy symptoms don`t stop at a runny nose; they can also include sneezing, coughing, itchiness, nosebleeds, eye discharge, and breathing problems.

Treatment of Sneezing and Nasal Discharge in Dogs

Antibiotics, nasal decongestants, antihistamines, appetite stimulants and/or subcutaneous or intravenous fluids may be needed.

If you leak when you sneeze or cough, it means your pelvic floor muscles aren`t strong enough to consistently withstand the pressure from your diaphragm. This pressure system also explains why you might not *always* leak when you cough or sneeze.

In the case of viral infections, these will need to run their course. If your dog has a yellow discharge or green discharge from their nose accompanied by sneezing, a loss of appetite, and/or diarrhea, contact your vet as soon as possible.

Common clinical signs include a loud cough, often described as a `goose honk`, runny eyes and nose, swollen tonsils, wheezing, lack of appetite, and depressed behavior. Most dogs with infectious tracheobronchitis will cough when the throat is rubbed or palpated or during and after exercise.

Nasal mites (Pneumonyssus caninum) are a species of parasitic arachnids commonly found in the nasal cavity of dogs. • Nasal mites affect up to a quarter of the canine population in some areas. • Symptoms of nasal mites include sneezing, nose bleeding, nasal discharge, and reverse sneezing.

The most common signs associated with nasal mite infestation include bleeding from the nose, sneezing, “reverse sneezing” (sniffing air rapidly inward), impaired ability to pick up scents, facial itching, nasal discharge, labored breathing, head shaking, and high-pitched, noisy breathing.

NexGard^® and NexGard SPECTRA^® are highly effective options to treat mites on dogs. They treat and control Sarcoptes mites, Demodex mites and ear mites. NexGard SPECTRA: The most complete protection against fleas, ticks, mites, heartworm and intestinal worms, all in one tasty chew.

If your dog has a runny nose, it shouldn`t be cause for immediate concern. If the nasal discharge is clear, it may be a sign of a seasonal allergy or a reaction to the heat. However, if nasal discharge is discolored, bloody, or has pus in it, you should take your dog to the vet.

This could include a tumor, polyps or a foreign body that`s lodged in the nasal tissue. It can even be fluid from around your brain, masquerading as mucus. “Especially if you have a one-sided, runny nose with watery mucus, you should get assessed for a potential cerebrospinal fluid leak,” Dr. Craig says.

Benadryl is an allergy medication that is safe for dogs, too. It can be used to treat allergy symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, swelling, itching, and more.

Gross or not, snot is your friend. It helps your body stay protected, free of germs and healthy. And you make a lot of it — around 1.5 liters every day. “The color of mucus comes from how it adapts to protect you, and that color can signal illness and other conditions,” explains Dr. Grant.

In some cases, such as when you have a cold or allergies, mucus may flow out of your nose or down your throat. When mucus comes out of your nose, it`s called nasal discharge. It can also be called post-nasal drip or rhinorrhea. Although it`s annoying, nasal discharge is common and usually goes away on its own.

Respiratory infections are common causes of runny noses in dogs. Dogs who have respiratory infections may have yellow discharge from the nose, or the discharge may remain clear in more mild cases. These dogs may also have other symptoms, such as fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, sneezing, and more.

Mucopurulent rhinorrhea, or purulent nasal discharge, denotes nasal discharge that is thick, opaque, and colored. It occurs at any age, usually as a manifestation of self-limited, uncomplicated viral upper respiratory tract infection (URI).

Encourage Your Dog to Rest

Adequate rest is one of the best remedies for kennel cough. If your dog gets plenty of sleep, it will give his body a chance to fight the virus and recover properly. Put your dog in a room by himself, away from kids and other pets. This way, he will not be disturbed while trying to rest.

Worsening Cough with Activity

If your dog`s cough is getting worse when she`s active or when she tries to eat, then it may be a symptom of kennel cough. Once again, however, this is also a symptom associated with heartworm disease, and it`s important for your vet to rule out heartworms before diagnosing kennel cough.

Kennel cough is rarely severe, and uncomplicated kennel cough will usually go away on its own. However, medications are commonly given to help your dog recover quicker and prevent the condition from worsening. If you suspect your dog has kennel cough, take them to the vet for an examination.

Your dog`s upper respiratory tract infection may be either viral or bacterial in nature. If the cough is dry and deep sounding, your dog may have contracted the bacterial infection Bordatella bronchiseptica, also known as kennel cough.

Swabs can be taken to determine the exact virus or bacteria causing kennel cough – although this isn`t always useful for treatment. If there are suspected complications, radiographs can be used to assess a dog`s condition. If your dog is bright, perky, eating well and playful, you may not need to visit the vet.

Take a hot, soapy bath and scrub your skin with a washcloth to get rid of the actual mites. Itching from mite bites can become very intense, but it can be relieved by using an allergy medication or applying hydrocortisone cream to the affected area.

Canine nasal mites are microscopic parasites that inhabit dogs` nasal passages and sinus cavities. Nasal mite infestation in dogs causes painful symptoms or infection when unaddressed. So it`s important to recognize warning signs as soon as possible to rid your pup of pesky nasal mites.

Like their relatives, the ticks, mites pass through four stages of development: egg to larva to nymph to adult. All stages have eight legs except the six-legged larva.

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

Q. my guinea pig sneezes occasionally (1 or 2 here and there) and has a little bit of clear watery eyes and has “coughed” today for the first time?

ANSWER : A. Take him to the vets he may just need some antibiotics or a steam bath.

Read Full Q/A … : free online vet advice and pet behavior advice – yourownvet.com

Q. My new puppy is coughing a lot and I think it is Kennel Cough. Could it be?

ANSWER : A. Kennel Cough is similar to the human cold, and it can be caused by three categories of microorganisms.

1. Bordetella Bronchiseptica: A small bacteria which can result in bronchitis and severe cough in dogs.
2. Canine Adenovirus: A serious and contagious virus.
3. Canine Influenza Virus: An extremely contagious virus causing mild to severe respiratory symptoms in dogs.
Kennel Cough has its own course of 1 to 3 weeks and can be managed medically.

Close environments with several dogs can increase the chance of dogs catching the cough. Kennel Cough vaccination is aimed mostly at preventing the Bordetella infection through an inhalant or injection vaccination. Although not 100% effective, it should be recommended in all dogs that spend time around other dogs, even the park is considered one of these social occasions.

Kennels have their own policy with regards to Kennel Cough vaccinations and should always be contacted well ahead to understand and comply with their requirements before the stay of your dog.
If you suspect that your dog has caught Kennel Cough, you should see your veterinarian. Your dog might benefit from certain medications to speed up his recovery. These might include antibiotics, anti-inflammatory drugs, and cough suppressants at your vet’s discretion.

Read Full Q/A … : Dog Kennel Cough In Puppies – The Spruce

Q. My 3 month puppy eats his own poop and is also biting what can I do to prevent this

ANSWER : A. When it comes to poop eating, you want to consider a few things. First off, what is his diet like? Maybe something is lacking in his diet that is causing him to want to eat his own poop. This is the most common reason why dogs eat THEIR OWN poop. Try a higher quality kibble like Taste of the Wild, Ziwipeak, Orijen.. and try feeding three meals per day, instead of the more common two meals per day. Remember to gradually switch his kibble. Add a little bit of the new kibble and reduce the old kibble very slowly.. little by little every couple of days until the bowl is mostly new kibble! You should also be cleaning up his poops IMMEDIATELY after he does them.. I mean like, you have a bag in your hand, and you are low enough to scoop it up RIGHT when he finished so he doesn’t have a chance to eat his poop.

When it comes to nipping there are a few things you can do. First, you should yelp as soon as the teeth touch your skin, stand up, cross your arms, and ignore the puppy until he is ignoring you. Once he is off doing his own thing, swoop down and calmly reward him by playing with him WITH A TOY so he doesn’t nip your hands. Whenever you pet him, or interact with him, you should always have a toy on-hand so you can give it to him. This toy should be a soft braided rope toy that YOU own. This means, your puppy is never allowed to have this toy on the floor, and your pup can never “win” tug games with this toy. This is YOUR toy that disappears when you’re finished playing, and reappears when you want to play. If you keep this up, in a weeks time, your puppy will be so excited to see that toy, that as soon as you bring it out, he stops nipping you because he wants to play with the toy. Another thing you can do is have two bags of toys. Bag#1 is full of chew toys/soft toys/squeaky toys/etc. After one week, Bag#1 disappears and out comes Bag#2. Bag#2 has the same types of toys as Bag#1, and it only stays out for one week. This keeps the toys feeling like new to your pup!

Read Full Q/A … : Why Dogs Eat Poop – The 5 Primary Causes – Dog Poop Diet

Q. My cat is pooping outside of the litter bix. He is 2 1/2. He did this as a kitten. It stopped then started about 3 months ago. Litterbox is clean.

ANSWER : A. Inappropriate elimination or house soiling can be a frustrating problem but with a bit of detective work on your part, there is hope. First, before deciding that this is a behavioral issue, any medical problems (diarrhea, constipation, fecal incontinence, pain on defecation, etc.) need to be ruled out and/or treated. If your cat receives a clean bill of health from your vet but is still eliminating outside the litterbox, then we need to consider that something about the box itself might be aversive to your cat. Cats can be quite finicky about their litterbox and toileting habits. Below I have listed common recommendations and cat preferences for litterbox use. Review the list and make any changes that could account for your cat’s aversion to defecating in the litterbox:
* Soft, fine-grained clumping litter (vs, coarse-grained, non-clumping litter)
* Unscented
* 1 – 1 1/2 inch depth (especially older cats or cats with hip problems)
* Larger pans (especially for large cats) – want to get whole body inside – poop just outside the box might mean the box is too small
* Open, non-hooded
* At least one shallow side to get in and out easily
* Easy to get to – not hidden away, preferably in areas they spend time in or near – and not near appliances that make scary, unpredictable noises (washers, dryers, refrigerators)
* Scoop minimum 1X/day – preferably 2
* Clean the litterbox with soap and water and put in fresh scoopable litter at least once/month (instead of just continuously adding)
* Some cats prefer to urinate in one box and defecate in a separate box, so you may need 2 boxes even if you just have 1 cat. Multi-cat households should have 1 box/cat plus 1 extra.

Read Full Q/A … : Litter Box Aversion: Is it Medical or Behavioral?

Q. One eye is more red than the other. Last night he was pawing at it,today, he isn’t. Should I bring him to the vet?

ANSWER : A. Sounds possible that he had some irritation to the eye that is at least not itchy anymore. You can do either, having it checked now to confirm mild irritation, potentially due to debris or a topical irritant to the eye; or you can flush the eye with sterile saline eye wash (over the counter) using care not to poke or prod the eye and see if the irritation goes away on its own within the next 24 hrs. It has shown improvement already it appears, however if it is not cleared up and your pet seems irritated by it AT ALL, then it should be looked at by a vet and tested for a possible corneal scratch or ulcer. These can cause redness of the eye, eye discharge and pawing at the face. They are usually treated by prescription only topical eye antibiotic ointment and generally do very well after treatment.

Read Full Q/A … : Eye Problems in Cats

Q. My C. K. Charles has an asmathic cough. Ok most of the day, but worse in hotter rooms in the evening. What’s wrong?

ANSWER : A. Coughing in dogs can be caused by a number of things including allergies, asthma, illness such as Bordetella (kennel cough) or even lung and heart problems.

Allergies and asthma can cause a dog to have a raspy cough, and they may wheeze, sneeze or have running noses or trouble breathing when active or in an area where the allergen is present. Your vet can determine if an allergy or asthma is present and provide medication as needed to help with symptoms.

Bordetella can also cause a deep hacking cough, and is common in dogs that frequent doggy day cares, kennels or dog parks. The causes can be bacterial or viral, and treatment depends on if any secondary symptoms such as fever or dehydration is present. Treatment involves cough suppressants from your vet, or even antibiotics and fluids to treat secondary illnesses. Other illnesses such as heartworm may cause a chronic cough and exercise intolerance and should be looked for if your dog is not already on a heartworm preventive.

Small dogs are also prone to a condition called collapsing tracheas, and Cavaliers are very prone as a breed to heart and lung issues. Collapsing tracheae often cause a gasping or hacking cough when excited or active, and may require treatment if they become problematic. Heart and lung problems such as heart failure or genetic abnormalities can also cause coughing as a sign of the illness. Your vet can perform a complete exam to check the health of the lungs and heart.

Read Full Q/A … : Maxwell Smart (Character) – Quotes – IMDb

Q. My pet is suffering eyes discharge, what should I do?

ANSWER : A. Mucus, yellow-green pus, or a watery eye discharge can all be signs of conjunctivitis, which is inflammation of the lining of your dog’s eye.

There is a wide range of causes for conjunctivitis, from allergies, injury, birth defects, and tear duct problems, to foreign bodies, dry eye syndrome, infections or even tumors.

Other signs of conjunctivitis include excessive blinking or keeping the eye closed, squinting and pawing at the eyes.

Treatment of this condition depends on the underlying cause. In most of the cases cleaning, soothing the eye and applying antibiotics eye drops suffice but is some instances further investigation is required to establish the cause of the excessive eye discharge, and this should be performed by a veterinarian.

Read Full Q/A … : 3 Ways to Clean Gunk from Your Dog's Eyes – wikiHow

Q. We brought 2 new kittens home. One of them is sneezing. We have a Sr cat and an adult who is now coughing. What to do?

ANSWER : A. Commonly respiratory infections (viral -Herpesvirus and Calicivirus- and possibly bacterial) can cause sneezing episodes in kitten especially if not vaccinated yet. If your kitten is affected by respiratory infection could develop or have more signs such as discharge from eyes, more discharge from nose, coughing, being lethargic, depressed and inappetent.

The coughing episodes of the adult cat could be completely unrelated to the cause of sneezing of your new kitten, especially if your adult cat is already vaccinated.

The cause of cough in adult cats are not necessarily related to respiratory problems, heart problems could cause that as well.

Keep the nose and the eyes of your kitten free from discharge, keep your kitten warm and take both of them to your veterinarian as soon as possible to identify the cause and the relationship of the two problems and treat appropriately.

Read Full Q/A … : 3 Ways to Handle a Stray Cat – wikiHow