Cavy with heavy breathing ?

[sally28]

Hi All,

I have noticed in the last few weeks my cavy who is 7 years that her breathing has become more noticable.
She has always snored quite heavy but recently she sounds very snortly and has started to pant.
I have just put this down to the warmer weather and just been cooling her down as she seemed to be hot also.
However the weather were i am has cooled alot and still she is the same.
I am aware of MV disease so on the look out for that as yet she has no heart murmer she was last seen by a vet 3 weeks ago and checked with a stethoscope{ That was for another problem itchy skin} and the vet said she is fine.
I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this in there cavys and what the outcome was.

Thanks sally

[Karlin]

It could be heat, yes... but other things too. At the same time, at her age it would be much better to get her to a cardiologist for a heart check. Some vets (about half!) will not even hear a murmur til it is well progressed. At her age, more than half of cavaliers would have a murmur. A murmur alone will not necessarily indicate anything that would cause heavier breathing though -- and heavier breathing with a murmur is, according to my cardiologist, not necessarily anything to be concerned about either.

But panting can indicate a number of other problems. If you have noticed a change, there will be some reason, benign or health-reated. I would think it worth going in to talk to your vet about this specific sign -- and also to arrange an auscultation (listening to the heart) by a board certified cardiologist at some point in the coming months. There are many low cost cardio clinics held throughout the year at cavalier club events in the UK and pet owners can avail of these.

[Margaret C]

Hi All,

I have noticed in the last few weeks my cavy who is 7 years that her breathing has become more noticable.
She has always snored quite heavy but recently she sounds very snortly and has started to pant.
I have just put this down to the warmer weather and just been cooling her down as she seemed to be hot also.
However the weather were i am has cooled alot and still she is the same.
I am aware of MV disease so on the look out for that as yet she has no heart murmer she was last seen by a vet 3 weeks ago and checked with a stethoscope{ That was for another problem itchy skin} and the vet said she is fine.
I was just wondering if anyone else has experienced this in there cavys and what the outcome was.

Thanks sally

I do not want to be scaremongering, but panting can be a sign of pain.

You mention taking your cavalier to the vets because she has itchy skin. If the itchiness continues despite any treatment that has been prescribed, it may be worth looking at the information on syringomyelia ( SM ) and checking whether your vet knows about this problem in cavaliers.

Best wishes