Advice Please!

[Mjrodgercharles]

I'm posting on this feed because I don't know what to do and need advice really bad. Just went to the vet a week ago for uri in all 3 of my piggies and paid 220 so I'm not able to take them again so soon. I found this white crusty stuff on my piggys ear. (Picture 1) then treated with 1 round of ivermectin for mites and 3 times with miconozole for fungus. After 3 days, it looks like picture 2 and doesn't seem to be getting better. I don't know what it is, does anyone else? I have moisturized it in case it was just dry skin as well.

 

[gizzy]

Hi, that looks sore to me, personaly l would take her to the vet. question dos she flinch when you touch it? is it notiably hotter than the other ear?
do you live in the UK? if so the PDSA would be a good choce, as they do not carge, they just ask for a donation if you can afford it

Hi Admin could you start a new thread for this

 

[GPTV]

hi there & welcome to the forum.

it could be fungal, does the hair come out easily too with bits of the skin/dandruff attached to it? This is often a sign of fungal.
If guineas are experiencing other issues that are lowering their immune system (which if they have URI's they will be weaker fighting off these) they can be more susceptible to other problems (such as mites, lice, fungal, etc).

what are they bedded on? wood based bedding such as shavings or sawdust can stay damp/moist & fungal issues can be a problem because of this, also the urine reacts with the natural oils in the bedding, which may be a factor in the URI's in the first place.
you may need to reconsider bedding if this is the case it may help-some guineas get reactions to wood based bedding, yet others it makes no difference.

Are they indoor or outdoor piggies & what kind of atmosphere do they live in/whereabouts do you live (country/county) as warmer damp climates usually have more problems with fungal issues-if you could update your profile that would be great.
Have they had any big changes in their routine, been moved, changed, bedding, new addition etc?

are they receiving any medications for their URI's?

@helen105281 is an experienced fungal fighter she uses the Imaverol spray i think & uses it as a dip or on the affected area, but it will take a few treatments over time to work.

is the second picture when its been moisturised as it just looks more wet there.
afraid it may need a vet visit though, because it could be the start of mange, this would need different treatment to fungal. try as Gizzy suggested & see if UK based the pdsa can help out, or if your vet will accept payment in installments seeing as you've had a big bill already.


Oh & if they are new guineas that have been bought recently, then keep your receipts & take them (keep copies) to the store or breeder where you got them & they should pay for the treatments as they sold you unhealthy guineas.

make sure they are still eating well & there are plenty of poops though.

Healing vibes for a speedy recovery. xx

 

[helen105281]

I agree it does look like fungal but the vet would need to rule out other possible issues. Fungal can strike when a pig is run down though so it is possible. I agree it looks more wet in the second photo. Is it a Miconazole cream you have treated with, what is the brand name? Please could you update your location as it will affect what products we can discuss. I am in the UK and like @GPTV says treat fungal with Imaverol (Enilconazole) which is used as a dip but can also be used topically between dips. Fungal does tend to look worse before it gets better and if you have only given 3 treatments so far I would not expect to see any improvement yet.

 

[Mjrodgercharles]

I use paper bedding, I live in the United States, In Michigan which has 4 harsh seasons. Right now we are starting winter, and this is the first winter I've experienced with them. They are indoor, the only place they have been to is the vet a little over a week ago. The vet perscribed an antibiotic for the coughing, even though she said their lungs sounded fine, it is trimethoprim-sulfa twice a day for 2 weeks and and a topical treatment of revolution for mites, just in case because one of my other Guinea pigs has seizures and they have all been treated with ivromectin twice before, I gave the first dose of revolution a week and a half ago and need to give the second dose this Wednesday. Like I said, I did put ivermectin on the ear in case it was mites when I first saw it, and am planning a follow up treatment the 10 days after, as well as have treated him with the miconozole cream three or four times since noticing the ear. I left it alone last night after I gave him a bath to get rid of all of the product, (which is why he looked wet in my previous picture). This picture is an update of what it looks like now. Thank you guys so much for the help. Please let me know what my next step should be, like I said, I spent $220 at the vet less than 2 weeks ago and would really prefer to treat this by myself. He eats and drinks and moves around fine. Little bit of hair loss at the top of his ear, but no clumps of hair falling out, and I cut some of his hair to see the sores better, and he does not like me to touch the ear.

 

[Mjrodgercharles]

The brand I'm using is monistat 7, which is a yeast infection cream, with 2% miconozole nitrate.

 

[Mjrodgercharles]

Oh, and he is housed with another piggy who has no signs of the problem at all. They whine when they're separated and I don't have another cage to separate them with so I am just keeping a good eye out for any issues that may arise.