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Bald Guinea-kid!

Gardengrass

Gardengrass

New Born Pup
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I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about what may be going on with our bald daughter. She doesn’t have mites, her skin is very healthy and we’ve not seen her self grooming or her sister trying to groom her. This has been developing for about 17months. She’s perfectly happy and with no other issues.

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Gardengrass said:
I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about what may be going on with our bald daughter. She doesn’t have mites, her skin is very healthy and we’ve not seen her self grooming or her sister trying to groom her. This has been developing for about 17months. She’s perfectly happy and with no other issues.

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I’m no expert but I think I read hair loss like that could be a sign of cystic ovaries.I would recommend a vet check with a piggy savvy vet.
 
I agree that could be ovarian cysts, has her behaviour changed at all? does she seem to be in season more?

Also, has she been checked for fungal? that would be my other thought, not Ringworm but one of the other types.
 
She doesn’t have ringworm or anything like that but I have to admit she does get a bit sulky and grumpy with her cage mate so I’m guessing that you’re right, that it is ovarian cysts. Now I need to find a good vet! The one we’ve used for years does not know a great deal about guineakids and we usually have to tell them what we need.
 
I would also be comcerned about cystic ovaries or hormanal issues such a thyroid disease or adrenal disease. If she was very young I would think your piggie may actually be a rare Baldwin guinea pig but I'm not sure this is the case because they lose hair at a very young age.

The skin doesn't look sore etc, so not typical fungal etc.

I would check ovaries, thyroid, kidneys and do an ivermectin course to cover all bases.

Where are you based? We can point you in the direction of an exotics vet as needed.
 
Gardengrass said:
I was wondering if anyone had any thoughts about what may be going on with our bald daughter. She doesn’t have mites, her skin is very healthy and we’ve not seen her self grooming or her sister trying to groom her. This has been developing for about 17months. She’s perfectly happy and with no other issues.

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Click to expand...

Hi! Please see a piggy savvy vet for ovarian cysts (most likely), malnutrition/scurvy or a fungal skin infection (not ringworm). We cannot tell you what is exactly wrong just from your picture.
 
Abi_nurse said:
I would also be comcerned about cystic ovaries or hormanal issues such a thyroid disease or adrenal disease. If she was very young I would think your piggie may actually be a rare Baldwin guinea pig but I'm not sure this is the case because they lose hair at a very young age.

The skin doesn't look sore etc, so not typical fungal etc.

I would check ovaries, thyroid, kidneys and do an ivermectin course to cover all bases.

Where are you based? We can point you in the direction of an exotics vet as needed.
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We’re just outside Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire but if we can find the right vet we’re happy to travel.
 
Is there anyone that you could recommend @VickiA ?
We’ve never really found a vet locally that is confident with Guineas and certainly not one we’d trust doing surgery!
 
Just seen this thread. I agree that your little lady needs to see a vet.

I can certainly recommend the Cheshire Pet veterinary clinic in Holmes Chapel near J18 of the M6. Kristina is the exotics specialist vet there. She doesn’t work Mondays but works most other days. Very thorough and knowledgeable and also very approachable.
I have had 5 sows spayed at the practice. They were all spayed by Kristina’s predecessor but I’d happily let her operate on any of my current herd. She has removed a urethral stone from one of my sows.

The rescue use both Cheshire Pet and also the Willows veterinary clinic in Tunstall. Ted is apparently a very good Cavy savvy vet there, but I am not sure if they have experience of him spaying sows if needed. He does do some of the boar neutering for the rescue and the rescue has had vey few complications with their neutered boars over the years.
 
Gardengrass said:
That's wonderful, I'll get in touch with them.

Thank you to everyone who has taken the time to contribute to this thread. It's very much appreciated X
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You’re welcome. We all want the best for our furry family members.
 
Abi_nurse said:
If your willing to travel, Rutland house has one of the leading small mammal exotic specialists Molly Varga. Would recommend her. Good luck wherever you choose.

Vets Merseyside | Rutland House Veterinary Hospital St Helens
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Molly was my local exotics vet for several years before she left to go to Rutland House. We have had members report some bad experiences with Rutland House so I’d be a little wary of recommending there at the moment.
 
Hair loss in that distribution along the sides is often due to hormone issues from ovarian cysts. That would be my starting point in having a vet investigate. Hope this helps!
 
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