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Bald Patch On Side Not Dry Or Scaly

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Mellowmummy

Mellowmummy

Junior Guinea Pig
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Just looking for a bit of advice one of my piggies has white fur and I noticed that I could see what looked like a bald patch, so I examined him today it looks like a extra flap of skin with no fur on it, it's on it's side near one of its back legs, the skin just looks like normal skin it isn't scaly it isn't dry or flakey
Their is no bald patches any where else and his brother has none either
I have just got the piggies from a small independent pet shop and they were being well looked after

How do I upload a photo on here and I can post a photo
 
That's the patch of skin
Thanks for your advice just it's Christmas Day so no vets are open that I know off?
 
It's not an emergency so no need for vets tonight but my immediate thought is fungal as the skin looks fluoresced. I can hopefully advise more once home and not on my phone.
 
Thanks for that quick reply is their anything I can buy from a supermarket to help him? As I am thinking they may be open Boxing Day?
Luckily he seems fine in himself eating plenty drinking squeaking playing etc x
 
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That's ok, if it is fungal then it can be treated with a round of baths and dips, provided it is not ringworm (it doesn't look like that though) and I can give you links, some of the shampoos you can get from the supermarket but I think it is best to wait for an official diagnosis from the vets first. The other possibilities are mange mites for which you would need a course of Ivermectin, preferably by injection at the vets, an allergic reaction (what bedding do you use?) or they have rubbed it on something. I would arrange for a vet appointment when they are back open and go from there. In the meantime, do they seem sensitive at all? are they scratching or biting at their side? Is there any other hairloss? does the hair come out easily when you pull it? and does the hair seem greasy at all? for example if you rub it the wrong way, does it go back down easily?
 
Thanks for your reply
Apart from that one spot their is no further hair loss, they are grooming themselfs a bit but not over the top, I've seen them scratch but this seems to be more under their chin and the hair is fine their? I haven't pulled their hair but I have been brushing it and I haven't seen any hair fall out or break, grease I am not sure about as they are going to be long haired guineas so their hair is all over the place if I brush it flat it does stand up again
Rubbing it on something I think yes I have a small wooden bridge I am waiting on a large one arriving and they both lie under this it is small and I wonder if this is the cause? I will take it out today and stick a big box in
Bedding wise newspaper and wood shavings which they were on in the. Pet shop I am also putting down lots of hay for them to eat and burrow into I am changing this daily
If it is fungal can I put canistan cream on it until the vets is reopen?
 
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Thank you for more information. I would wait until you can get a vet appointment and a proper diagnosis. Canesten can be used on fungal but I would rather you spoke to a vet first. I am also not a big fan on putting creams on fungal as they can make the skin heat up and the fungal then gets worse but I know there are other members who would not agree with me on that. It doesn't sound like they are in any discomfort so is best to wait until you can get a proper diagnosis. Have a look at our recommended vets locator to see if there is a good one near you.
 
Thanks for that I will have a look I am working Friday but my husband said he will take him to be checked out, we did think of pet medic today but their not answering their phone at the moment. I just feel sad he is ill even tho he doesn't seem to botherd, we haven't even had the poor thing a week yet!
 
Thank you for your reply I've had them both out again for a hour or so in their indoor pen (they just hid in a box but I am doing it daily to get them use to it) miss pink (my daughter who is 3 called him this) sat on my knee I had a good look at skin it didnt seem to bother him when I touched it, I lightly pulled the hairs around it none came out, I couldn't decide if I could see some new fur growth? I've only had them since Saturday so I am probably panicking a bit!
However they are both going to the vets hopefully Friday if its open for a check over
I did ring petnedic they wanted a £100 and said emergencys only, it's not an emergency as miss pink is eating and moving around fine, and I am sure when he was on my knee being stroked he made a puring sound for a few seconds :)
Thanks again for all your help and advice xx
 
Just a quick mini update the boys are going to the vet at 240pm Saturday I couldn't get them in today unless it was an emergency and I don't think it is, will up date you once I know what it is :)
 
Just an update were back from the vet, he doesn't think it's ringworm he put some tape over the pink area and looked at it under a microscope he couldn't see any parasites or eggs. He thought it looked like the fur was growing back. He has given me some fuciderm gel and if no better in a week we have to go back, he said their is no other sign of illness and weighed them both and said they were fine thankfully! Xx
 
Hope the Fuciderm works, am assuming the vet wasn't aware that there are other types of fungal, not just ringworm. Is good that there is hair regrowth.
 
I hope so he seemed to know what he was doing, I think this is a steroid cream he has given me? But will see how I get on with it, he said if no better next week he will pull a few hairs out to be sent to a lab, sounds painful!
 
Ok, sending the hairs off for testing would only show up ringworm, other types of fungal don't tend to show anything up when cultured. Not saying that your pig does have fungal was just a bit concerned that he only seemed to think about ringworm. Hopefully the Fucithalmic will help, it is good stuff.
 
Just a quick up date miss pinks fur is growing back very nicely over the bald spot, no other bald spots have developed and nibbles hasn't got any either, so it seems to be getting better :) thanks for all your advice and reassurance x
 
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