• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Bald Patch

Status
Not open for further replies.
K

Kty356

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 25, 2015
Messages
18
Reaction score
33
Points
125
Location
Suffolk UK
We got our two guinea pigs at the weekend and they seem very happy and are growing in confidence every day. I have noticed that Elsa has a bald patch on her hip area size of a penny, it looks very dry. We rang the place we got her and they said bathe it in salt water.
Does this sound OK?
If it doesn't improve by the end if the week I think we will go to the vets.

Katie
 
Kty356 said:
We got our two guinea pigs at the weekend and they seem very happy and are growing in confidence every day. I have noticed that Elsa has a bald patch on her hip area size of a penny, it looks very dry. We rang the place we got her and they said bathe it in salt water.
Does this sound OK?
If it doesn't improve by the end if the week I think we will go to the vets.

Katie
Click to expand...

Please see a vet for ringworm or mange mites. Sadly many people who breed to sell cannot be bothered to treat them properly, so they spread through the whole population, as they are quite infective. You can place a complaint with your local council about trading standards once you have got an official diagnosis from your vet re. knowingly selling ill animals. Ringworm is also highly transmittable to other mammalian pets (including humans). Saline solution is a mild disinfectant, but it will do nothing to heal.
Here is our recommended vet locator: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-vet-locator/
Our ringworm advice: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/ringworm-hygiene-and-pictures.115402/
Please do not home treat on spec. Acute mange mites need to be treated with a better quality ivermectin product than the low dosed shop ones provide, which only serve to build up resistence to mange mites, but will not treat them effectively. You will need at least three rounds of ivermectin, spaced 10-14 days apart depending on the product and severity that your vet uses if he thinks that he is dealing with (invisible and species specific) mange mites. Mange mites and fungal need different treatments, but in either case you need to treat both piggies to prevent the other to come down with it, too.
 
I have had dealings with both Mites and Ringworm (currently treating) and neither are nice to deal with. With the correct diagnosis, medication and care they can be effectively cleared up without much of a problem. Seeing a vet is a must though. I hope you managed to get to the bottom of it, please update us of any progress :)
 
Thanks, taking both Guinea pigs to the vet tomorrow.
I will be sending the bill to where we bought them. I'm a bit annoyed that they sold us a ill animal.
I hope the vet says its nothing serious.
X
 
You are right to ask them to cover the cost of care! I certainly would! Fingers crossed everything goes well :)
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top