Bald Patch

[span]

I was checking one of my sows last night and found a bald patch near her bum. I checked the rest of her and some of her hair is coming out on her back with some skin attached (does that make sense?). She didn't seem distressed when I touched the bald patch, but was squealing when I looked at her back.

I've booked her in with the vet on Friday, is there anything I can do in the mean time? Or should I try and get her to the vet sooner?

Thanks x

 

[Wiebke]

I was checking one of my sows last night and found a bald patch near her bum. I checked the rest of her and some of her hair is coming out on her back with some skin attached (does that make sense?). She didn't seem distressed when I touched the bald patch, but was squealing when I looked at her back.

I've booked her in with the vet on Friday, is there anything I can do in the mean time? Or should I try and get her to the vet sooner?

Thanks x

If you can have her seen sooner, that would be better.

Unfortunately, anything you do can make a diagnosis more difficult for your vet as it removes vital evidence. It can be fungal, but also mange mites; eitehr can look very similar especially in the early stages. It would be better if you could hit whatever it is with a good quality treatment from the vets to get on top of it quickly and promptly; you may delay the onset of good quality treatment when treating on spec, especially when it comes to mites. There are other forms of fungal than ringworm although that is usually the only one that labs will test for.

All the best! As long as you can start treatment fairly promptly, you should be able to get on top of it fairly straight forward.

Please keep us updated!

Please be aware that you are likely to need to treat the companion as well to prevent them from coming down with it, too.

 

[span]

She went to see Kim at Cat and Rabbit on Thursday and has been given an injection, which will be followed up with another on Wednesday - but the bald patch has got much bigger and she has small scabs on her skin - is this normal?

 

[Wiebke]

She went to see Kim at Cat and Rabbit on Thursday and has been given an injection, which will be followed up with another on Wednesday - but the bald patch has got much bigger and she has small scabs on her skin - is this normal?

Yes, it takes a couple of days to kick in fully if it is for mites (even though injections are the most effective) and if it is fungal, the fungal needs to run its full course where it has already broken out. Did Kim say what she is treating for?

 

[span]

She gave us a lot of information about mites, lice and fungal infections in general (we left feeling a bit itchy!) and I can't remember which she said it was...oh dear!