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Bald stripes on front of back legs

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Briony_S

Briony_S

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Hi,

I noticed george had stripes on both back legs about 5/6 weeks ago and took him to the vets and was given another mite treatment. The treatment was for 3 weeks so finished a while ago and he still has the stripes now.

I am wondering if infact this is just normal or if it is something that needs treating. He has white leg hair and pink skin so I would have noticed it before if it was something he has always had.

Is this something anyone has come across before? I can't really get a pigture as he doesn't like to hold still where his legs are concerned (too many nail clippings recently :)) )
 
Without a picture it is hard to say, unfortunately! If the skin is normal underneath, no parasitic or fungal problems, it may be a 'normal' patch of hairloss.

Where are the stripes, exactly? Above the 'hocks' (elbow)? Or nearer the feet?
 
Can't help with this present problem you have, but was wondering, poor George seems to be being treated at the vets for mites quite often. Would it be worth your while asking here on the forum if you can buy stuff, and treat yourself, it must be getting very costly for you, particularly if Tiger needs doing as well. I have never had a piggy with mites so would be useful info for me, just in case. x
 
It is most of the way down. From half way up the top of his legs until his feet I would say. It did look a bit scabby when I had the second mite treatment but now it just looks naked!
 
I took in a rescue cavy a few months ago who would barber - pulled own hair out. He had two bald strips on his back, and also on his back legs. All his bald bits were in areas he could reach.

He was treated for mites just in case, and he went from a tiny shop cage to a c & c cage, with buddies just next door (could kiss the girls through the bars!). The barbering seemed to be stress related. When his living environment was changed, his hair grew back and there were no further problems.

Point is that something could be causing him stress which could causing the baldness. I understand that stress also makes cavies more likely to get mites and other health problems. Some cavies are much more sensitive to stress and change then others.

Could also be something totally different - maybe a fungal infection,

Hope george gets better soon, :))
 
Hope it isn't stress at minute he is living next to tiger in a nero 4 separated in half. They still fall out through the bars and rumble at lot but I thought this was better for them for time being while I decide what to do with them! Could this be causing him stress do you think?
 
it sounds a little like the problem i had recently with furby....only i think furby was a little worse....bigger bald patches, but also looked a bit flaky, and his pink skin was Very pink...
he was treated twice for mites with no effect, then i separated him from his buddy, wasn't sure if he was getting bullied, but i had noticed he's been sleeping al fresco (they live indoors and had 2 houses but he wasn't sleeping in them anymore) and someone suggested stress could cause it, i must admit he was immediatly much happier, but still bald....he has white hair and pink skin, which was still very pink too, so i changed his vet bed and changed his hay bedding completly every two days, a little improvement but not much, i got rid of the hay bedding and put him onto a type of shredded toilet paper...he was improving, but still not sleeping in his house...which he always has done, i took out the vet bedding, (having just pruchased another new one, and having washed it twice first(without any detergent) although vet said no chemicles in it.....
as soon as i took out the vet bed, 2 days later, skin looked much calmer, and almost straight away the hair started to regrow. now it is all perfect again, the moral of my story is, it took a lot of playing around, but i am blaming the vet bedding! All my animals are sooo particular........you might just need to play around with the bedding, or maye put a little more space between him and the other for a bit, if they share a cage maybe have their food at opposite ends or something, so he doesn't have to chat if he doesn't want to......good luck...
i found sudo cream really soothed furby and helped with the flakyness etc
 
They share a cage but they are divided currently both of their bowls are up to the divider - might try to move it around a bit, only think is don't want house next to the divide as one of them might scale it and then I could end up with a blood bath. They are currently on megazorb but were on vet bed previously but no improvement since the change.

I'll have a spring clean tomorrow and see what I can move about to get their food bowls apart - Thanks
 
Extra floor time may help reduce any stress. Perhaps in a bathroom, or hallway - somewhere safe, secure, cavy proofed, and with minimal supervision needed.

More toys may also help - including cardboard boxes, paper bags etc. And regular changes of toys so they don't get bored.
 
they have at least 2 hours each in playpen of an evening and plenty of toys so not sure it is stress but will re-arrange cage and see if that helps :)

They have four 50 litre tidy boxes full of toys / treats / diff beds / equipment and are really spoilt. He also loves laptime and likes to sit on my shoulder like a parrot when I let him so he is definately relaxed!
 
They are! I'm am going to e-mail gorgous guineas for some advice and maybe get some lotion or something if it may help as it could be fungal!

Also he has started doing wierd sneezes! He used to do almost human sounding quiet ones when I first got him and he was on shavings (i know, I know but didn't know how bad shavings were then). Now they are quite loud and funny sounding it took me a while to realise they were sneezes they are kinda squeeky but def not a normal noise.

I use megazorb so I'm sure it is not the bedding and the hay I have at the minute is pretty good and not at all dusty!

I'm kinda confused! Are these things related?
 
what service! I e-mailed gorgous guinea about an hour ago and got a reply now with suggestion of shampoo etc.. incase it is fungal! how quick I am amazed I wouldn't have thought anyone would even read it tonight! (poor george another bath for him again :( bless him) he'll give me the evils again for a few days :))
 
I'm wanting advice re whether I need to do both my piggies. George is only one showing signs although would be harder to tell on tiger as he is mostly black with dark skin. I have the melt and shampoo for the possible fungus and will be bathing george tomorrow.

They both find baths very distressing and tiger in particular is very upset for days after (George seems to forgive quick but the trust with tiger is on a knife edge at minute).

I cut tigers nails a few days ago and he bit me several times not enough to hurt or draw blood as I don't think he dares but it shows how upset he gets at me messing with him. He also has hay removed from his bits at least once a week so generally can't stand me at the minute and screams when I stroke him too! (i keep getting him out each day for for short periods as otherwise I don't think i would be able to in future)

Really what I want to know is if it is advisable to do him as well as they have been in contact with each other whilst george has had his problems.
 
I would do both. If it is fungal, they may both have it but may not be showing symptoms just yet. It might save another round of baths in a few weeks time.

hope it works
 
just did the melt on george and followed instructions trying to get the melt onto skin and he shouted about 4 times I was being so careful and as gentle as possible also did a patch test earlier which was fine so couldn't be that it was stinging or anything. He has never shouted before only when I have clipped his nails poor thing! gonna do tiger once I have washed and dried george and very worried as he is normally worse so hope I don't have big chunks missing from my hands when I am done! :(
 
poor wee man!

i hate doing any health procedures on my cavies, feels like i'm being cruel. I wish we could explain to them why we do these things
 
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