Do you know what these marks are?

[sarahp]

This is a photo of Rodney who is about 3 months old. He was living with another pig who is a few weeks older. They were separated last week because we thought they were fighting but now I'm not sure if they are bite wounds or if it's something different. There are two on his neck and one around his eye and he keeps scratching at them and making them worse. I looked on the Gorgeous Guineas website but he doesn't seem to have any of the other parasitic/fungal symptoms.

Do you think they are just from when they were fighting and can you recommend anything to put on them?

 

[kellyandpiggies]

They look a bit like wound marks to me. Scabs or scars that are forming.

Cream on them should heal them up nicely

 

[sarahp]

what type of cream is best?

 

[kellyandpiggies]

It's up to you really, there are some great gorgeous guinea ones and also some human ones are good. I use either Tea Tree cream or Savlon

 

[Barmy4boars]

Oh dear he looks a real mess poor mite! I have no idea if they are definately bite wounds or a potential skin problem. Either way they look sore and serious and it does take time to get like this... I know you mentioned in your other post about the scrtatching. Even if they are not part of a skin infection they could become infected. My advice would be take him to see a rodent specailist asap. I would certainly not want to try and treat this myself with cream incase it made it worse. Savlon could cause an upset tummy if they lick it and not sure its pig safe. Don't put cream etc on open wounds (ouch!). Bathe it in salt and water for now but he needs to see a vet or better still a rodent specailist to rule out a severe bout of mites/fungal. Where are you based?

 

[starshine]

Around the eye in particular looks like ringworm to me - he really needs the vets. And back of the neck is typical place to get hair loss from parasites - it doesn't look like bite wounds to me at all.

Please don't use savlon or any other creams for humans on a piggie - they could be toxic.

Just use aloe vera to soothe the skin and make sure his nails aren't too long so he can't do too much damage before you get him to the vet.

 

[gothchick1515]

Not sure what they are, but i use a tea tree cream on ruby one i got from PAH and thats cleared them up nicely but best to see a vet incase

 

[sarahp]

Based in Gloucestershire. If you know of a vet, please say because never used one round here. Fur around his eye seems to have started to grow back overnight but will still take him.

 

[Lucinda]

If you can get down to Bath go to my vets (Bath veterinary Centre). excellent with guineas.

 

[michellemuffin]

also not sure its a bite wound round the eye as fur seems to be missing, the back one seems to look more a bite would to me, I always use G G cream for bites or anything like this, to soothe it , it wont do any harm if it is a wound or mites or infection so you wont be doing any wrong, just get a proper diagnosis,as we all seem to have different ideas it really could be any of these,

 

[kellyandpiggies]

Please don't use savlon or any other creams for humans on a piggie - they could be toxic.

I've used human creams on and off for years and no problems here

 

[Lucinda]

Email me if you need details of my vets.

How are things? x

 

[sarahp]

Thanks so much for all your advice. It's interesting to hear all of your different opinions. Rodney isn't actually mine - he is my boyfriends pig. But he told me this morning that he is taking him to the vet tonight so I will update you all on his progress when I hear back from them.

And thanks for the vet recommendation, Lucinda. I would actually take my two there when I need to. (They are spoilt boys and I wouldn't mind driving a bit further for them) Are they open weekday evenings?

Thanks again and I'll let you know how he is

Sarah x

 

[Lucinda]

It's all open clinics 9-10.30 mornings and 5-5.30 evenings. 10.30 -12 Saturday.

Of course they over-run terribly so it is best to get there early. I usually get there 15-20 mins before clinic opens. The vets are Roger and Anna and they are both great with guineas.

 

[sarahp]

Update!

Rodney was taken to a vets in Stroud. A nice lady there looked at him and said the marks are likely to be from the bites and nothing else. It's just that he has scratched them and won't leave them alone. She checked in his eye to make sure nothing was wrong, which it wasn't thankfully, and then gave him an anti-inflammatory injection (apparently he didn't like that bit )

Then she said to give him some oral drops for the next few days and to go back if it doesn't clear up or if his ex-housemate pig Charlie shows any similar symptoms (which he hasn't).

Apparently the whole visit only cost £11, including the injection and drops. Seems pretty cheap to me?

I'm going to see him tonight to give him lots of fuss

 

[Lucinda]

Excellent! and that is very cheap!

Kisses for the patient from me please xx

 

[kellyandpiggies]

Aww, so good it's only the bite wounds and nothing more serious!

Excellent price!

 

[gothchick1515]

Fantastic price that would have set me back around £40

 

[michellemuffin]

I agree good price some vets charge stupid amounts I have paid £200 for an op for one of my pigs nad he died after the op and £180 for another,still we love them so much, dont we? so glad he is doing better and its nothing too bad

 

[sarahp]

Rodney is fine now. He still doesn't get on with Charlie so they are lving separately, although they spend a bit of lap time together.

His fur has all grown back nicely, even if it did grow back a different colour!