• 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

Drastic Hairloss

Status
Not open for further replies.
Liane

Liane

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Feb 17, 2011
Messages
984
Reaction score
815
Points
510
Glinda has drastically lost her hair on her tummy and sides, over a period of three days.

She was seen by the vet towards the end of last year as her hair was thinning and balding, and she had some weight loss, and things such as hormonal problems and mites were ruled out. Her weight stabilised and her hair began growing back very slowly, but then halted (it was still visibly thinner). She has had a respiratory infection since then, too.

She is a long haired Guinea pig but you wouldn't know it. Her hair hasn't needed trimming in months which is very unusual.

I don't know if this Hairloss is related, or whether she maybe has mites or a fungal infection, as this time she has a scab about the size of a one pence on her side, but no scabs anywhere else. Her weight is also stable at 900g and has been fairly good for a while, even when she was ill.

She's five years old and has a healthy appetite. She's also quite lively and is her normal self. She's booked in to see Simon tomorrow but I was just wondering if anyone had any ideas what it could be, as I like to go prepared with questions.
 
Seeing well wishes for Glinda. It could be hormonal but I'm sure there are other things it could be too. Obviously booking in to see Simon was clearly the right thing and I hope you get some answers soon
 
She doesn't have ovarian cysts does she?

One of my sows started losing her fur during the summer after a normal skin cyst, it was sorted, he fur grew back but then she started to lose it again, I suspected ovarian cysts and looked for symptoms etc. she went for a scan just before Christmas and it turned out that she had masses constant with cysts and she's just had her second and final hormone injection, her fur started growing back after the fur injection.

I hope she's ok.
 
Just a quick thought lunch break nearly over. Have u thought about hormone injections &the thought of possible ovarian cysts?
Hair loss can be a sign of these along the back &sides especially. Simon will be her best bet to sort her out. My Ellie had these-I can provide more info later if that's what she has. Xx
 
Hair loss on the belly and sides is generally typical for ovarian cysts/womb issues. I would recommend a scan to see what is going on. it can happen quite dramatically in a short period of time. Please make sure that your vet looks at the whole reproductive system.

Guinea Lynx :: Hair Loss
Guinea Lynx :: Ovarian Tumors
 
Firstly, thank you for your replies, everyone :)

Kerrie74 said:
She doesn't have ovarian cysts does she?

One of my sows started losing her fur during the summer after a normal skin cyst, it was sorted, he fur grew back but then she started to lose it again, I suspected ovarian cysts and looked for symptoms etc. she went for a scan just before Christmas and it turned out that she had masses constant with cysts and she's just had her second and final hormone injection, her fur started growing back after the fur injection.

I hope she's ok.
Click to expand...

When she was checked over last year, there were no palpable cysts or tumours, and something about some membrane or something not being visible or closed or something? which indicated it wasn't hormonal.

GPTV said:
Just a quick thought lunch break nearly over. Have you thought about hormone injections &the thought of possible ovarian cysts?
Hair loss can be a sign of these along the back &sides especially. Simon will be her best bet to sort her out. My Ellie had these-I can provide more info later if that's what she has. Xx
Click to expand...

Thank you, that would be appreciated, I'll see what Simon says.

Wiebke said:
Hair loss on the belly and sides is generally typical for ovarian cysts/womb issues. I would recommend a scan to see what is going on. it can happen quite dramatically in a short period of time. Please make sure that your vet looks at the whole reproductive system.

Guinea Lynx :: Hair Loss
Guinea Lynx :: Ovarian Tumors
Click to expand...

I'm worried about how she will cope with scans and surgery if it does look like cysts or reproductive problems. She is five and not in the best shape right now :(
 
Liane said:
Firstly, thank you for your replies, everyone :)



When she was checked over last year, there were no palpable cysts or tumours, and something about some membrane or something not being visible or closed or something? which indicated it wasn't hormonal.



Thank you, that would be appreciated, I'll see what Simon says.



I'm worried about how she will cope with scans and surgery if it does look like cysts or reproductive problems. She is five and not in the best shape right now :(
Click to expand...

A scan or x-ray will only require a light dose of anaesthetics, but it should help you to make any necessary decisions on the basis of some solid information. An x-ray can be done without anaesthetics at all if necessary.

PS: My Cariad was nearly 5 years old and had only half a year before gone through a major bladder op when she required an emergency spay at just around 700g. Her womb had gone seriously wrong and during the operation she was also found to have what the vet described as nasty looking ovarian cysts (although she'd not shown any symptoms whatsoever) apart from what I though was an acute bladder infection. She recovered well and lived for another year. However, you want a competent vet for that.
 
Bless you, it is a worry. My Bumble underwent an emergency spay at 4.5 years old and managed it well so fingers crossed if that's what is needed that she will be ok
 
I am very pleased to be able to tell you guys that Glinda's problem was neither hormonal nor mites! The hairloss, which is largely on her tummy and other 'contact' areas, is most likely due to an irritation in her environment. I'm thinking that the hay is the most likely culprit, as the bag I have been using this week has been a tad drier than usual, and Glinda absolutely loves laying down in a nice big hay pile. As for why it was so drastic, it is because she's still recovering from the respiratory infection, her body hasn't had time to get back to normal. So hopefully I'll see an improvement after changing the hay used, and if not, we'll just go through other things that could be causing the irritation until we find the source!

I'm so relieved. I really thought Simon was going to say that she had massive ovarian cysts or something and that she'd need surgery.
 
This is what Glinda's belly looks like, for reference :)

image.webp
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top