ear turning black and falling off

[Cassa202]

Hello Everyone,

I have a 5 month old PEW piggie who didn't have a great start to her life. When we got her she was seriously underweight and had a mite infestation. Her mother passed away during birth (lady doesn't know why she passed away). Little over a week ago we noticed her ear was turning black and bits almost falling off so we started treating her for mites however it now is on both ears and appears to be spreading up her ear. Any ideas of what this is?

Thank you

 

[Cassa202]

Here is a photo

 

[Posyrose]

I have no idea what it could be, but she needs to see a vet as a matter of urgency.

I don't know where you are in the world, but if you are restricted by the coronavirus, it is still possible to consult
a vet, but call first and find out what arrangements they have in place.

It would be really helpful if you could add your location to your account details. This would help us to tailor advice to your situation.

Good luck with the vet.

 

[Wiebke]

Here is a photo

Please see a vet asap if the ear is turning necrotic.

 

[Cassa202]

I have no idea what it could be, but she needs to see a vet as a matter of urgency.

I don't know where you are in the world, but if you are restricted by the coronavirus, it is still possible to consult
a vet, but call first and find out what arrangements they have in place.

It would be really helpful if you could add your location to your account details. This would help us to tailor advice to your situation.

Good luck with the vet.

Thank you for your response. Sorry have only just registered on here and not gone through account details however I am in south East Queensland Australia. I will be arranging a vet visit with our exotic vet as soon as possible. Was just hoping someone may know what it is until we can see our vet.

 

[alpacasqueak]

Aah poor little girl. Definitely agree a vet needs to see her. She’s very gorgeous bless her. There’s a vet locator on the forum so you can find some good guinea pig vets, where do you live?

 

[Cassa202]

Please see a vet asap if the ear is turning necrotic.

Thank you for your response. Could you tell me what necrotic is or means? Do you know what causes it?

 

[Claire W]

I agree about seeing a vet ASAP for that. Good luck and let us know how you get on. She’s very cute

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you for your response. Sorry have only just registered on here and not gone through account details however I am in south East Queensland Australia. I will be arranging a vet visit with our exotic vet as soon as possible. Was just hoping someone may know what it is until we can see our vet.

We can only speculate unfortunately, and that is not necessarily going to help you.
Necrotic means the affected tissue is dead.

 

[alpacasqueak]

Sorry I just saw your post as I posted!
Great you’ve got her booked in, hope it goes well. I’ve not seen it much, my old alpaca piggy (also very hairy!) Sheepy used to get very dry, crusty ears but not the black (or possible necrotic/dead tissue?) colour on your pics so can’t advise much.
Hope you can get some good advice from a vet and she feels better soon x

 

[Cassa202]

Sorry I just saw your post as I posted!
Great you’ve got her booked in, hope it goes well. I’ve not seen it much, my old alpaca piggy (also very hairy!) Sheepy used to get very dry, crusty ears but not the black (or possible necrotic/dead tissue?) colour on your pics so can’t advise much.
Hope you can get some good advice from a vet and she feels better soon x

Thank you for your help :-) its horrible seeing them sick :-( I shall let you know what the vet says.

 

[Cassa202]

We can only speculate unfortunately, and that is not necessarily going to help you.
Necrotic means the affected tissue is dead.

Oh ok, that doesn't sound very good :-( hopefully our vet will have her on the mend asap

 

[Wiebke]

Oh ok, that doesn't sound very good :-( hopefully our vet will have her on the mend asap

It is something that requires a vet examination and careful consideration, which is not something we provide. Unfortunately it is serious, hence our advice to please see a vet promptly.

All the best!

 

[Freela]

That looks like necrotic (dead) tissue along the edges of her ears and needs to be checked out quickly. Glad you are able to find a vet. Let us know how it goes! Best wishes!

 

[Merab]

Hope the vet can get your little beauty treated.
Holding you in my thoughts

 

[artcasper]

All the best at the vets x

 

[wiggypig]

Necrotic ear margins can be a sign of a heart condition. See "signs to watch for" and a link to an article with more info.

Heart problems can be caused by lots of different things. It would be a good idea to ask your vet questions about heart conditions in guinea pigs, what types of tests can be done, types of medications and treatment plans available and what kind of supportive care you can provide for her at home.

Just a few of my own thoughts you could think about and consult with your vet about and maybe research on your own as well - If a guinea pig does have a heart issue, sometimes they are a bit less active. If they are less active, they may spend less time eating hay. If this happens, their teeth can grow longer than they should and eventually cause problems with eating. Not eating enough hay is also not good for their digestive health, which could leave her more prone to tummy issues which are a big deal for piggies. If she has easy access to hay and water and a warm cozy spot right beside it, that would be ideal. I have a senior piggy and I visit him and gently encourage him to eat hay by adding fresh little handfuls, keeping the area really clean and hand feeding him a few pieces to get the ball rolling. Also, depending on what your vet advises, I would think it's a good idea for her to have a chance to explore and exercise a little bit if she doesn't already. If she's out on the floor, you'd want to make sure to feel the floor with my hands and make sure there are no drafts down at her level. I always have a warm hiding spot, hay and water available during 'floor time'.

Sorry lots of little details there and don't mean to get off topic, maybe lots of things I mentioned are things you already think about. I have just noticed how little issues with piggies can all be connected or have a domino effect at times, so I wanted to talk about the big picture a little bit. Wish you and the little one all the best!

Heart Problems in Guinea Pigs
Signs to watch for include:

1. Labored breathing, wheezing, a “hooting” sound that may go away and later return
2. Reduced activity/deep sleeping
3. Pale or blueish gums
4. Necrotic ear margins (looks black on pink ears and white on black ears)

The Truth About Heart Problems in Guinea Pigs | Small Pet Select

 

[Shelley anne]

All the best! keep us updated.

 

[VickiA]

Necrotic ear margins can be a sign of a heart condition. See "signs to watch for" and a link to an article with more info.

Heart problems can be caused by lots of different things. It would be a good idea to ask your vet questions about heart conditions in guinea pigs, what types of tests can be done, types of medications and treatment plans available and what kind of supportive care you can provide for her at home.

Just a few of my own thoughts you could think about and consult with your vet about and maybe research on your own as well - If a guinea pig does have a heart issue, sometimes they are a bit less active. If they are less active, they may spend less time eating hay. If this happens, their teeth can grow longer than they should and eventually cause problems with eating. Not eating enough hay is also not good for their digestive health, which could leave her more prone to tummy issues which are a big deal for piggies. If she has easy access to hay and water and a warm cozy spot right beside it, that would be ideal. I have a senior piggy and I visit him and gently encourage him to eat hay by adding fresh little handfuls, keeping the area really clean and hand feeding him a few pieces to get the ball rolling. Also, depending on what your vet advises, I would think it's a good idea for her to have a chance to explore and exercise a little bit if she doesn't already. If she's out on the floor, you'd want to make sure to feel the floor with my hands and make sure there are no drafts down at her level. I always have a warm hiding spot, hay and water available during 'floor time'.

Sorry lots of little details there and don't mean to get off topic, maybe lots of things I mentioned are things you already think about. I have just noticed how little issues with piggies can all be connected or have a domino effect at times, so I wanted to talk about the big picture a little bit. Wish you and the little one all the best!

Heart Problems in Guinea Pigs
Signs to watch for include:

1. Labored breathing, wheezing, a “hooting” sound that may go away and later return
2. Reduced activity/deep sleeping
3. Pale or blueish gums
4. Necrotic ear margins (looks black on pink ears and white on black ears)

The Truth About Heart Problems in Guinea Pigs | Small Pet Select

Hello and welcome @wiggypig - thanks for such a detailed and considered response. Do you have experience of heart piggies? We have a limited number of members with piggies with heart problems so it's always good to know if there are other members with experience.

 

[Cassa202]

Necrotic ear margins can be a sign of a heart condition. See "signs to watch for" and a link to an article with more info.

Heart problems can be caused by lots of different things. It would be a good idea to ask your vet questions about heart conditions in guinea pigs, what types of tests can be done, types of medications and treatment plans available and what kind of supportive care you can provide for her at home.

Just a few of my own thoughts you could think about and consult with your vet about and maybe research on your own as well - If a guinea pig does have a heart issue, sometimes they are a bit less active. If they are less active, they may spend less time eating hay. If this happens, their teeth can grow longer than they should and eventually cause problems with eating. Not eating enough hay is also not good for their digestive health, which could leave her more prone to tummy issues which are a big deal for piggies. If she has easy access to hay and water and a warm cozy spot right beside it, that would be ideal. I have a senior piggy and I visit him and gently encourage him to eat hay by adding fresh little handfuls, keeping the area really clean and hand feeding him a few pieces to get the ball rolling. Also, depending on what your vet advises, I would think it's a good idea for her to have a chance to explore and exercise a little bit if she doesn't already. If she's out on the floor, you'd want to make sure to feel the floor with my hands and make sure there are no drafts down at her level. I always have a warm hiding spot, hay and water available during 'floor time'.

Sorry lots of little details there and don't mean to get off topic, maybe lots of things I mentioned are things you already think about. I have just noticed how little issues with piggies can all be connected or have a domino effect at times, so I wanted to talk about the big picture a little bit. Wish you and the little one all the best!

Heart Problems in Guinea Pigs
Signs to watch for include:

1. Labored breathing, wheezing, a “hooting” sound that may go away and later return
2. Reduced activity/deep sleeping
3. Pale or blueish gums
4. Necrotic ear margins (looks black on pink ears and white on black ears)

The Truth About Heart Problems in Guinea Pigs | Small Pet Select

Thank you very much for your very informative response, I greatly appreciate it :-) I got her into our guinea pig vet and he believes it's a blood circulation issue due to a gassy belly, he has advised me to add more of her oxbow pellets and reduce her veggie intake and increase her hay intake. Also gave me some cream to prevent a secondary infection of her ears. Due to the coronavirus i couldn't go into the consult with her so don't fully understand it.

 

[Siikibam]

Did he give her anything for the gassy belly? And how much pellets was she getting before? It sounds odd but I’m not knowledgable. Will tag @VickiA @Wiebke @PigglePuggle

 

[Cassa202]

Did he give her anything for the gassy belly? And how much pellets was she getting before? It sounds odd but I’m not knowledgable. Will tag @VickiA @Wiebke @PigglePuggle

Thank you for your response. No he didn't give her anything for her gassy belly. She was having a oaten chaff and pellet mix that we got from our local guinea pig refuge in which the vet said needs to be cut back and more oxbow pellets added. Thank you for tagging people as I'm only new here and don't know how to tag people:-)

 

[VickiA]

I am afraid I’m not going to be much help here in relation to the ears. I don’t have much experience of heart or circulatory issues. Bloat /gas/digestive issues I do have plenty of experience of. When you say she had a gassy belly, what symptoms did she have /does she have? Is she eating, drinking and pooping?

 

[Cassa202]

I am afraid I’m not going to be much help here in relation to the ears. I don’t have much experience of heart or circulatory issues. Bloat /gas/digestive issues I do have plenty of experience of. When you say she had a gassy belly, what symptoms did she have /does she have? Is she eating, drinking and pooping?

Thank you for your response. Little starr is drinking and pooping and eating lots of her grass and pellet mix, some of her hay however she isn't a huge eater of her veggies.

The vet just said that her belly was gassy and a bit hard but didn't say it was bloat, is there a difference between gassy and bloat?

 

[wiggypig]

@VickyA, Hi, thank you! I had a piggie named Bruno who had a few different health problems, a heart condition was never confirmed. While he was going through his health problems and having a very rough time, I did a bunch of reading online to learn more about symptoms I was seeing. That's when I learned the detail about ear margins being a red flag for heart related issues.

@Cassa202, glad to hear you have some advice and cream to go forward with. Hopefully there are staff at your vet clinic who would be willing to consult further over the phone and/or by email. My local vet has always been pretty good at taking my questions and having someone get back to me with some type of answer and/or advice.