Flaky Foot Skin

[Kymaero]

My younger boar's back feet have flaky skin, which I just noticed today. What do you think this could be?

Possible factors / hints:
- we just moved, and our new place is pretty dry
- his neighbor pig seems fine
- his front feet seem fine
- he's housed on fleece
- I change out his kitchen twice per day, and his pee pads (over a full Guineadad liner) every 2 days (or when I feel they're wet)

Location: South Korea

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

Please accept that we can only guess whether your piggy is suffering from dry skin or a fungal skin infection. We are neither vets nor have we got direct access to your guinea pig. Treatment by your vet should be according to what they think is the more likely.

 

[Kymaero]

Hi and welcome

Please accept that we can only guess whether your piggy is suffering from dry skin or a fungal skin infection. We are neither vets nor have we got direct access to your guinea pig. Treatment by your vet should be according to what they think is the more likely.

Thank you, I understand. It's just that it will be difficult to get to the vet before next weekend, and I was hoping there was something I can do for him in the meantime.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, I understand. It's just that it will be difficult to get to the vet before next weekend, and I was hoping there was something I can do for him in the meantime.

The problem is that if you treat on spec, it will make a diagnosis near impossible. Unfortunately, the timing is very awkward.

If you treat with a very thin layer of mild 1% althlete's foot cream (human anti-fungal cream), it may make the dry skin worse whereas if you treat with a very thin layer of a very mild skin cream, it can disguise the fungal without curing it. If you really want to treat on spec, you have to be aware of that.

You can try humidifying the air but that may promote any fungal... You can see why I am so cautious with any advice?

 

[Kymaero]

The problem is that if you treat on spec, it will make a diagnosis near impossible. Unfortunately, the timing is very awkward.

If you treat with a very thin layer of mild 1% althlete's foot cream (human anti-fungal cream), it may make the dry skin worse whereas if you treat with a very thin layer of a very mild skin cream, it can disguise the fungal without curing it. If you really want to treat on spec, you have to be aware of that.

You can try humidifying the air but that may promote any fungal... You can see why I am so cautious with any advice?

Okay, got it, thank you. I'll get him in to the vet when I can.