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Fungal and washing bedding

I didn’t realise how thick his hair was until he was washed! It’s more dense than long? Fozzy is now a lush fluff ball! I used your fantastic guide when washing them. You’re a god send x

Just give him time to dry off on his own at this time of year; ideally during the day when it is warmer. Some piggies have lots of hair and others have a comparatively much thinner coat. Some have hairs that act like a sponge. Even a little fleece blanket with a tunnel 'entrance' to snuggle underneath on the freshly made up cage floor can help with keeping them cosy while they dry - as long as you wash and dry that fleece before the next bathing /cage cleaning round or you have a couple that you can switch as it could have a spore stuck to it.

But I am glad that our practical and moral support is helping you get through this. There are always so many little questions that come up when you actually go through it that are not necessarily obvious. It also helps that we have this member resource of practical experiences so we know what works and what does less so thanks to the detailed feedback we are getting - which then goes into our guides. It is a mutual ongoing learning process; for me and the other member recruited mods as much as our new and longer term members.

We have got likely by now the most extensive resource of information on all kinds of subjects; it is a mix of very practical how-to advice and some more in-depth information. The guides format allows us to update and extend our information resource. It is still very much a work in progress.
Here is the access link for bookmarking, browsing, reading and re-reading at need. Often you pick up on different things at different levels of experience: Comprehensive Owners' Practical and Supportive Information Collection
 
I think Bramble's is definitely a sponge! He had a little bit of wet on his nose this morning, I am trying to tell myself he had sneezed or something in his nostril! I think I need to read your anxiety section again?

Oh I can guarantee that everything has been through the washer on 60, it has never stopped for days ha ha!

I have had piggies for over 25 years and I can tell you that I have learnt more in the last 2 than in the other 23! The guides are massively helpful to everyone and your input. Know you must be so busy as well so thanks for taking the time to reply x
 
Hi

Just wondering how you are getting on with your ringworm battle?
 
Hi

Just wondering how you are getting on with your ringworm battle?
Hi Wiebke, so sorry that I didn't see this on Friday.

They had another bath etc on Friday night. Not sure if it is looking any better or not? How long does the hair take to grow back? I haven't had the results back from the samples that they sent away yet, think they're due Thursday?

Hope you are well? x
 
Hi Wiebke, so sorry that I didn't see this on Friday.

They had another bath etc on Friday night. Not sure if it is looking any better or not? How long does the hair take to grow back? I haven't had the results back from the samples that they sent away yet, think they're due Thursday?

Hope you are well? x

Hi

Hair will only start to grow back once the acute ringworm has stopped; from the centre outwards in the same rhythm it has fallen out as the patch has expanded. It takes about a month in a shorthair piggy to grow back full; longer in long-haired piggies.

Have a look at the last chapter of the ringworm guide. Just hang on in there and try not to jump any hurdles too fast. You will get there. You just can't hurry things on. :tu:

Thank you. Hub has passed on his nasty cold to me, which is not quite ideal but my newly widowed 6 years old Macsen has finally returned home and is now living with two 5 years old sows who are enjoying having more peace and not being food-mugged by Melangell anymore. I bonded them on Saturday. ;)
 
Hi

Hair will only start to grow back once the acute ringworm has stopped; from the centre outwards in the same rhythm it has fallen out as the patch has expanded. It takes about a month in a shorthair piggy to grow back full; longer in long-haired piggies.

Have a look at the last chapter of the ringworm guide. Just hang on in there and try not to jump any hurdles too fast. You will get there. You just can't hurry things on. :tu:

Thank you. Hub has passed on his nasty cold to me, which is not quite ideal but my newly widowed 6 years old Macsen has finally returned home and is now living with two 5 years old sows who are enjoying having more peace and not being food-mugged by Melangell anymore. I bonded them on Saturday. ;)
To be honest I am feeling sceptical about if it all fungal? His feet and ears looked fungally but the sides don't have that crusty look about them? His feet do look a lot less white now so that is good!

No we won't, just going to keep on with everything. Only one set of the liners has shrunk a little width wise so that is not too bad!

Oh no, they're so "kind" like that aren't they? I hope that you get over it quickly! Do you think the piggies can catch colds from us? I've heard differing opinions? I have been wearing a face mask when I have one but didn't know if I was daft for doing it?

Aww sounds like a good match? You are such a good piggie mam x
 
To be honest I am feeling sceptical about if it all fungal? His feet and ears looked fungally but the sides don't have that crusty look about them? His feet do look a lot less white now so that is good!

No we won't, just going to keep on with everything. Only one set of the liners has shrunk a little width wise so that is not too bad!

Oh no, they're so "kind" like that aren't they? I hope that you get over it quickly! Do you think the piggies can catch colds from us? I've heard differing opinions? I have been wearing a face mask when I have one but didn't know if I was daft for doing it?

Aww sounds like a good match? You are such a good piggie mam x

Hi

Normal colds are usually not a problem. Otherwise there is only episodal evidence that they can catch a nastier cold/flu-like symptoms bug from us but there is no hard evidence.

Common sense and good hygiene with regular hand washing before feeding and medicating, wearing a mask if needed and not kissing and cuddling your piggies while you are acutely ill and infectious usually does the trick.

This guide here deals with all kinds of questions around transmission between species and care during an owner illness/suppressed immune system if you are interested: Contagion - Inter-species Transmission and Pet Care During Owner Illness/Pregnancy (incl. Covid)

PS: The sides could be something else if ringworm treatment doesn't work on them. But that is the next step for you and your vet. You can do only one thing at any time. It is good that the ringworm on the feet is responding to the treatment.
 
Hi

Normal colds are usually not a problem. Otherwise there is only episodal evidence that they can catch a nastier cold/flu-like symptoms bug from us but there is no hard evidence.

Common sense and good hygiene with regular hand washing before feeding and medicating, wearing a mask if needed and not kissing and cuddling your piggies while you are acutely ill and infectious usually does the trick.

This guide here deals with all kinds of questions around transmission between species and care during an owner illness/suppressed immune system if you are interested: Contagion - Inter-species Transmission and Pet Care During Owner Illness/Pregnancy (incl. Covid)

PS: The sides could be something else if ringworm treatment doesn't work on them. But that is the next step for you and your vet. You can do only one thing at any time. It is good that the ringworm on the feet is responding to the treatment.
Hi again, hope everyone is well? Sorry I haven't been in touch, have so much going on that I feel like I am going to crack! We have just heard back from the vets and Fozzy has tested positive for Microsporum which I believe is the least common fungal? They have advised using the itrafungol but have basically said to me that it will kill him? I know you have mostly had positive experiences with it in the past? My head is so mixed up with everything. I have asked at the minute if we can continue on with the washing and disinfecting as this is the 1st time that we have done this to try and get rid of the fungal. To top things off Bramble has lost weight but is now stable (just giving him a little bit of critical care morning and night with some fibreplex in as its the only way he will have it) and we're not sure if it is the stress of the washes or if he has something else going on? I got him straight in at the vets to be checked over and they found nothing other than an eye issue which I brought up. They have popped him on metacam just in case! Sorry to go off topic but just so you know where we are at! I do feel like the washes are making a difference on his sides and as I have already said his feet look normal now. Sorry just needed to unload x
 
Hi again, hope everyone is well? Sorry I haven't been in touch, have so much going on that I feel like I am going to crack! We have just heard back from the vets and Fozzy has tested positive for Microsporum which I believe is the least common fungal? They have advised using the itrafungol but have basically said to me that it will kill him? I know you have mostly had positive experiences with it in the past? My head is so mixed up with everything. I have asked at the minute if we can continue on with the washing and disinfecting as this is the 1st time that we have done this to try and get rid of the fungal. To top things off Bramble has lost weight but is now stable (just giving him a little bit of critical care morning and night with some fibreplex in as its the only way he will have it) and we're not sure if it is the stress of the washes or if he has something else going on? I got him straight in at the vets to be checked over and they found nothing other than an eye issue which I brought up. They have popped him on metacam just in case! Sorry to go off topic but just so you know where we are at! I do feel like the washes are making a difference on his sides and as I have already said his feet look normal now. Sorry just needed to unload x

BIG HUGS
Ringworm is normally caused by trichophyton mentagrophytes but in rare cases it can be caused by microsporum canis - canis is the latin word for dog.

Our forum (and my repeated personal) experience with itrafungol is generally positive; you can do a forum search via the search button by the extended top bar to check for yourself if you feel that this would help to ease your mind? Make a slash for every positive and every negative outcome you come across and then if necessary show the result to your vet.

My Barri would have certainly not had nearly 5 years of a happy 'husboar' life with me (and lived to coming up to 6 years) if he had not been treated orally with itrafungol by the second vet (the one he was surrendered to after the first vet wanted to euthanise him straight away). His was probably the most dramatic case. I adopted him from a guinea pig sanctuary after he was healed. Personally, I would call that a normal life span... despite a full course of itrafungol when he was ca. 9-10 months old. He was treated at the Cat & Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton, which specialises in cats, rabbits and guinea pigs and therefore sees plenty of piggies from all over the country - more in a week than most exotics in a month and most general vets in a year.
Here is my tribute to Barri from 2022: Adieu, Barri

What I don't know is whether your vet is convinced that itrafungol as an oral treatment is lethal for guinea pigs or that microsporum canis doesn't react as well to itrafungol? From what you are saying, the first seems to be the case and not the second?
 
BIG HUGS
Ringworm is normally caused by trichophyton mentagrophytes but in rare cases it can be caused by microsporum canis - canis is the latin word for dog.

Our forum (and my repeated personal) experience with itrafungol is generally positive; you can do a forum search via the search button by the extended top bar to check for yourself if you feel that this would help to ease your mind? Make a slash for every positive and every negative outcome you come across and then if necessary show the result to your vet.

My Barri would have certainly not had nearly 5 years of a happy 'husboar' life with me (and lived to coming up to 6 years) if he had not been treated orally with itrafungol by the second vet (the one he was surrendered to after the first vet wanted to euthanise him straight away). His was probably the most dramatic case. I adopted him from a guinea pig sanctuary after he was healed. Personally, I would call that a normal life span... despite a full course of itrafungol when he was ca. 9-10 months old. He was treated at the Cat & Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton, which specialises in cats, rabbits and guinea pigs and therefore sees plenty of piggies from all over the country - more in a week than most exotics in a month and most general vets in a year.
Here is my tribute to Barri from 2022: Adieu, Barri

What I don't know is whether your vet is convinced that itrafungol as an oral treatment is lethal for guinea pigs or that microsporum canis doesn't react as well to itrafungol? From what you are saying, the first seems to be the case and not the second?
Thanks @Wiebke and @piggieminder for your help and experience. I will definitely look into this. Wish we were nearby to Cat & Rabbit Clinic.

Guessing his original fungal came from dogs? I know the rescue stopped using this breeder afterwards. Suppose I can't turn back the clock anyway.

Yes the vet is definitely more worried that it will wreck his liver and kill him?
 
Thanks @Wiebke and @piggieminder for your help and experience. I will definitely look into this. Wish we were nearby to Cat & Rabbit Clinic.

Guessing his original fungal came from dogs? I know the rescue stopped using this breeder afterwards. Suppose I can't turn back the clock anyway.

Yes the vet is definitely more worried that it will wreck his liver and kill him?

There may be the possibility of a transmission but it can only ever be idle speculation.


Can I just say that none of my own piggies on itrafungol has ever died of suspected kidney or liver failure? And that we haven't got a trail of dead piggies after itrafungol use on this forum?

If your vet has concerns, he is welcome to give the Cat & Rabbit Care Clinic a call and ask to speak with Simon or Kim Maddock, who have first hand experience in its use since it became used for guinea pigs. In fact, my Ceri (2009-14) was the first 'tester' piggy for Simon as the normal treatments couldn't stop her ringworm patch due to her being found to have heart arrhythmia. But a course of itrafungol did stop it and Ceri lived for another two years and made it through a make or break emergency operation with a silent rabbit-sized bladder stone (which is now in Simon's collection) at just 520g (down from 750g) in November 2013. She died from acute bloat.

If you want more first-hand confirmation to show your vet, you can start a thread in this section asking forum members for their own experiences with itrafungol which go back about 13-14 years now.
 
Thanks so much, that has really helped me. I am continuing with the washing regime for now as it is looking better in parts.

I will suggest that they contact them if they are reluctant still if it hasn't gone? Wow sounds like little Ceri was a fighter! What a girl!

I really do appreciate your experience and support, it means more than you know!
 
My 7 year old boar had itrafungol 2 years ago for oral thrush. He had lost 100g+, was hardly eating and drooling badly due to the oral pain; Kim at Cat & Rabbit thought I might well need to be looking at pts because he was so weak. However despite that, not only did the Itrafungol not kill him, it started to help him almost instantaneously - that evening he ate on his own some seedy hay and veg strips, and the next morning he sat on my lap for an hour munching his way through a pile of grass. It was almost miraculous ...
 
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