Fungal issues- advice please

[hellsbells82]

Hiya,

My two little piggies have had fungal ear since they went into the rescue 4 weeks ago, they've been having canesten on it and it appears to clear, but within a couple of days of stopping it reoccurs, Dinky has also had a bald patch on his back, the skin looks ok and the hair isn't loose, and he isn't scratching but he's been having canesten as a precaution- but if anything I think the patch has got bigger.

Anyway, yesterday I bought some Daktarin to try instead as have read it's better, and when applying it felt a bit of rough skin near Dinky's grease gland, I pulled the hair a little and a chunk of hair and skin came away, it was flaky and looks fungal, I then found a little bald spot on his testicle too, he's in with Charlie and he looks ok, apart from I found a new tiny bit on the inside of his ear.

I'd already got some gorgeous guineas neem melt and manuka shamoo from my other boys, so have just put the melt on and am going to wash it off in a minute and try and see if I can remove any more loose hair, but am concerned about their cage etc, I know guinea lynx says to soak in a dilute bleach solution, but what about their fleece/cosies/wooden hut etc, I know fungal spores aren't removed in a normal wash but remember a doctor once telling me that ironing did- so would their soft bedding be ok if ironed? I just don't want to take any chances with them.

Any advice welcome- if no noticeable improvement in a couple of days am going to see the vet anyway.

 

[clairelove]

have they been treated wiht ivermectin ? for mites? its worth treating them for this and also ask your vet for malaseb shampoo it works fab, dont use hibiscrub if this is what the vet gives you if Farr to strong for the skin and can cause more skin trouble.

malaseb needs 3 treatments approx but i noticed after the 1st treatment a big improvement...

regarding the cage can you get some virkon tablets disinfectant to clean the cage as it kills 99.9% of fungal spurrs.

wash all bedding blankets etc on a 90 wash.

regarding the canesten cream this needs to be continued for 2wks after the signs have gone and you also need to bath them every week in Nizoral shampoo used in humans for around 4 wks too, and the canestan needs to be applied 2-3 times a day and 2 wks after signs have gonexxx

 

[hellsbells82]

I think Jo said she'd bathed them with vet-sect, and treated them for ear mites they're not scratching at all, and there is white "bloom" in the areas which is what makes me think it's fungal.

That's really helpful regarding washing the bedding etc, I was wondering whether just to bin it all.

 

[hellsbells82]

In actual fact I think I'll just call the vets now and make an appointment, no point taking any chances (although they were seen by a vet 2 weeks ago for a check over who didn't have any concerns, but their ears looked ok then and Dinky's bald spot could have been due to stress etc)

 

[hellsbells82]

Well I can't get into my local vet's before monday anyway, so have done them in the manuka and neem shampoo after a neem melt, and all their bedding is currently in on 90 degrees and the plastic stuff soaking in a dilute bleach solution, had a good go over both of them whilst wet and the rest of their skin looks ok apart from the little spots I found yesterday, and there is actually some short regrowth on Dinky's back so maybe the canesten is working ok on there after all.

 

[zarapiggie]

i use pure neem oil. bath them with some human lice shampoo then mix some neem oil in warm water rub it through there coat leave in for 3 days then bath again in lice shampoo. works everytime for me. be warned though theyll smell like chinease takeaway! hope that helps

 

[bramleycaviesrescue]

My advice would be to use the caneaston cream for athletes foot, the dual action one.
Day 1- treat with ivermectin
Day 2- apply the canaestan cream
Day 3- Cream again
Day 4- Bath with sporal-D shampoo
Day 5, 6 and 7 cream.

Then repeat the whole process in the second week.

The 3rd week just treat with ivomectin and bath with sporal D shampoo 3 days later.

This is what we always do in the rescue and so far have been successful in treating every case. I have asked a vet wether this is appropriate course of treatment and he does agree.

Hope that helps (BTW I swear by Sporal-D shampoo for any fungal, and skin problems it is by the the best in my opinion)
Helen x

Helen

 

[Furries]

I have used Nizoral shampoo when my gps had fungal, but I would probably now use organic cider vinegar.

Fungi cannot survive in an acid environment (vinegar is an acid) and therefore neat organic cider vinegar is likely to quickly kill the fungus without damaging the skin. It would sting on any open sores though, but it is also a disinfectant. (I had a terrible case of ringworm myself and I noticed a huge improvement within the first day of using cider vinegar and it cleared it up in no time - far quicker than commercial creams.)

Do definitely treat for mites as well (I have had great success with Peter Gurney's essential oil mix). http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/skinp.htm

 

[hellsbells82]

Thanks all, the neem melt I use is made from neem oil, I just had a look at the PG link and I also have all the essential oils from the mix mentioned there, as well as cider vinegar, but obviously don't want to overload them by trying too many things at once.

Bramley- the ivermectin has to be done at the vets doesn't it?

 

[bramleycaviesrescue]

Thanks all, the neem melt I use is made from neem oil, I just had a look at the PG link and I also have all the essential oils from the mix mentioned there, as well as cider vinegar, but obviously don't want to overload them by trying too many things at once.

Bramley- the ivermectin has to be done at the vets doesn't it?

No you can buy it from ebay:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IVERMECTIN-0-...?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Birds&hash=item2a0cabc59c

We dont use this one we use one which goes into the mouth but this is one is fine to use (we do use occasionally just not our regular one). You can then treat as a preventative too as it will last a long time for one piggie.
Just weigh your piggie and it tells you how much you should put on. It is usually 2 drops on the back of the neck.

HTH
Helen x

 

[hellsbells82]

No you can buy it from ebay:-
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/IVERMECTIN-0-...?pt=UK_Pet_Supplies_Birds&hash=item2a0cabc59c

We dont use this one we use one which goes into the mouth but this is one is fine to use (we do use occasionally just not our regular one). You can then treat as a preventative too as it will last a long time for one piggie.
Just weigh your piggie and it tells you how much you should put on. It is usually 2 drops on the back of the neck.

HTH
Helen x

oohh brilliant thanks, didn't know you could buy it, may as well do all 4 boys to be on the safe side

 

[Lady Kelly]

Thanks for this thread, highly useful. I have just purchased Ivermectin and Sporal D shampoo. The plan is to go to the vets tomorrow (if my tesco delivery turns up more towards the 7am than 7pm point) anyway but thought it would be best to get some on the safe side and do what I can.

Do I need to disinfect the housing (wooden?) and if so any tips on how to do this?

 

[flintstones]

I would use Easimec on Guinea pigs as it's licensed and topical plus cheaper .

http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Easimec-Ivermectin-05-10ml/productinfo/IVE1

 

[flintstones]

Thanks for this thread, highly useful. I have just purchased Ivermectin and Sporal D shampoo. The plan is to go to the vets tomorrow (if my tesco delivery turns up more towards the 7am than 7pm point) anyway but thought it would be best to get some on the safe side and do what I can.

Do I need to disinfect the housing (wooden?) and if so any tips on how to do this?

If its fungal, I would bin the wooden house, as Fungal spores can live for years in wood. Later the fungal spores could reinfect your pigs.

 

[bramleycaviesrescue]

Thanks for this thread, highly useful. I have just purchased Ivermectin and Sporal D shampoo. The plan is to go to the vets tomorrow (if my tesco delivery turns up more towards the 7am than 7pm point) anyway but thought it would be best to get some on the safe side and do what I can.

Do I need to disinfect the housing (wooden?) and if so any tips on how to do this?

The only 2 disinfectants i would recommend which do kill fungal spores are formula h and pet virkon. I personally use formula h as I do find virkon to be very expensive although it is excellent stuff.
A good soaking in disinfectant (one of the above) and let it totally dry and then spray it again with disinfectant should do the trick, otherwise I would just bin it.
Helen x

 

[Pebble]

I had ringworm in outdoor piggies with wooden hutches: you can write off the hutches if you want..or you can "recliam" them..this is what I did and it worked with no further complications:

CLEANING WOODEN CAGES
1: hoover out all dust (and dispose of bag very carefullly)
2: flood in bleach (10%) ..apply with plant spray bottle - works well.....then scrub with kitchen utensil brush in every corner
3. Rinse thoroughly with spray hosepipe inside
4. Re-soak/scrub with Trigene (it MUST be Trigene...not Virkon or others) applied from spray bottle...allow to soak for 10 mins before rinsing
5. Rinse with hose
6. Allow to dry in the sun (important for UV rays which are in themselves disinfectant)

The above is Complete overkill...but if it works you have saved yourself the problem and expense of buying new cages...(and it worked for me)

SYSTEMIC TREATMENT FOR ANIMALS
all piggies were given griseofulvin for two weeks....with no further probs. (NB this is harsh drastic action...but it worked at the time)
Vets more likely to consider itrafungol these days and I concur

SPOT TREATMENT FOR ANIMALS
For the "odd" Piggy in a herd:

• For open/bleeding spot wounds...spray with Savlon iodine dry antispectic spray (antifungal)

• If White fluffy patches.....apply micanozole spray or Savlon...and consider taking to vet before you treat.

Be VERY careful about Canestan..some preparations have steroids in ...and it is very prone to causing skin allergies (especially on sensitive male bits and that includes piggies and humans alike)
(My vet and I discussed using canestan only 48hours ago..... on Bandits stinky willy >>>. We have now agreed it is better to use micanozole spray.

OTHER ALTERNATIVES
You can bathe in Nizoral (works well for small possible fungal issues)..or go for Sporal D shampoo....or Imaverol dip (products listed in order of harshness/severity)


DISINFECTANT - NB For fungal I use Trigene (animal version)...NOT Virkon or others

I'm sorry, it's late and I've had a rather brain bashing last 48 hours........so I haven;t read all the rest of the posts and therefore can;t put my contribution into a treatment plan relative/reference to the rest of the posts tonight - however happy to have a conflab on this tomoz if you want to PM me

x