Guinea Pig Moulting

[Gem789]

Hi everyone, just wondered if Guinea pigs malt at certain times of the year as my 3 year old female is malting a lot towards the back of her body and she never has before.

 

[Swissgreys]

Two of ours are loosing hair at the moment, but it is pretty evenly from all over their bodies - not huge patches or in one location.

How does her skin look around the area she is loosing hair?
Is it dry or red?
Is she scratching a lot?
How does she seem within herself.

It could just be a normal coat shedding, but it might be due to an underlying skin condition so best to have a really good look at her skin.

It could also be hormonal, in which case she would need to see a vet, but I am sure someone who knows more about this than me will be along shortly with some good suggestions.

 

[Gem789]

Two of ours are loosing hair at the moment, but it is pretty evenly from all over their bodies - not huge patches or in one location.

How does her skin look around the area she is loosing hair?
Is it dry or red?
Is she scratching a lot?
How does she seem within herself.

It could just be a normal coat shedding, but it might be due to an underlying skin condition so best to have a really good look at her skin.

It could also be hormonal, in which case she would need to see a vet, but I am sure someone who knows more about this than me will be along shortly with some good suggestions.

Thanks for your reply.She seems ok in herself and I did try looking at her skin, it didn't look red or anything.I'll have another look though.

 

[Wiebke]

Some guinea pigs moult, especially during weather spikes/seasonal changes, others don't do it much.
You should see an even loss of hair without any bald patches, scales or signs of inflamed skin, and no increased itching. Give your moutling piggies a regular daily brush during that time, even short-haired ones.

 

[Gem789]

Some guinea pigs moult, especially during weather spikes/seasonal changes, others don't do it much.
You should see an even loss of hair without any bald patches, scales or signs of inflamed skin, and no increased itching. Give your moutling piggies a regular daily brush during that time, even short-haired ones.

I checked her skin earlier and she squeaked when I did.It doesn't look red but looks like she has dandruff on her skin.

 

[Freela]

It sounds like there may be some sort of fungal skin issue going on if the skin is flaky and there is hair loss. I would definitely see a vet for a proper diagnosis and meds to treat. Sundae once had a fungal skin infection on her back legs and lower tummy and ended up almost bald there, but a medicated shampoo fixed her up!

 

[Wiebke]

I checked her skin earlier and she squeaked when I did.It doesn't look red but looks like she has dandruff on her skin.

In that case, it may be worth having her checked by a vet. The warm and humid summer weather is an ideal breeding ground for fungal complaints.

 

[Gem789]

In that case, it may be worth having her checked by a vet. The warm and humid summer weather is an ideal breeding ground for fungal complaints.

Ok thank you, I'll get her an appointment.

 

[Gem789]

It sounds like there may be some sort of fungal skin issue going on if the skin is flaky and there is hair loss. I would definitely see a vet for a proper diagnosis and meds to treat. Sundae once had a fungal skin infection on her back legs and lower tummy and ended up almost bald there, but a medicated shampoo fixed her up!

Thanks for your reply.I'm gonna get her an appointment at the vet x

 

[Wiebke]

It is hopefully nothing, but better making sure.