Hello, my guinea pigs are about 2-3 months old and we got them not too long ago. I started noticing that one guinea pigs was losing hair from his left eye, and the other guinea pig has what seems to be a dry irritated area around his private genitals. I'm not sure what it is and I was looking to see if I could have a better understanding if someone on here could clarify. Has this happened to anyone else's guinea pigs? We are going to take them to the vet soon but we do not have enough money. Are there any home remedies anyone has tried? My best guess is that they both have a fungal infection. We got them from petsmart and their guinea pigs ended up having upper respiratory infections and other things. They do not care for the guinea pigs nor do they know how to take care of them. HELP! I don't want my piggies to suffer even more.
-
Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement
Guinea Pigs Losing Hair: Emergengy
- Thread starter Arieana
- Start date
- Status
Welcome to the Forum.
I am sorry to hear your guinea pigs are not well.
It does sound like they have a fungal infection, but of course only a vet can diagnose this.
Please do not try and use home remedies before they see a vet - this can make the problem much harder to diagnose properly.
If they came from Petsmart then depending on how long you have had them the pet shop may be prepared to help pay the bill if it looks like they were already ill when they came to you.
But the most important thing is to have them see a vet as soon as possible.
The longer they are ill the harder it will be to treat.
Plus some fungal infections can be spread to humans so make sure you practice good hygine when you handle them.
Good luck - I hope it is sorted soon.
I am sorry to hear your guinea pigs are not well.
It does sound like they have a fungal infection, but of course only a vet can diagnose this.
Please do not try and use home remedies before they see a vet - this can make the problem much harder to diagnose properly.
If they came from Petsmart then depending on how long you have had them the pet shop may be prepared to help pay the bill if it looks like they were already ill when they came to you.
But the most important thing is to have them see a vet as soon as possible.
The longer they are ill the harder it will be to treat.
Plus some fungal infections can be spread to humans so make sure you practice good hygine when you handle them.
Good luck - I hope it is sorted soon.
Hello and welcome to the forum
With Swissgreys that you need to take them to a vet for proper diagnosis and treatment. It does sound like it could be fungal but only the vet can give a formal diagnosis and treatment.
With Swissgreys that you need to take them to a vet for proper diagnosis and treatment. It does sound like it could be fungal but only the vet can give a formal diagnosis and treatment.
TAN
Adult Guinea Pig
As above it could be fungal or possibly mites - but only a vet can diagnose correctly and treating with an over the counter remedy when you are not positive for what you are treating can make things much worse - I would ring round the vets in your locality and ask the cost of treating a guinea pig, as costs can very and it shouldn't cost very much for a consultation - cheaper than a consultation for a cat or dog for example - if you could put your location on your profile it might help us direct you to vets near you (if you are in the uk )
Hi! It sounds like ringworm, but it would be good if you got a vet diagnosis and did not treat on spec, especially not with cheap and low dosed shop products which can make things worse instead of better.
Have you considered complaining to pet smart for selling "damaged ware" and getting them to pay for any vet and treatment cost for issues that have clearly come with them from the shop?
The period between infection and outbreak of ringworm is 10-14 days.
Please be aware that ringworm is the most infectious issue that can be transmitted between all mammals, including humans and other species pets. You have to be very careful when handling your guinea pigs in order to not infect yourself and others that you accidentally bring in contact with fungal spores you carry across. It is well worth splashing out on a good quality anti-fungal disinfectant; you can find a recommended US brand in our guide together on how to prevent the ringworm from becoming a real problem. If you have children, please keep them away from your guinea pigs until they are healed. you will need to treat all guinea pigs in contact with an infected piggy to prevent them coming down with it as well.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures
Guinea Lynx :: Fungus (with US products)
Here is a link to recommended vets for each US state: Veterinarians - The GLX-Files
Vets in the US are unfortunately very expensive; vet cost make the highest part of your lifelong budget when having a pet (buying cost are unfortunately the cheapest!) it would be good if you could set aside an amount of money each week towards a vet fund, so you can afford care in an emergency - and illness NEVER happens at a convenient time!
Here is more information for new owners, which you will find helpful: New Owners' " How To" Starter Kit
You can help us a lot if you please added your state an country to your details, so it appears underneath your username in every post you make. We have members from all around the world and very different climates, backgrounds, vet/rescue access and brand availabilities. Please click on your username at the top, then go to personal details and scroll down to location to allow us to tailor any advice straight for what is relevant for you. Thank you!
It definitely looks fungal to me. However, you will still need to get a safe anti-fungal from a vet. Wash your hands really well after handling, as some fungi (like ringworm) are contagious across species, so you could potentially catch it from your pigs.
I agree that it could be fungal, and it looks quite severe so they really need to see a vet as soon as possible.
Wiebke has given some great advice on how to help stop it spreading until it is treated properly.
I hope you can get them sorted soon - they look like sweet little piggies.
Wiebke has given some great advice on how to help stop it spreading until it is treated properly.
I hope you can get them sorted soon - they look like sweet little piggies.
- Status