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Hair Loss On Teddy

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Kirsty

Kirsty

Junior Guinea Pig
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image.webp Hiya so I recenty brought two new baby guinea pigs, there are only 6 weeks old, but I've noticed that buttons has hair loss on his nose and just feels abit scabby in some areas! I no that teddy guinea pigs do tend to get dry skin but I just want any suggestions to whether this is deffo dry skin...
 
This looks like ringworm or some other fungal to me (difficult to distinguish with the dark skin). Ringworm is unfortunately quite common in newly bought piggies. Please see a vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Use good hygiene, as ringworm is highly transmittable across mammal species (including humans). If it is within two weeks of buying from apet shop, you should be able to complain and claim the vet cost back from the shop.

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/ringworm-hygiene-and-pictures.115402/
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/pages/guinea-pig-rescue-locator/
 
Oh gosh now I am worried :( I'm so glad I posted as the lady I brought them off said it was dry skin as he was a teddy, buttons himself is completely acting like a baby pig would! So glad I am catching it at this time.. I didn't get him from a pet shop unfortunately :(
 
Kirsty said:
Oh gosh now I am worried :( I'm so glad I posted as the lady I brought them off said it was dry skin as he was a teddy, buttons himself is completely acting like a baby pig would! So glad I am catching it at this time.. I didn't get him from a pet shop unfortunately :(
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It is amazing how many backyard breeder's piggies' "dry skin" problems turn out to be untreated/undertreated ringworm or mites. Never buy a piggy with bald hair patches or "dry skin" issues - it is a surefire sign that the place is not up to scratch! :( :( :(
 
She was a lovely woman and did seem to love the guinea pigs but where she had a lot of them i can imagine it being easy to catch things off eachother, I've just researched about it and a pet website has said

"Ringworm infection will usually resolve on its own if you are taking good care of your guinea pig and keeping its cage or tank clean and sanitary. "

Vet fees are so expensive so I don't want to go unless it's completely necessary which then of cause I will without a doubt, is there anyway of treating it myself?
 
Kirsty said:
She was a lovely woman and did seem to love the guinea pigs but where she had a lot of them i can imagine it being easy to catch things off eachother, I've just researched about it and a pet website has said

"Ringworm infection will usually resolve on its own if you are taking good care of your guinea pig and keeping its cage or tank clean and sanitary. "

Vet fees are so expensive so I don't want to go unless it's completely necessary which then of cause I will without a doubt, is there anyway of treating it myself?
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Ringworm is very painful itch; if you ever caught it from one of your pets, you'd know that for a fact! Please be aware that according to the law, you are responsible to provide adequate vet care for any pet you own and that you can be prosecuted for withholding it.

Ringworm is unfortunately not something you should take lightly. As with all skin problems, you should not treat it on spec unless you know exactly what you are dealing with and doing; you can easily make things worse than better. When undertreated, it can come back. It is also by far the most transmittable fungus and ringworm spores (of which there are thousands) can stay active for up to 18 months.

I have been through it with 16 piggies of my own. It was a proper nightmare to keep it from spreading and returning with all the disinfecting and baths. And yes, at some point I picked it up myself despite being very cautious, just from absentmindedly touching my neck once. It was a pretty unpleasant experience, to say the least!

People may come across as nice, but that doesn't say anything about the care they provide, especially when it comes to spending money on good quality medical care. In the end, it is the animals that suffer because they can't complain, as well as the buyers who can't spot the subtle danger signs.
 
Ok so I would never ever not treat my guinea pigs if they were I'll, I'm quite offended by that last message.

My guinea pigs are the most loved and spoilt of all guinea pigs and I was just simply saying if there is a way of treating it without spending £30 on just a consultation to see a vet then that would be great. I would also like to add I only got them yesterday and have straight away been dealing with it, I brouht them off her knowing in my own head that I was going to treat him as I didn't believe it was dry skin either, but I would rather take him home with me so I can make sure he gets better rather then leave him with someone that thinks it's 'just dry skin'

I thank you for your advice and it has been noted and I will of cause deal with it at whatever cost. I was just enquiring as vet sites have said that it will more likely clear up on its own.
 
I am sorry if you feel offended, but sadly, we are seeing our fair share of piggies in an advanced bad state from home treating on spec with inadequate products on here. You can find product recommendations in our ringworm guide. I would still recommend to get get a vet diagnosis though.

And I would certainly not subscribe that it will clear out on its own without causing a fair amount of discomfort to the piggy - or any other pets you may have in your household. I am frankly upset with those vet recommendations, having seen firsthand what havoc ringworm can cause and how quickly it is passed onto humans, cats or dogs. We have several members with children, who caught it from cuddling new piggies. None of the vets I have been seeing has ever taken ringworm lightly. It can be got on top of with the right products pretty easily, but it is not to be underestimated. :(

Please be also aware that we cannot diagnose safely via the internet nor do we support home treating on spec (see the top of this section). I can only tell you that your picture looks like some kind of fungal to me, likely ringworm, and that you'd best get confirmation of that by a vet who can have a proper look at the piggy in question.
 
I completely agree with you, I would never ever want him to be in any discomfort and it saddens me that so many Guinea pigs can develop this and as you say people brush it off as dry skin. It's crazy!

I was equally shocked when I read 'normally goes away on its own' I would never take that risk anyway, I have brought of the gorgeous guineas site a cream that is designed to help fungal infections and states as an example ring worm, it is safe to use on babies also, the reviews on it are excellent. I will try this for a couple days and if no signs of improvement I can assure you buttons will be going straight to the vets, poor little devil, one thing I will ask biscuit who I brouhht at the same time they live together happily and it does state that I should seperated him away from biscuit for a while until it's better but I'm worried as its a new surrounding ect as I only got them yesterday and I wouldn't want to distress them further by separating them if you understand my little predicament, biscuit has been itching also so I have been thinking to treat them both anyway?
 
I dont think Wiebke was trying to upset you, just trying to get across how nasty and contagious ringworm is.
If you look though older posts on here you will see just how often breeders tell people that its dry skin and that owners have court ringworm from piggys
It does look like ringworm. Please take both piggy's to the vet, for their well being and yours. Xx
 
Yes it looks like a fungal infection, and it's refreshing to see people recommending you see a vet! Often on forums people will advise human remedies, which are often totally unsuitable, especially around the eye
 
Of cause I have brought gorgeous guineas lotion for fungal infections and it's suitable for baby pigs I will try that for couple days and then take him to the vets straight away :) if anyone else has tried it can you please let me no if it worked for them? thanks :)
 
Treating fungal like ringworm can be a very long drawn out & costly process :( As I see it you have 2 options here; either return them to the breeder & ask her to get them treated by a vet at which point you will come back & collect them after treatment or you will have to take them to the vets to get a proper diagnosis & treatment. Unfortunately the Illness board on here is full of very sad stories of people treating piggies for a condition they think they have, spending a lot of money online for stuff that is either unsuitable or worsens their condition. Guinea pigs are not cheap pets, I have spent the price of a small car on one of mine over the last 2 years, I gave up counting the cost after I passed £3,000 in vet bills & I am one who takes her piggies to the vets immediately when they are ill, I am sure if I waited then that bill would be even higher. I really recommend you get them both insured through Exotics Direct, they won't cover their current problem but they may be able to insure them after they have been treated for any other illnesses they may get in the future. God luck & let us know how you get on.
 
Of cause I have already spent over s thousand pounds on my guinea pigs not just in vet bills but obviously life's little luxuries for them also!

Of cause this is the only time I have ever considered treating it myself, after spending hours researching last night I brought the cream that was recommended and has had fantastic review on treating fungal infections, so like I stated before I will try that for a couple days if no progress i will not hesitate to take them to the vets I can reassure you all. I am currently in the proces of boil washing all their bedding so by tomorrow I plan on bathing them and placing them in their freshly cleaned bedding (which I will also be disinfecting the hutch)

I couldn't return them to the breeder as I wouldn't trust she will get them better and I will happily get them treated myself as I no within myself that I will look after them completely until they are better :) I love them to pieces!
 
It does look fungal to me. I wouldn't trust it to clear on its own... if nothing else, it is so easily spread from place to place that your pig is likely to reinfect himself via scratching (imagine him scratching the site with his nails, ending up scratching another place with fungal-infection flakes still under his nails.) It is also likely to spread between the two pigs where they may keep reinfecting each other, and is also easily spread to humans. I haven't had ringworm in my pigs thus far (knock on wood!) but my son had it years ago, and it went misdiagnosed for a long time, and did not go away on its own during that time!
 
Just to add, even if you don't plan to ask her for any money, I would call the breeder and tell her once you have a diagnosis. Either she has poor information (hair loss in guinea pigs is never caused by normal 'dry skin' and anyone breeding animals ought to know that!) or she is scamming you and other buyers by downplaying health problems that are going to cost you and other buyers money down the road. I've got no patience for people who breed without proper knowledge or proper ethics, she'd be hearing from me in no uncertain terms! I hope you get them cleared up quickly with minimal effort and stress for you all!
 
Wiebke said:
It is also by far the most transmittable fungus and ringworm spores (of which there are thousands) can stay active for up to 18 months.
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THIS is concerning to me as I have cats who sleep in the same area as Salvatore's cage. Cats are known asymptomatic vectors of ringworm. Does bleach solution kill and remove the spores?
pixy.png
(In the area, of course, not on the guinea pig!)
 
Pat Shields said:
THIS is concerning to me as I have cats who sleep in the same area as Salvatore's cage. Cats are known asymptomatic vectors of ringworm. Does bleach solution kill and remove the spores?
pixy.png
(In the area, of course, not on the guinea pig!)
Click to expand...

Diluted bleach can to a certain extent work if you let it sit for at least 15 minutes, but if you are really worried, I would use a product like F10 (which is known to also kill the spores as well as the fungus) or LD disinfectant (which I have found recommended on a US site). Virkon is worldwide available too. it is very good with fungal, but slightly less with spores.
 
So this is my other baby pig that has this on his face? They live together and this post was originally about buttons and his obvious fungal infection, but this however is less obvious what do you guys think? I have just bathed them both to remove any bacteria that is living on them and In the process of disinfecting there hutch!
 
Ringworm is fungal not bacterial, so using anything to remove bacteria will not help :( This is going to get a lot worse, as Ringworm does, unless treated properly :( You really need to get them both to a vet as soon as possible. @helen105281 as she has vast fungal experience & can advise more.
 
I think I posted on your other thread earlier today. He really needs to go to the vet for a proper diagnosis and if Ringworm is diagnosed they can prescibe the correct products. On here we recommend Imaverol dips and/or an oral medication called Itrafungol. You also need to be very careful with hygiene. Here is our ringworm guide (I think you have already been given it earlier in the thread)

http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/ringworm-hygiene-and-pictures.115402/

Please note that if the vet tries to carry out a culture the only type of fungal that shows up using the standard method is ringworm but there are many types. This does look like Ringworm to me though.
 
It's strange as they both have different types of scabs, buttons (a different thread) looks more dry skin looking which looks more like a fungal infection but biscuit (This thread) looks more red and scratched which looks like ringworm, will it be possible that they need to be treated for different things? and I have made sure my hygene with them has been very well kept especially since I suspected an infection ! this was my other pigs symptoms, he also has it inside of his ears, it doesn't look red or sore but is just white dandruff flakey looking! if that makes any sense! I get paid at the end of the week so will be booking vet appointment them. Meanwhile I have kkwench shampoo from GG that has been recommended to me to use! Aswell at VetSect shampoo! I'm doing the best I can, and will get them better :( image.webp
 
That looks the same to me. Just at different stages. I would not use the Vetsect as Wiebke mentioned on the other thread that it was not suitable for young pigs.
 
It's great to know you are doing your best, you sound like a very responsible owner. :)

It looks like they have the same type of ringwormy patch to me, though Buttons and Biscuit have different colour skin so the ringworm patches may look different on each piggy but are actually the same thing.

I have read up that extra virgin cold pressed coconut oil applied (30 minutes maybe?) before a bath works great for nourishing your piggy's skin. It supposedly has antifungal properties too, which is useful for your situation. You can get some from Amazon.co.uk or a health food shop.

Remember that coconut oil is for external use only, piggies shouldn't eat coconut oil.

I have no experience with ringworm, so take my advice with a pinch of salt. Fingers crossed, best of luck!
 
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Ok I will not use the vetsect but I will use the kkwench lotion. Thank you Ruby that message made me feel a little better about it all, sometimes the bank doesn't always work in our favour! I will do my best for the meanwhile to keep them happy and healthy, plenty of veggie treats for them! :) I have already purchased some lotion that should help so hopefully won't need the coconut lotion but thank you anyway! thank you Helen also for your advise it has been noted :)
 
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