Hair Loss Round Middle

[PiggySmitten]

Will be making a vet appointment in the morning but Blossom, one of our group of 4 sows, has very suddenly developed noticably shorter and sparser than normal hair round her middle (not really on her tummy, just her back and sides). She is a teddy breed and has darker hair on her bottom which hasn't got any thinner or shorter.

She has clearly been scratching a lot and there are little spots of dried blood where she must have scratched and drawn blood.

I've examined very closely and there doesn't appear to be any visible mites/lice either running or static. She has a long time ago had running mites so definitely not those because I would recognise them.

I know hair loss could be a symptom of ovarian cysts but I'm hoping the itchiness means it's something else.

Some healing vibes in advance of the vet visit please.

 

[Mr Biggles]

Healing vibes by the barrow load! We had cyst problems a couple of months ago - I'll touch wood and not tempt fate........... suffice to say Lillie appears to be fine now. Good luck and I hope all goes well x

 

[gizzy]

hope it is just mites, ,
just throwing somthing in to consider ! it couldent be that she has been barberd ?

thiytoid problems can cause hair loss

 

[PiggySmitten]

@gizzy Is barberd where they pull their own hair out or one of the others doing it to her? If so, don't think it's that, her group lives in full view of us and I'm fairly sure I would have seen if that was going on. She did have an almighty scratching session this evening - in the end I took her out to distract her from it and also gave her claws a little trim in the hope of reducing any damage she causes with the scratching.

No signs of anything wrong with the other 3 she lives with - that was the same actually when she had mites a long while ago - none of the others got affected. But if it is mites, it's definitely not the same sort as before.

Will bear in mind the thyroid possibility, thanks.

 

[Wiebke]

Will be making a vet appointment in the morning but Blossom, one of our group of 4 sows, has very suddenly developed noticably shorter and sparser than normal hair round her middle (not really on her tummy, just her back and sides). She is a teddy breed and has darker hair on her bottom which hasn't got any thinner or shorter.

She has clearly been scratching a lot and there are little spots of dried blood where she must have scratched and drawn blood.

I've examined very closely and there doesn't appear to be any visible mites/lice either running or static. She has a long time ago had running mites so definitely not those because I would recognise them.

I know hair loss could be a symptom of ovarian cysts but I'm hoping the itchiness means it's something else.

Some healing vibes in advance of the vet visit please.

Wishing you all the best with your vet trip!

If it is very itchy, it is more likely mange mites or a fungal skin infection (not necessarily ringworm) than hormonally caused hair loss. Please make sure that your other four are also treated preventatively if it turns out to be something infective; a working immune system can protect companions to some extent and not all will necessarily catch it (with fungal, the incubation period is about 10-14 days), but you'd rather want to make sure. Neither mites or fungal is necessarily looking like a textbook case as you see in the relevant information links, especially in the early stages. Please be aware that lab tests usually only test for ringworm, but not other forms of fungal.
You may find these links here perhaps most helpful in your specific situaton:
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Gorgeous Guineas: Photo Gallery

 

[PiggySmitten]

Thanks @Wiebke will keep this thread updated. Appointment is this afternoon.

 

[Wiebke]

Best of luck! And thanks for keeping us updated.

 

[PiggySmitten]

The usual vet we see wasn't there today it turns out. I have a little less confidence in who we saw but only because I didn't know them - no good reason really.

The vet we saw said that she thinks it might be a bacterial infection and so has prescribed 0.23ml baytril twice a day for 10 days and asked me to go back in 5 days if there isn't any improvement.

She did a skin scrape but couldn't find anything when she examined that. She said she didn't think it was ringworm (I agree with that - I've seen that a number of times now and Blossom doesn't look like she's got ringworm).

I asked whether it could maybe be another type of fungal infection but the vet said Guinea pigs don't get any other types of fungal infection (?!) and that she had also taken a bit of hair in the scrape she'd done and hadn't seen anything on that to suggest fungal. I think she maybe meant it was less normal for piggies to get other fungals than ringworm in her opinion.

The vet also checked teeth and everything generally, asked roughly how old she was (the piggy - we didn't play some strange game of guess how old the vet is ;-)) and she asked me about the shape of Blossom and whether it was normal. Blossom is a bit of a funny shape - if she was human you'd describe her as pear shaped or with child-bearing hips. I've seen pics on here of pregnant sows and she looks like she's pregnant all the time! She's a teddy and we have another sow which is a teddy who is much more petite but also is a little bit shaped the same way. Anyway, I am sure Blossom has always looked the shape she does now.

So I'm not sure we've got this resolved yet. I'm thinking I might buy some of the imaverol for Guinea pigs and dip her as well even though fungal hasn't been diagnosed. Does it help with other fungals?

 

[Wiebke]

The usual vet we see wasn't there today it turns out. I have a little less confidence in who we saw but only because I didn't know them - no good reason really.

The vet we saw said that she thinks it might be a bacterial infection and so has prescribed 0.23ml baytril twice a day for 10 days and asked me to go back in 5 days if there isn't any improvement.

She did a skin scrape but couldn't find anything when she examined that. She said she didn't think it was ringworm (I agree with that - I've seen that a number of times now and Blossom doesn't look like she's got ringworm).

I asked whether it could maybe be another type of fungal infection but the vet said Guinea pigs don't get any other types of fungal infection (?!) and that she had also taken a bit of hair in the scrape she'd done and hadn't seen anything on that to suggest fungal. I think she maybe meant it was less normal for piggies to get other fungals than ringworm in her opinion.

The vet also checked teeth and everything generally, asked roughly how old she was (the piggy - we didn't play some strange game of guess how old the vet is ;-)) and she asked me about the shape of Blossom and whether it was normal. Blossom is a bit of a funny shape - if she was human you'd describe her as pear shaped or with child-bearing hips. I've seen pics on here of pregnant sows and she looks like she's pregnant all the time! She's a teddy and we have another sow which is a teddy who is much more petite but also is a little bit shaped the same way. Anyway, I am sure Blossom has always looked the shape she does now.

So I'm not sure we've got this resolved yet. I'm thinking I might buy some of the imaverol for Guinea pigs and dip her as well even though fungal hasn't been diagnosed. Does it help with other fungals?

Imaverol helps with all fungal infections, and yes, guinea pigs can get other varieties although ringworm is generally the most frequent as most transmittable and agressive. Please be aware that mange mites are not visible to the naked eye and that especially in the early stage, they can look very similar to fungal. Bacterial infections are generally pretty rare and usually secondary to any skin irritation, as bacteria and microbes can get into the skin through cracks. Teddies as a breed are somewhat more prone to skin problems, as they have got very dense fur so the skin doesn't get as much air as in other breeds.

Blossom is a very normal shape for a teddy/rex-type sow; they tend to have very roundish bum ends.
Here is my Nerys in her best times:

 

[Adelle]

Love that pic and text @Wiebke !

Hope your girl is on the mend soon @PiggySmitten x

 

[PiggySmitten]

Imaverol helps with all fungal infections, and yes, guinea pigs can get other varieties although ringworm is generally the most frequent as most transmittable and agressive. Please be aware that mange mites are not visible to the naked eye and that especially in the early stage, they can look very similar to fungal. Bacterial infections are generally pretty rare and usually secondary to any skin irritation, as bacteria and microbes can get into the skin through cracks. Teddies as a breed are somewhat more prone to skin problems, as they have got very dense fur so the skin doesn't get as much air as in other breeds.

Blossom is a very normal shape for a teddy/rex-type sow; they tend to have very roundish bum ends.
Here is my Nerys in her best times:
View attachment 38352

Thanks Wiebke. I love the pic too and feel reassured that I am not going mad being happy that was normal shape.

The vet did say that even though the look under the microscope at the skin scrape didn't show anything, there was a chance that was because the scrape hadn't picked anything up - so it doesn't mean an absolute all clear.

I've remembered the name of the imaverol licensed for Guinea pigs now - enilconazole from hyperdrug. I think I will get some more (what I have will be out of date now) and dip the group of 4. It might soothe Blossom's skin a little for her at least, poor thing.

 

[Poppy'sMum]

I would be inclined to think this is ovarian cysts, hair loss down the sides is typical of this My Ziggy lost a lot recently on her sides & a trip to the vet (Competent Exotic one) revealed cysts the vet could actually feel. 2 hormone injections later her fur is back, no more crusty nipples & she is feeling much better

 

[PiggySmitten]

I would be inclined to think this is ovarian cysts, hair loss down the sides is typical of this My Ziggy lost a lot recently on her sides & a trip to the vet (Competent Exotic one) revealed cysts the vet could actually feel. 2 hormone injections later her fur is back, no more crusty nipples & she is feeling much better

I did wonder about that but hair loss is the only symptom at all. Funnily enough, it does seem like she has scratched less today so I do think I need to give it the 5 days to see how she goes. I won't be afraid of raising suggestions with the vet though if things don't improve.

 

[PiggySmitten]

Should add, I think the main reason the hair loss is where it is only is because that's the only area she can reach to scratch with her feet.