Hello all! I just wanted some help identifying some slight hair loss under my pig Taro's eye in the right bottom corner. The skin/fur in the area is dry and smooth (not crusty or flaky) and there have been no behaviour changes since noticing the problem. I haven't found any further hair loss around her body and her thick coat is the same as it always has been. She hasn't shown any discomfort upon prodding around and my four other piggies seem to be fine. I have a pig going on a vet trip soon and I just wanted to know if it would be best to bring her along too or if using anti-parasite/mite shampoo would do the trick, or if it was a common thing for her age group (she is 3 years old).
-
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
Hair loss under one eye
- Thread starter BlondiBee
- Start date
-
- Tags
- hair loss health advice help
Hi and welcome
I can't see any hair loss? But your piggy has obviously had some irritation in the eye and produced a lot of clear watery eye fluid to wash it out; so much that it has run out of the eye instead into the tear duct.
Please see a vet if this continues, if she starts blinking, the eye is in-drawn or you start seeing little purply bits (protruded tear glands). It is a sign of either an injury (could be something stuck under a lid) or a infection of the conjuctiva in those cases. Hopefully, it was just some hay dust or similar.
Hi! Thanks for replying so quickly! Its the patch towards the back shown by the blue arrow. It’s never been there before as far as I know and isn’t mirrored on the other eye.
Also if you don’t mind me asking could you please clarify what makes you think that she’s had irritation in the eye since I haven’t noticed anything wrong with the eye or something stuck before. I’m with them very frequently.
Attachments
Claire W
Forum Donator 2025/26
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2008
- Messages
- 38,114
- Reaction score
- 31,231
- Points
- 2,915
Does she live with a friend? If so, I’m wondering if her friend may have accidentally scratched her or over groomed her?
David Piggie Lover
Senior Guinea Pig
I don’t think it’s anything serious
Course keep a watch on it etc
@Wiebke is the most knowledgeable person I know with guinea pigs one I have many times used the wisdom she gives.
That looks to me just some hair stuck together by the tear fluid allowing some skin to become visible?
The issue is not that a tiny patch of skin is visible but the watering eye where the fluid has spilled into the fur around the eye and has flushed hairs together that would normally be separated. This can make the skin appear without there actually being any hair loss.
Guinea pigs have a milky eye cleaning fluid (unlike humans who blink). Watery tear fluid is only produced whether there is an irritation, pain or discomfort in the eye.
The hair in the patch was missing which was what worried me originally but you’re probably right. I’ll obviously keep an eye on it and make sure it isn’t something sneaky. Thank you for the help!