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Help identifying skin condition

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Kate0

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My nearly 5 year old has in the last week developed 2 sore looking patches.

Shes not itching more than usual and doesn't seem in pain - I can poke around the sore areas and itr not bothering her.

For this reason, (exotic) vet has ruled out mites, and thinks instead it's trauma, probably from fighting.

I'm just not sure this is the case! I have 3 girls who live indoors and I rarely hear a squabble, let alone a proper fight. Of course I'm not with them all the time, but this one is top pig anyway - and it's all pretty harmonious.

Vet reluctantly prescribed the kitten mite treatment (forgotten name,) in case she suddenly starts itching, and has ruled out ringworm and ovarian cysts (patches are on one side only).

I've never seen guinea pig war wounds - does this look like that?
 

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I’d be more inclined to think mites or a fungal infection (remember, ringworm isn’t the only type of fungal) and certainly would want those looked into before thinking it’s fighting. She doesn’t necessary need to be itching more but if she is biting at it then that in itself indicates discomfort.
(And to be honest, I wouldn’t think they are from fighting - a top pig can be toppled if she is no longer strong enough to hold her own (such as through illness) but they don’t really look like fight wounds to me - I have had two boys fight).

The other possibility is if she is barbering and biting herself can be due to other types of discomfort within the body - arthritis being just one such reason (not necessarily that this is due to that but internal discomfort can be a potential cause if everything else is truly ruled out)
 
Ah yes good shout. I can definitely see her doing this to herself rather than her cage mates.

She's just finished imaverol treatment when this came up - does imaverol treat other fungal too as well as ringworm? She didn't have any signs, but new cage mate had rw so was treating them all. New cage mates has cleared up nicely and hair starting to come back. The new one is scratching a lot so possibility she bought mites too and was my first suspicion when older one became scabby but no scabs on new one and older one isnt noticeably scratching/biting herself more either.
 
Further yo previous post, she has over the course of the day developerd more bald patches. These werent present at the vets (he commented that patches were all on one side). Not sure these are exactly symmetrical, most are scabby with cuts like she's bitten it scratchef them, but she's got a couple of patches that are just bald.

She doesn't appear in pain, acting normally, if anything less scratching than normal.

Concerned she will have no hair left by Monday...
 
Imaverol treats a wide range of fungal infections.

How long ago did the new piggy bring in ringworm?

Did you disinfect everything (ideally using F10) while treating them? Ringworm spores can live in the environment for up to two years.

Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures
 
Yes have been f10ing and washing bedding at 60.
 
New piggy arrived beginning of January.
 
The incubation period for ringworm is 10-14 days so the timeline may still work for her to have caught ringworm (and maybe the Imaverol hasn’t worked)
 
The vet was fairly confident it wasn't ringworm. He has a good look at the patches, and used the UV light thing. There's no crusty bits. Bald patches are increasing still.
 
You can obviously only go by what your vet tells you.
I would be surprised if this is from fighting particularly if you are not seeing any bond issues - this is most likely fungal or parasite.
If it doesn’t get better with the stronghold then you’ll know it’s not mites either.

We can only give general information and guidance - the UV light test isn’t 100% accurate and not all types of ringworm will fluoresce, ringworm certainly would spread quickly and it can also be disguised by her having been treated with Imaverol (if I’m understanding the time light correctly and these patches appeared after the Imaverol treatment) so the patches may not look crusty initially. Of course it may not be ringworm but with the quick spread, it would be in my mind
 
just an update - the patches have continued to increase includign on underside - it's all the back half, largely around sides/legs/underside/bottom. Returned to vet, who maintains this is trauma from her cage mates. This is frustrating, as I'm so confident it isn't the cause. They are indoor guinea pigs, and I spend hours looking at them each day - if anything, the others are giving her a wide berth. They have prescribed kitten stronghold to rule out mites. If helps, then will bring others in for prescriptions too. She had dose less than 24 hours ago - if anything, itching more today than has previously which I understand is possible if mites. Vet didn't think hormonal as can see chewed hair rather than no hair growth. I mentioned she was drinking more but didn't seem concerned by that. She's lost weight too. I am worried something else is going on. When I've taken to exotics vets before they've had a good look and feel at whole pig, but this doesn't appear to have happened this time. I did contact exotic hosptial but they've said I need referral, but I'm just not sure this vet will do that as is fixed on idea it's her cage mates. Upsetting returning and paying ££ each time while her suffering continues.
 
I'm so sorry to hear that.

Yes itching more after a treatment is to be expected as it is killing off the mites.
Follow the course of kitten stronghold and see what happens - it’ll either cure or point you back towards the fungal route.

How much weight has she lost?
If you aren’t already, weigh her yourself each morning and prepare to step in with syringe feeding if weight loss is about 50g

Weight and Weight Loss Explained: BMI, Weighing, Poos and Feeding Support Levels
 
Kate0 said:
just an update - the patches have continued to increase includign on underside - it's all the back half, largely around sides/legs/underside/bottom. Returned to vet, who maintains this is trauma from her cage mates. This is frustrating, as I'm so confident it isn't the cause. They are indoor guinea pigs, and I spend hours looking at them each day - if anything, the others are giving her a wide berth. They have prescribed kitten stronghold to rule out mites. If helps, then will bring others in for prescriptions too. She had dose less than 24 hours ago - if anything, itching more today than has previously which I understand is possible if mites. Vet didn't think hormonal as can see chewed hair rather than no hair growth. I mentioned she was drinking more but didn't seem concerned by that. She's lost weight too. I am worried something else is going on. When I've taken to exotics vets before they've had a good look and feel at whole pig, but this doesn't appear to have happened this time. I did contact exotic hosptial but they've said I need referral, but I'm just not sure this vet will do that as is fixed on idea it's her cage mates. Upsetting returning and paying ££ each time while her suffering continues.
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Good luck I hope the kitten stronghold helps your piggy ❤️
 
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