Help Me Identify This.

[Michael Timmins]

So, we recently got a little boy, and when we first picked him up he had beautiful soft fur all the way up to his eyes, but about 4 days later he started developing a rash of some kind with occasional lesions(picture below). He is housed with another male who is not displaying any of these symptoms. It's on both eyes, and has showed up more recently just above his butt. We took them both to a vet, who cleared his cage mate, and says he thinks it's ringworm, but won't know for sure until he get's a culture back.

The vet gave us a 1% clotrimazole solution to use in the mean time.

Does anyone out there have any ideas?

 

[Maisy and Poppy]

I think it's ringworm.

 

[Flutterby]

Yes that definitely looks like ring worm. I can't give advice on this though apart from getting the piggy to a vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment. Hopefully someone more knowledgable in this will be along soon.

 

[katanamoon]

I'm afraid it looks like ringworm to me too If so, it is very highly contagious and you will need to disinfect your piggy's cage thoroughly and frequently with anti-fungal cleaner such as F10. Make sure you wash your hands thoroughly and also any clothes you're wearing that come into contact with him at 60 degrees C.

The incubation period for ringworm is something like 14 days, so I'm afraid your other piggy may not be totally out of the woods! I hope the vet can confirm soon for you and get treatment underway x

 

[Flutterby]

Sorry, I missed you had been to the vet!

 

[helen105281]

Yes definitely looks like Ringworm to me too, here is our guide, am about to start work but I can post more that lunch if Wiebke has not posted in the meantime.

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

Please could you update your location in your profile as it will help us to help you as products can be specific to different countries.

 

[Michael Timmins]

Thanks. I'm just really concerned because it got so much worse after we started treatment. It wen't from just being a rough patch like that to being bloody lesions.

 

[Wiebke]

I also think that it is very likely ringworm you are dealing with. You will need to treat the companion with an antifungal bath or dip, too, if you want to prevent an outbreak; the incubation period is 10-14 days before ringworm breaks out. Not all guinea pigs catch ringworm from their comrades, but you do not want to chance having to go through it all again. Ringworm spores (and there are thousands in an acute outbreak) can survive up to 18 months. Please be aware that ringworm is highly transmittable to other mammals (including humans!). It is the one thing that you can catch from your guinea pigs; strict hygiene and investing in some good quality antifungal disinfectants is key.

The currently most effective treatment is an oral systemic fungal; sporonox is the mildest of these with the smallest impact on the kidneys, especially with advanced ringworm like yours, as it will get everywhere that is difficult to reach or very sensitive to treat, like right next to the eyes. Please ask your vet whether he would consider it. It is now increasingly prescribed by piggy savvy vets and forum members (including myself) have made good experiences with it.

The good news is that as soon as the ringworm has cleared, the hair will grow back, usually in the order it has fallen out. With your little one should be covered in hair again within a month's time.

If your vet decides to also treat for mites, you have to be aware that there needs to be a gap of at least 48 hours between any topical treatments. Please never treat on spec and not to use any low-dosed pet shop product that are only geared towards the prevention, but not the treament of a skin issue.

Here are our tips: https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/ringworm-hygiene-and-pictures.115402/
here is more information on ringworm and anti-fungal products available in the US: http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html
http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/photogallery.html

All the best! You are welcome to ask any questions at any time. We also have got lots of information for new owners at the top our various Care sections that may help you settle in your new piggies.