Greetings, I just made this account to seek advice, you see, I just realized one of my sow keep scratching more often than her pal and I am dead worried, so today I just checked her and realized there were scabs on her ears and at her skin at the rear end and I have no idea what it is or how it happened, please, any idea? I'm not from UK btw but the vets are all closed as of now. I'm not sure if she has hair loss. Her apetite is still voracious and I saw she drank from the water bottle.
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Hi and welcome
Please see a vet during regular opening hours. It looks like fungal infection on the ears. Your vet needs to decide whether the bare patch on the back is also caused by a fungal skin infection or by mange mites or both. However, with diligent treatment, good quality products and good hygiene, you can get through it. Your guinea pig may be in discomfort, but it is not in danger of its life.
Please do not treat on spec with low pet shop products, as they are too weak to cure and will only make the suffering worse without saving you any money in the long run, rather the opposite!
Both a fungal infection and an acute mange mites attack need several rounds of treatment and not just one application. If your vet decides to treat for both, then it is advisable that one course is either given by injection (ivermectin) or orally (anti-fungal, ideally a product containing itraconazole, which has being used with good results by UK vets and which makes stressful fungal baths every three days unnecessary). You have to wait at least 48 hours between skin treatments befor you can apply something to allow full absorption of the avtice ingredients.
It really pays to invest in a good vet strength antifungal and not just the usual antibacterial disinfectant for the deep cleaning. If you cannot get hold of any products mentioned in the links below, ask your vet what product they are using in the clinic to prevent transmission of ringworm (fungal infection).
If you vet insists on sending off a skin sample for lab testing, please be aware that it may take some time for results to come back. Lab testing for fungal infections only tests for the most aggressive and transmittable form, ringworm (tinea), but not for the many other milder forms that can also affect a guinea pig.
Be aware that as a fungal infection always affects a wider area than visible, it is going to look at first like it is getting worse rather than better until the infection has been stopped and all affected hairs have come out.
A full mange mite (trixacarus caviae) course takes 3-4 rounds depending on the severity at the product specific intervals and not just one. The first two rounds kill the existing and emerging mites while the last round takes care of any stragglers and prevents them from making a comeback.For the same reason you need treat all guinea pigs within contact of each other.
Please weigh your guinea pig daily at the same time instead of weekly to monitor the food intake.
Since you have not mentioned in which country you are located, I am adding some international links in case you do not have access to vets that are experienced with guinea pigs.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures (important when dealing with a fungal infection)
Guinea Lynx :: Fungus
Guinea Lynx :: Mange Mites
Gorgeous Guineas Identification
Recommended vets in some non-UK countries:
Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List
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All the best!
Thanks in advance 
