Maybe fungal infection - Surolan?

CiaraPatricia · Dec 28, 2010

Hi guys, I haven't been on here in a long time.

Well I noticed about a week ago that my guinea pig Meeko had hair loss on his sides and the skin was slightly dry looking, but not scabby. I wasn't concerned because other pigs like to barber him sometimes. Well Meeko actually died Christmas day 8... he was very ill with kidney failure, poor old piggy.

And now I've just noticed today that Lola has the same bald patches.

The other pigs seem fine. Except Cenci (who was Meeko's cage mate) his fur looks a little scruffy like he might have been chewing at it, maybe.

I'll check them all for lice later (I'm really sick with the flu so it took all my energy to just feed and water them this morning, without trying to catch them and go through their fur). It doesn't look at all as bad as when my old pig had sarcoptic mange so hopefully not that. Anyway, I have to wait for my vet to be back in work so I can ask her and she can give me ivermectin, but I wouldn't just go in and get it from the vets because it'd have to be diluted and a tiny bit measured out for the tiny piggies.

But I'm thinking it's probably not mites because where would they have caught them from? I haven't introduced a new pig recently, and I don't use farm hay . . . so I'm thinking maybe fungal, and I have some surolan drops from when my dog had too much yeast in her ears, and that is anti-fungal so I thought I might try it on them. Does anyone know if it's safe to do that?

I'm quite worried about getting rid of the infection since their cages are wooden.

I'm also way too sick to clean them out in the next few days (they're not that dirty so they'll be fine) but I'm guessing they'll need a very thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Also, can rabbits catch it? Their cages are on shelves in the rabbits' shed and they kick bedding down sometimes.

Thanks anyone that read my rambling.

clairelove · Dec 28, 2010

some guineas can have flare up of mites, they can get them from hay, shavings, if they are run down anywhere really it does sound like mites so i would treat with ivermectin even if its poss fungal, in the mean time you could bath both (before) ivermectin in Nizoral shampoo 2 times a week for around 3-4 wks keep them in doors too with it been cold as would hate them become illafter a bath...

if they are bedded on shavings , stop using them and bed them on newspaper and hay, surolan is good but i only tend to use this if thew skin is broken and really imflamed, if its just dry then use the Nizoral..

when you pull the hair around the hairloss does the hair come out with tufts of skin on the ends of the hair?

if yes then this is fungal.. if not then its most likely mites, or lice but mostly mites x

BonBon2010 · Dec 28, 2010

My vet thought the crusty lips on my young piggie Humbug was ringworm and gave me Surolan.. I did a bit of research, and found that it does in fact treat yeast infections (candida) in animals, so it is doing the job I wanted it to do anyway..

I'm so glad they didn't give me something useless

clairelove · Dec 28, 2010

surolan has to be used with caution! as it contains steriod thats why i would only use it if it is defo fungal and if the skin is broken!

BonBon2010 · Dec 28, 2010

That's why she's on this, her lips are sore and has 'broken scabs'.. they do appear to be improving, she has a follow up visit on thurs morning.. I was a bit surprised that the vet had to look up what it was as she didn't know, in fact at first she thought it was what rabbits have been known to get..:{
I even checked the guinea Lynx (I think that's what it's called)Chelitis..

CiaraPatricia · Dec 30, 2010

Thanks guys

I don't think it's sarcoptes mites because when my old pig had them she had nasty scabs after a few days and it was very sore looking. Lola just has slightly dry looking skin.

My vet said they can't get demodex. But I know they can get cheyletiella, and those are visible right, so I'm gonna go give a closer look for those and lice.

I'm so sick right now that yesterday my dad drove me to the shop for rabbit food and hay and guinea pig food and all, and just from walking into the shop and out and from feeding my animals, I was so weak. I couldn't even look at Lola and no way I can clean out their cage for a few days. :...

I also have a little area of dry skin on my hand, so hoping it's just dry skin not anything contagious, I'm not worried about it though. I'm gonna go look at all the piggies today and look at photos of different things it could be online, and try to see what it looks like.

If it was more severe like sarcoptes they'd be in the vets already, but no vets open right now anyway. I'll check if the hair comes away easily, and maybe even take a photo to post on here. It's not very bad looking, just a little hair loss on each side of the belly, and rough dry skin.

CiaraPatricia · Dec 30, 2010

Oh and they are bedded on straw and hay at the moment (for warmth). And they are outside in the shed but I can't bring them in, I'd have no where to put them and it'd just be impossible really, but I'm sure they'll be alright . . .

karla satz · May 26, 2011

CiaraPatricia said:
Hi guys, I haven't been on here in a long time.

Well I noticed about a week ago that my guinea pig Meeko had hair loss on his sides and the skin was slightly dry looking, but not scabby. I wasn't concerned because other pigs like to barber him sometimes. Well Meeko actually died Christmas day 8... he was very ill with kidney failure, poor old piggy.

And now I've just noticed today that Lola has the same bald patches. The other pigs seem fine. Except Cenci (who was Meeko's cage mate) his fur looks a little scruffy like he might have been chewing at it, maybe.

I'll check them all for lice later (I'm really sick with the flu so it took all my energy to just feed and water them this morning, without trying to catch them and go through their fur). It doesn't look at all as bad as when my old pig had sarcoptic mange so hopefully not that. Anyway, I have to wait for my vet to be back in work so I can ask her and she can give me ivermectin, but I wouldn't just go in and get it from the vets because it'd have to be diluted and a tiny bit measured out for the tiny piggies.

But I'm thinking it's probably not mites because where would they have caught them from? I haven't introduced a new pig recently, and I don't use farm hay . . . so I'm thinking maybe fungal, and I have some surolan drops from when my dog had too much yeast in her ears, and that is anti-fungal so I thought I might try it on them. Does anyone know if it's safe to do that?

I'm quite worried about getting rid of the infection since their cages are wooden. I'm also way too sick to clean them out in the next few days (they're not that dirty so they'll be fine) but I'm guessing they'll need a very thorough cleaning and disinfection.

Also, can rabbits catch it? Their cages are on shelves in the rabbits' shed and they kick bedding down sometimes.

Thanks anyone that read my rambling.

@ CiaraPatricia,
I would take your lttle darling to the Vet asap, cuz it clearly sounds like Ringworm! I've been dealing with this problem with my new puppy for the past 3 months, it is very contagious to other animals as well as humans. you'll have to clean thier cages or your other pigs will catch it and you'll have a bigger problem this is what too look for if it is ringworm, round bald spots that feel like little bumps in the middle, looks like dandruff/flaky and all the little guy wants to do is scratch,scratch,scratch. after awhile it starts to hurt them when they scratch that spot.i've treated my animal with Viaderm, medicated shampoo called derma... and now my Vet is treating her with Surolan which after two uses has given her great relief. thank god! :...i wish -c you luck and please post the outcome so I know how your piggies are doin...

Benandbert · Jun 2, 2011

pLease help

my two boys are non stop scratching though i have not seen any sign of wound or patches etc. i take them in my lap two days ago and i did the scratching ( they love it) and there are few dandruffs falling from their skin so i got this fungus killer spray ( smells horrible, it is called "Dr Bunny")from the pet shop here in Macau and they do not have other stuffs really for the piggies and i throughly clean the cage, change the wooden shavings, wash everything and of course bath them too. i do not know if this fungus spray works, as i do not see any mites in their skin. so i am scared that they get worse in scratching.Can someone please advice what is really wrong with the boys? they are very healthy though, hay and dried foods with fresh veggies and fruits twice a day. also i notice that since we get them last November they are not really keen of drinking water but these last weeks, geez, they really drink lots of water! is it because of weather, been summer here now in China. Thank you so much.
ben and bert