My Guinea Pig Has A Scab On Its Back

[GuineaPigEmma]

So I was sick for the last few days,

I was going to feed my Short-Haired Guinea pig when I saw a scab on his back and fur missing
around it.I am still really curious about how it happened

if you have any suggestions about how I can heal it faster i will likely read them!

 

[Swissgreys]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Does your guinea pig live alone or does he have a cage mate?

If the scab is on his back then chances are it is either mites or a fungal infection.
Both can cause scabs, bald patches, redness and itchiness, so the best thing you can do for him is see a vet and get the proper treatment.
Don't try to treat it at home because the products you can get from pet shops usually aren't strong enough to help and you can then make it harder for a vet to diagnose the condition properly.

If you update your profile to show the area you live in, then people will be able to help recommended a good cavy savvy vet.

 

[GuineaPigEmma]

Thankyou really much for a suggestion I will try to bring him to a vet and no he lives alone I'm planning on getting a second one ill see

 

[Swissgreys]

Thankfully if you have caught it early (and it sounds like you have) then both can be treated fairly easily.
My boar has had both mites and fungal in the past couple of months.

The one thing to be careful about is that if it is fungal it might be ringworm, which can be transmitted to humans.
Until you have seen a vet I would strongly recommend being very careful when handling your guinea pig.
There is a comprehensive guide on ringworm here.

Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[GuineaPigEmma]

Yes I will but do you have anything more like to help him before i even go to the vet?

 

[Lady Kelly]

Mine had an outbreak of lice several months ago and the first real sign was this (from them biting themselves). Lice are visible and if you look carefully you'll see smaller white specks wriggling.

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do before going to a vet unless you know what the diagnosis is. Lice need a lice shampoo or ivermectin, mites need ivermectin (preferably by injection) and fungal needs a different treatment. I treated lice without a vet visit but only because it was obvious what was wrong.

 

[pig in the city]

Yes I will but do you have anything more like to help him before i even go to the vet?

Its best not to try and treat him yourself as you may interfere with the diagnosis and treatments the vet prescribes. Phone and get an appointment as soon as you can so that he can get treated before it gets any worse. Good luck

 

[GuineaPigEmma]

thankyou all but it might take a while for me to get a vet visit so if there is anything at all just anything to help him at home I would Really
appreciate it

 

[Lady Kelly]

thankyou all but it might take a while for me to get a vet visit so if there is anything at all just anything to help him at home I would Really
appreciate it

Unfortunately there is nothing you can do as you need to treat the condition that is causing a problem. Check for lice yourself but if its not that then the only way to remove the underlying problem is to get it diagnosed and treated

 

[GuineaPigEmma]

ok I will check
for lice and everything and if not i will bring him to the vet for sure

 

[Swissgreys]

The problem with trying to help at home is you can often partially 'cure' the problem. This then makes it difficult for a vet to diagnose properly, and ends up taking longer (and costing more) to sort out.
The best thing to do is call your local vet first thing in the morning and request an appointment asap - it isn't an emergency, but a good vet will usually be able to see him within a day.
In the meantime it is best not to try and treat the problem, because you have no way of knowing exactly what will work.

 

[GuineaPigEmma]

OK but i will still check for lice just to make sure