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Mystery Skin Problem

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Chessles

Chessles

Junior Guinea Pig
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My 1 year old teddy, Pippin has a skin problem. He has been to the vet several times with it. We tried an ivermectin treatment which didn't work. The vet has looked at samples of his skin under a microscope and couldn't find any mites or lice. He has just had a ringworm test which is negative. He's got an appointment with the vet again on Monday.
What other skin problems can a guinea pig have so I can suggest them to the vet?
It's in grey, flaky patches on his back. His fur falls out easily and it's clearly very itchy for him as he is eating his own hair from his belly (I guess in frustration) I just want to find him a solution :(
 
Hi!

The only things i can think of is general fungal issues, since your vet only tested specifically for ringworm? The hair falling out easily, scaley skin and irritation would fit.

I do know teddys often get skin complaints, but i think that is mainly just a case of dry skin. Gorgeous guineas do some products for dry skin.

I will tag helen and vicki to see if they have any other ideas x
@helen105281 @VickiA
 
There are many types of fungal conditions that cause scales and hairloss. As far as I know only ringworm can be identified on testing but it may be worth considering other types of fungal problem. Mabel recently had a patch of fungal that wasn't ringworm (scales, hairloss, itching til she was sore) and which responded to an oral fungal treatment from the vet.
My old lady Violet also had flaking skin and clumps of hair that all fell out on her rear end. Again nothing showed on test but she responded to a treatment called Surolan applied to the area which was anti fungal and anti mites treatment. That worked where other treatments failed.
Mr Ted was a teddy and had dry skin permanently. The gorgeous Guineas products worked for him.
 
Chessles said:
My 1 year old teddy, Pippin has a skin problem. He has been to the vet several times with it. We tried an ivermectin treatment which didn't work. The vet has looked at samples of his skin under a microscope and couldn't find any mites or lice. He has just had a ringworm test which is negative. He's got an appointment with the vet again on Monday.
What other skin problems can a guinea pig have so I can suggest them to the vet?
It's in grey, flaky patches on his back. His fur falls out easily and it's clearly very itchy for him as he is eating his own hair from his belly (I guess in frustration) I just want to find him a solution :(
Click to expand...

My long haired one has the exactly the same & I don't know what it is I also tried ivermectin & it didn't clear it. She's had it for about 8 months & nothing has touched it, although Tia doesn't pull her hair out. I wonder if it's like the piggy form of demetits I spelt that wrong. Lol because it gets almost better then flares up again. Apart from that dry skin if you find the answer, let me know
 
My long haired, Merry who lives with Pippin has a less severe but very similar problem too. I'm hoping the vet can give me some fungal treatment for them both b
 
Chessles said:
My long haired, Merry who lives with Pippin has a less severe but very similar problem too. I'm hoping the vet can give me some fungal treatment for them both b
Click to expand...
OK let me know how you get on Chessles I've touched it before & got a deep defence bite for my trouble. That hurt
:lol!:
 
It does sound like fungal to me too especially if the hair is coming out easily. I tend to use Imaverol dips and D10 antifungal shampoo so maybe run that past your vet. Oral meds like Itrafungol can help too. The Imaverol dips are left on and not rinsed off. I use weekly for 4 weeks but the instructions say every 3 days so it would be up to you which method you prefer to use. I was advised weekly as the Imaverol carries on working between dips. I buy from Hyperdrug and it is sold as Eniconazole.
 
I use the enilconzole from hyperdrug too. I follow the once every 3 days for 4 washes (so 12 days treatment in total) with our piggies (2 are teddies) and it always seems to do the trick (usually together with intrafungol from the vet).
 
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