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On going battle with skin problem - think it's fungal

  • Thread starter Thread starter Endemoniada
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Endemoniada

Hi I wondered if anyone can help, I've had Winston for 3 1/2 years now, and I've been battling against his skin problem since he arrived - he had flaky skin as a baby, and I knew I was taking on a problem, but I couldn't leave him incase the shop decided to put him down! I have 5 other guineas (only one sharing with him) and none of these has ever caught his condition. Since he was a baby I've been using a piggy potion of Peter Gerney's, teatree, lemongrass, pachouli, lavendar - soaking him for a couple of days and then shampooing him.

This kept it under control until autumn of last year, where it got quite bad, he had an inch square bald patch on his back and very sore looking back feet (scabby). At this point I discovered an antifungal spray for GPs at the pet shop, called Beaphar. All it said to do was spray 5 times - I don't know how often or anything! Anyway, I've used this every week since then, and it does seem to slowly be battling its way through, he seems much happier and less itchy, and he didn't like being coated in oil! Also, he developed a lump on his shoulder last spring, took him to the vets, and she said it was probably a subcutaceous cyst, and just to monitor it, but since using the spray, it has disappeared - so my conclusion is that his condition is fungal, and the lump was an internal infection of the skin which has now cleared?
However, Winston now has a flaky patch above his eye, which he's not had before and a sore patch on his back again (which comes and goes), and his one foot is swollen up. I was thinking this was bumblefoot, which I heard can accompany fungal infection, but then I heard it was unusual to just be the one foot. I am now considering visiting the vet again, but our vets do not seem to know much about Gps....I thought your advice would probably be better, or at least arm me before I go! Should i get a course of Grisofulvin? Would this finally get it out of his system?

Thanks in advance! 98)
 
HI there i'm afraid everybody has gone to bed, i'm in Victoria, Australia and i'm sorry i'm unable to help you :( :( :( :(
Mary or daftscotslass and the rest of the lovely people should be back on again in about 6-7hrs time they'll know way more than me on the drugs you've mentioned.
Poor little piggie, sounds like you've done a wonderful job with him so far :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
I'd see a vet as when it's now near his eye it sounds like it might be something different or it's spread cause he's transferring it when cleaning himself.
Once you've got the info from everyone you could take it to your vets :) I know that Mary's vet has been happy in the past to deal direct with other vets all over the world, she helped one of our little piggies from one of the girls in South Australia O0
Sending healing wheeks for your little Winston :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:

btw have a search around in here and you might find another thread that could help you as well O0
 
sorry i can't help either as i am from oz too. in health and ilness there is a thread called recomended vets have a look and see if any of these vets are near you! as glynis said you have done wonders so far, so i would either check out the thread and see if any vets are near you, ring around for a piggy savy vet or wait until all the UK people wakey wakey and can offer more advice. good luck with the little fella and keep us posted. sending hugs and cuddles to you aqnd your fur babies. :smitten: :smitten: good luck winston! :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks you 2 in Ozzy land for that support :).

Is anyone around now in the UK? Since spraying on Sunday his eye looks fine now (I didn't spray his eye, just by the top of his head). But what's frustrating with his condition is that it seems to clear up, then a few days later it's back again - I don't know whether because he was almost born with it, it's just gonna keep coming back everytime I clear it up? Could this be a possibility, that it is somehow within his whole system? 98)

Thanks again!
 
Oh yeah, thanks I have read the recommended vets, but there aren't any in North Wales! The Deeside one is about an hour away, but I don't really want to transport Winnie that far if I can help it - anyone know of any near Llandudno?
 
why not grab your phone book and do a ring around with vets and ask them if they know anything about guinea pigs! or ring a rescue centre or rspca and ask them for a good vet in your area. i am hoping you find a good vet and that winnie gets better real soon! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: i know i am in oz, but that is what i would do if one of mine was sick, is ring around and ask the vets if they are GP savy. good luck. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: thinking of you both! and i think you're doing a great job with winnie! :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks for your help Choloe! Your advice makes sense...dunno why I didn't think of doing that, certainly the rescues etc should be able to recommend gp savy vets you'd think! I'll do that...it's just I'm wary of just going to any old vets, like I did last time a guinea was sick, because in retrospect, I probably would've done better using the advice on the net than taking a piggie to a vet without a clue on the specifics of gps :-\!

Thanks again...and the good news today is that Winnie looks better than he ever has (VERY perky and hardly any flakey patches)...I just need to find a good vet incase he goes downhill again!

O0
 
so glad winnie is feeling better today. :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: i know only too well what it is like to lose piggies to igorant vets, it has happened to us a few times. 0:) 0:) 0:) hoping winnie continues to improve and that you find your vet that knows about piggies and you can learn to trust. hugs and cuddles from me and the girls :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
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