Other Types Of Fungal Than Ringworm?

[Dilly's Piggies]

My piggies have an ongoing skin problem and I honestly don't know what to do about it. I took them to the vets and skin scrapings were done, the results were no yeast but mites were present, they've all been through 4 weeks of topical ivermectin, however they're still having problems with itching, dry skin, dandruff and hair coming out with skin attached at the end, they're all very sensitive to touch and a couple have spasms when touched on their backs, the skin also appears slightly more red than normal. A couple did have small bald spots on their rump which has since cleared up with the ivermectin treatment, but everything else hasn't cleared up, it fits the description of a fungal infection but my vet says they don't have it. I thought I would've seen improvement now after 6 weeks.

I've read somewhere that there are other types of fungal skin infections Guinea Pigs can get that are not ringworm, that won't show up on a skin scraping, is this true? What do I do about this?

Thanks in advance.

 

[helen105281]

There are but I don't know any technical names. The usual symptoms are red fluoresced skin, hair coming out easily when tugged gently and greasy hair, plus scaling and dandruff. I usually treat with Imaverol dips after an anti-fungal shampoo like D10. However, if one of them is fitting when touched I would be worried about bathing and dipping them. I know your vet is dismissing other types of fungal but if you can persuade them to give you oral fungal medication like Itrafungol it would help. Also, topical Ivermectin is not always as effective on mange mites as the injections so that would be something to consider too, just in case it is still mange mites you are dealing with. I have a pig that has what seems like recurring mange mites at the moment, she has had 5 Ivermectin injections now and there are still mild symptoms so I am treating her for fungal too which my vet has agreed to. One of the types of fungal is called broken back and really resembles mange mites, it even develops a v shape in the hair.

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

There are but I don't know any technical names. The usual symptoms are red fluoresced skin, hair coming out easily when tugged gently and greasy hair, plus scaling and dandruff. I usually treat with Imaverol dips after an anti-fungal shampoo like D10. However, if one of them is fitting when touched I would be worried about bathing and dipping them. I know your vet is dismissing other types of fungal but if you can persuade them to give you oral fungal medication like Itrafungol it would help. Also, topical Ivermectin is not always as effective on mange mites as the injections so that would be something to consider too, just in case it is still mange mites you are dealing with. I have a pig that has what seems like recurring mange mites at the moment, she has had 5 Ivermectin injections now and there are still mild symptoms so I am treating her for fungal too which my vet has agreed to. One of the types of fungal is called broken back and really resembles mange mites, it even develops a v shape in the hair.

I'm not sure if it is classed as a seizure/fit per say, but when I stroke them on their backs (not scratching just stroking), they turn around and bite frantically at their sides, sometimes flipping over trying to get at it, it's extremely distressing for them to be touched in this one place, exactly where the inverted V forms and also the patches of hair loss began in a small strip just where the V is said to form, luckily the patches were small and the ivermectin got that under control, although I will need to check again as it may have come back like you say with topical treatment not being as effective sometimes. I have given my worse pigs baths in gorgeous guineas coconeem melt and manuka and neem shampoo, I was really careful around that itchy spot and they tolerated the bath well without issues so I think a bath/dip would be alright as long as I am careful not to aggravate them. The pigs do also have greasy fur and my girl Willow clogged my sink up with all the hair that came off her the other day, but that may just be because shedding season is upon us! The hair takes no problem at all to come out, I'm just stroking as normal and there will be tufts with 5-10 hairs stuck together, I haven't noticed any obvious bald patches since the mites but there does seem to be a general thinning along the top line, they look patchy in areas.

I really want to treat them as if they have fungal, it can't hurt them to have the treatment anyway even if the vet is right and they don't have it, at least that base was covered, he just seems to be reluctant to treat when the scrapings came back negative. I have to drop in a couple of urine samples today so I will try again and discuss prescribing fungal treatment, the poor girls are so uncomfortable.

 

[helen105281]

If you do go with baths and dips patch test both behind the ear first for 48 hours and don't use if any redness develops. Imaverol can be bought online too from Hyperdrug as Enilconazole. The vet may be able to give you some though and may also prescribe a veterinary fungal shampoo like Malaseb.