parasite or dry skin on pig's nose?

[guineapigchiclaya]

Hello everyone

I own 3 guinea pig boars and one rabbit. two of the boys live together and are about 3 and a half, and the other is a single pig around 2 years old. Yesterday I adopted two other boars who are about 10 months old. They lived in a hutch outside and were unwanted pets. They are quarantined from the other pigs (but not in a separate room) about 8 metres apart. One of the boys seems perfectly okay, but his brother has a circular shape on his nose that seems a bit suspicious as it's very red/pink and dry. They've got a vet appointment on thursday so 2 days away, but I wondered if anyone could check the photos to give any ideas on if it's only dry skin and isn't anything to worry about or if it could be something that will want to be treated or could be contagious. Should I put any cream on it or wait until they go to the vet?

Thanks so much

 

[Piggies&buns]

It could be the start of a fungal infection. It needs a vet diagnosis in any event but any illness requires prescribed treatment.
Please do not put anything on it - we never recommend any home treatments of any sort. If you put any cream on it, it wipe away the signs the vet needs to make a diagnosis.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[Wiebke]

If you have new piggies, please see a vet for a diagnosis and reclaim the vet cost from the place you have got your piggies from as part of your customer rights for having been sold in effect damaged ware.
More information on this in this guide link here: New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites
Here is our recommended vets locator (you can also find it on the top bar): Vet Locator

PLEASE take the time to read the green guide links. Ringworm is the single most contagious species jumping health issue (including to humans) you can come across. The invisibly tiny spores that are shed in an acute outbreak can stay live for up to two years. Thorough hygiene on your behalf and a vet grade anti-fungal disinfectant are as important as any good quality treatment.

PLEASE never dab anything the skin on spec - you have just wiped the crime scene as far as a vet is concerned without doing anything towards the treatment or healing. Whenever you have a skin issue, please have to properly diagnosed and then treat appropriately. It is ultimately a lot cheaper and much less hassle than months of home DIY mis- or undertreatment and more money spent on ineffective products than a vet visit and the correct treatment will cost you.

PS: Please do not use your postcode for location in your account details (click on your username to get there).
You do not want it to appear with every post you make. It would help us much more to tailor any advice to what is relevant for you and available where you are if you just added your country, state/province or UK county. We are all doing this for a free in our free time dealing with enquiries from literally all over the world, so not having to google and just being able to place you in the general area with one quick glance to the left will allow us to answer more posts. Climate, general background, vet and rescue access, medical and care brand names etc. vary massively but will play greatly into any practical tips and advice we can give you as needed. Thank you.