Please Help - Closed Eye After Ringworm Treatment

[firstguineapig]

i got a Guinea pig 4 weeks ago for my daughter. Two weeks after getting him I realised he had ringworm. His last treatment was today.

I have noticed the eye on the same side the ringworm was looks closed in comparison to the other.

I have an appt with the vets later but wonder if any ideas to be prepared. His eye doesn't look raw or red or weepy and he is growing and eating well and quite playful so i don't think he is in pain?

What can it be. Hoping it's nothing too bad as its my daughters and he hasn't been right since we got him.

 

[firstguineapig]

Ps he is well cared for, cage cleaned 2/3 times per week, have approved anti bac spray. Is it possible he can make a sneezy noise?

 

[sport_billy]

Hey Welcome to the forum

Sorry about the start to piggy keeping you have had. Fungal is a pain to get rid of so a vets check is needed to make sure it has gone and check that eye out for you.

Whereabouts are you based? Could you add your location to your profile as we have members all over the world.

Has the ringworm cleared up? What was the treatment?

Piggies can get URI's like humans and get wheezy and sneezy so that needs checking out. Is there any discharge round the nose or eyes? Any crust? IS he sneezing all the time? The occasional snuffle or hoot can be down to dust in the hay or bedding. After spraying the cage it maybe worth going over it with a damp cloth to remove any of the anti-bac sent - we had to do this with a previous hamster as she was allergic to the anti-bac scent.

 

[sport_billy]

How big is his cage by the way? Is he on his own? What is he bedded on?

 

[firstguineapig]

He I can't see its gloopy in his eye but will post a photo. He is in a decent size cage, on his own. I am in the uk and he was treated with a medicine orally called intrafungol which was prescribed by the vets You can see some left over marking from the ringworm near his ear

 

[firstguineapig]

Actually zoomed in it may be crusty? He is bedded in sawdust shavings recommended for use at Pets at home

 

[GPTV]

Congratulations on your (daughters) new guinea. if you're UK based if you get your vet to itemise their treatment & medications, you should be able to claim back any costs if you bought the guinea from a shop or pet chain.

the first few weeks are always tough for new owners as the guineas are all unsettled from the moving home process, their immune system is low & they pick up all sorts of problems such as the ringworm, uti's (Urinary tract Infections) or URI's (upper respiratory infections), mites etc.

Don't worry it usually gets easier
have you thought about getting him a friend when he's healthy again- Guineas are social animals & cope better in pairs than alone. Sounds like he's a boar so either one male... or only if he's neutered one or more girlies would boost his welfare

SportBilly has given some useful advice. i think the usual treatment for Ringworm is Imarovol/intrafungal dip treatment & a topical spray. they usually have a treatment then a break then another treatment i believe?

any wooden toys will need treating (with F10) or destroying so that the ringworm (fungal) doesn't stay active.

Guineas are prey animals so they hide pain well, he may have a hay poke/foreign object (grass seed from hay?) injury which would possibly be why the eye is closed. this would be painful. so a painkiller such as Metacam/loxicom should be asked for as well as any medications.
he may have scratched his eye when itching his face because of the ringworm, hopefully its this simple

keep us updated & welcome to the forum. xx

 

[firstguineapig]

Thank you. I know he scratched when his ringworm was starting as he bled from his nose and it's still like a dangly scab(!) maybe he scratched his eye he just was on my knee and he kept closing it.

My son wants one now but was going to get another in another cage so they could go in their bedrooms when we move next week but truthfully this is worrying me. He is only about 14 weeks old and we got him 19th Jan and he has been poorly since. I don't want to introduce another to become ill.

I totally fell in love with the little fluff ball too!

 

[PeanutandGus]

My two from pets at home have been nothing but poorly since I got them! One had ringworm a couple weeks into having him and he was treated by intrafungol too and Baytril the antibiotic and his has now clears up nicely!

My second piggy has recently come down with mites and fungal, so being treated again with intrafungol and ivermec..

I can't help much with what to expect but if they came from pets at home they should cover the cost for you as it's still the first month of having them!

Hope your piggy is better soon!

 

[firstguineapig]

They cover for the first 3 weeks, this is now week 4. They did say it was my fault, shock of the move etc but the vet disagreed. Thinking twice about going back there

 

[PeanutandGus]

They cover for the first 3 weeks, this is now week 4. They did say it was my fault, shock of the move etc but the vet disagreed. Thinking twice about going back there

That seems a bit unfair, I went back in week 4 and they covered mine (very reluctantly mind)

I've definitely thought twice about going back, and have heard lots of similar stories since which is a shame for all of the piggies and pets they have

 

[sport_billy]

Right, thanks for answering all that. Good idea on holding back on a friend for him till he is sorted. Two piggies with ringworm means twice the work and twice the fun.....

Let me check our recommended vet locator for one near to you if possible....

 

[sport_billy]

Closest recomended is in Manchester but will put the word out for you to try and get some closer ideas.

Itrafungal is good treatment so the vet wnet along the right lines though so I would trust them again. tagging in @helen105281 as she is excellent with skin conditions. However to suggest the move caused the fungal and that is your fault is not very nice or correct.
Stress can make animals more susceptible to things but you cant help moving them

The vet can pop some dye in his eye and hay a look for any evidence of hay pokes/scratches etc... if this is the case can prescribe drops.

Has all the scabs and fungal cleared up?

When you do get another piggy make sure you go for a 120cm cage such as this one Ferplast Rabbit & Guinea Pig Cage 120 | Free P&P £29+ at zooplus! they are excellent and the needed size for two piggies

 

[Eriathwen]

One of ours from pets at home has been quite unwell since we bought her as well, when we phoned up they said they wouldn't cover the cost but we could send it all in writing for them to decide. When we actually went back to the store we bought them to have them seen at the vets we mentioned that we had only just recently bought them and we spoke to one of the managers who agreed they would cover it. So if you've only spoken to them over the phone make sure you try in store too!

Hope he's feeling better soon

 

[GPTV]

They cover for the first 3 weeks, this is now week 4. They did say it was my fault, shock of the move etc but the vet disagreed. Thinking twice about going back there

i would get the vet to give you a receipt for all the treatment & consultations make sure its dated & itemised from the first treatment they gave the guinea. take copies & take the receipts in to the store, ask to speak to the manager or supervisor, etc. Also take a copy of your receipt from the purchase of your guinea & any equipment purchased (disinfectants, log cabins/wooden toys etc...will need replacing due to fungal spores)
just point out that it was within the first two weeks that he had veterinary treatment, you bought everything in good faith on their recommendation & sales.

if they still object to any refund for treatment...
then try this link below

basically tell them they sold you an animal contravening the animal welfare act 2006
*(e)its need to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease.

also they look like they are on dodgy ground with the
*(d)any need it has to be housed with, or apart from, other animals,

by only selling you one, they are social animals & should have found out his housing circumstances prior to selling you him.

http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2006/45/section/9

also mention that you will write to your local council that deals with licencing the selling of livestock on the premises & see what they have to say about it....


this i'm reasonably sure will work in favour for a refund & maybe a complimentary bag of hay for your trouble/compensation!

if the shock of the move caused it then why do they sell animals in the first place? every animal they sell is moved ---- dumb arses!

Try finding a friend for your handsome piggy when healthy - from a reputable rescue, have a look on the recommended rescue locator above, they will sort out a compatible friend for him that is healthy, properly sexed & give you support for the duration of your piggies life.

good luck & let us know how he gets on
Speedy recovery. xx

 

[Wiebke]

He I can't see its gloopy in his eye but will post a photo. He is in a decent size cage, on his own. I am in the uk and he was treated with a medicine orally called intrafungol which was prescribed by the vets You can see some left over marking from the ringworm near his ear

View attachment 42747

Hi!
As you are on oral fungal, it rather looks like an injury to the eye (hay poke or scratch) or something stuck under the lid with the painful eye drawn in. There seems to have been some of the clear watery fluid at some point that is secreted whenever there is an irritation (which has obviously not yet gone). Please see a vet; he is best poised to see what is exactly going on and whether there is an ulceration. The problem should not be a major one if it is treated promptly. you are most likely to come home with an eye ointment for some days.

I would not worry about URI; it doesn't look like one!

 

[Wiebke]

PS: You are always free to complain to your local council. Selling a young guinea pig desperate for company of its kind into a single situation and then blaming you for any infections caused by a lowered immune system is not on. Ringworm takes about 10-14 days between infection and outbreak. How long have you been treating for it and when did you notice the first signs?

Here is our information pack for new owners: " Starter Kit" Of Information Threads For New Owners

Please do not rush out to get a companion; your piggy still needs to go through its two week quarantine with a bath at the end to make sure that all ringworm spores have gone and it is no longer able to re-infect itself or others.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[helen105281]

I agree that Itrafungol is the best treatment as it treats the whole pig from the inside out. Imaverol is mentioned above too, which is good too if you needed it in the future. It is used as a dip which is not rinsed off.

I think it looks more like a hay poke too.

From your post, I may be reading this wrong but when you get a new pig are you planning on keeping them in separate cages in separate bedrooms? If so, then it kind of defeats the object of getting a friend as they would not be together. I would wait until this little one is clear of Ringworm and been through quarantine as Wiebke has suggested before looking for a companion. Once bonded they ideally need to be in the same cage. Occasional playtime together would not work as they would go through the dominance behaviour each time they met. It has been a long day at work though so I could be reading it completely wrong

 

[sport_billy]

Great news on a vet

You have a very good one close by.

Molly Varga

Rutland House in St Helens,

Abbotsfield Road, St Helens, Merseyside WA9 4HU

www.rutland-vets.com

To book an appointment with Molly Varga at Rutland House please phone reception on 01744-853510.

Mondays Thursdays and Fridays apts