Possible fungal infection: care over bank holiday?

[fmc]

Hi hope you can help. I'm going to try to get to a vet tomorrow but am aware it's a bank holiday weekend and if we can't get an appointment until next week we might need to do some intervention sooner... one of our 8 month old girls has a pale patch on her nose that looks from googling like it could be a fungal infection? Any advice while we wait for the vet's opinion?

Thanks very much!

 

[Piggies&buns]

It does look like it might be a fungal infection. Only a vet can diagnose though.
In case it is ringworm, this guide will help provide further information.

Your piggy will obviously need a diagnosis first of all, and then prescribed treatment. If it doesn’t turn out to be ringworm, then the best treatment is an oral medication called introfungal.
Ensure this piggy’s cagemate also gets treated otherwise it will spread to that piggy as well. If you can get treatment for all guinea pigs living together within the 10-14 day period, then you can stop it spreading to other piggies.
What you can do in the meantime is be scrupulous with hygiene. You absolutely must take very stringent if you are to stop its spread. It can spread to humans and other animals and spores can live in ghe environment for about two years so good hygiene is needed. I recommend you buy some F10 which is a vet grade disinfectant which will kill ringworm.

The guide below details further.

Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

 

[fmc]

Thanks very much, we did manage to get to a vet and he confirmed it's ringworm. So now we're keeping her apart (but next to the others) and using cream on the patch 3 times a day.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Would the vet not prescribe oral medication?
Creaming is the least effective and old fashioned way of treating ringworm as the spores cover a much wider area than you would cream, therefore risking prolonging the outbreak due to spores shedding.

Its recommended to treat all piggies to break the cycle (given she has been in contact with them) with a bath within the 10-14 day period to not risk them catching it.

The guide below explains further

Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

 

[fmc]

Thanks, yes I've just been re-reading the guide. Is there any particular shampoo best to use? I really appreciate the help. Sadly the vet thought cream was the best way (maybe because we caught it so early) but it does sound like we need to take the wider spore risk seriously.

 

[Siikibam]

You’ve been given good advice above. The only thing I wanted to say is please don’t separate her from her friend. They have already been exposed to the spores. And even living next door, they’re being somewhat exposed. Also separating can sometimes cause them stress.

I hope she’s better soon.

 

[fmc]

I just wanted to post an update and to say thank you again for the advice. We've been very lucky that the ringworm hasn't spread to the other two guinea pigs and cleared up nicely on Treacle. The advice not to separate was great, I'm sure in those first 2 days she was more stressed by that than by the fungus. It was a pain cleaning so often, throwing out houses/tunnels that couldn't be disinfected and applying cream three times a day for about 3 weeks, but 1 month on and her fur has even grown back. I still clean with stronger disinfectant than before, and wash fleeces at 60 degrees now instead of 40, and have added probiotic powder to the drinking water (to boost immunity). Fingers crossed. I hope this information might be useful for anyone else looking for ringworm treating experience too.