I went to the vet a week ago and the very diagnosed my guinea pig with ringworm. It wasn't a 100% diagnosis. He used a black light on the spot in question and nothing glowed. I was given clotrimazole and have been applying it twice daily. However, I think it is spreading. What else could it be? Should I go to a different vet?
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Ringworm Not Getting Better!
- Thread starter arielle
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piglet_and_rogers_mama
Adult Guinea Pig
Poor guy. My pigs have had it, but responded to treatment so I don't really have any advice. @helen105281 can you help?
Gizi
Adult Guinea Pig
Poor little piggie! To me it looks like ringworm. Helen has already been tagged so not long until you get an answer 
PiggySmitten
Adult Guinea Pig
Hi. If it is ringworm, then you should ask your vet to prescribe itrafungol, an oral medicine.
Helen will be able to advise whether that med will be effective if it is a fungal infection but not ringworm ( not all fungal is ringworm).
You can also use imaverol as a dip. This together with itrafungol should, within 2 weeks, produce visible signs of things getting better. I speak from experience of having dealt with ringworm diagnosed by a vet just 4 weeks ago or so. I will link to my thread to give you some more info on the meds etc.
Helen will be able to advise whether that med will be effective if it is a fungal infection but not ringworm ( not all fungal is ringworm).
You can also use imaverol as a dip. This together with itrafungol should, within 2 weeks, produce visible signs of things getting better. I speak from experience of having dealt with ringworm diagnosed by a vet just 4 weeks ago or so. I will link to my thread to give you some more info on the meds etc.
PiggySmitten
Adult Guinea Pig
MycuteBoys
Adult Guinea Pig
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Ringworm is a long drawn out thing sadly, it took 5 weeks for my boys to be 100% well (mine were very ill the vet said...I brought them ill 
) if it is ringworm the vet should of taken hair plucks from your piggies the results come back in 7-10days and you should be using treatment that piggysmitten said about. You, your family and other pets can catch it very easily so don't let anyone else near the piggies until your sure what it is. hand washing etc is very important, ringworm lives in the hair follicles so changing you top each time you have handled them is important to (eg before you cuddle or fuss another pet or hug children etc). You will need to clean and disinfect their hutch/cage daily and everything in it needs changing and cleaning. Is your vet an exotic vet? You need to find a local guinea pig savvy vet really.
) if it is ringworm the vet should of taken hair plucks from your piggies the results come back in 7-10days and you should be using treatment that piggysmitten said about. You, your family and other pets can catch it very easily so don't let anyone else near the piggies until your sure what it is. hand washing etc is very important, ringworm lives in the hair follicles so changing you top each time you have handled them is important to (eg before you cuddle or fuss another pet or hug children etc). You will need to clean and disinfect their hutch/cage daily and everything in it needs changing and cleaning. Is your vet an exotic vet? You need to find a local guinea pig savvy vet really.
helen105281
Senior Guinea Pig
Hi, first of all please could you update your location as it will help us with products etc. You have been given Canesten by the sounds of it which is not that effective on Ringworm.
Have a read of this thread though
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/ringworm-hygiene-and-pictures.115402/
Ringworm needs to be treated systemically rather than topically so I would always recommend treatment with the oral medication Irtrafungol. Imaverol dips are also effective, and can be used at the same time if needed. Both are covered in the article.
Here is a link to buy the Imaverol dip in the UK without a prescription, please note it is a dip and should not be rinsed off.
http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Enilconazole-100mg_ml-100ml-Imaverol/productinfo/ENILCON/
I think your vet needs to take a sample to see if they can carry out a culture to show if it is Ringworm or not, though it does not always show up under a UV light. All other types of fungal rarely culture using the standard medium. The treatment I have recommended would also be effective for other types of fungal, such as Candidiasis.
For Itrafungol my vets use the cat treatment which is 1 week on 1 week off for 3 rounds, it carries on working on the weeks off so the treatment is effectively for 6 weeks. I know some other vets use it differently, but this was confirmed by the company that make it as being most effective.
The Imaverol standard treatment is dipping every 3 days, however, I have been advised to dip once a week otherwise you are not giving it a chance to work, this would be for 4 weeks in total. I also apply topically to the affected areas between dips. Please note that the whole pig needs to be dipped, and the Imaverol needs to be worked in using a throw away sponge or some members apply with a syringe.
You will find that there are different opinions on when to dip, and dosing etc, I am going by what was recommended to me by a friend who runs a Guinea Pig Health and Welfare clinic and has worked for numerous pigs there. However, see what your vet recommends.
If you are in the UK and need a more knowledgeable vet, please use our recommended vets locator.
Have a read of this thread though
http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/ringworm-hygiene-and-pictures.115402/
Ringworm needs to be treated systemically rather than topically so I would always recommend treatment with the oral medication Irtrafungol. Imaverol dips are also effective, and can be used at the same time if needed. Both are covered in the article.
Here is a link to buy the Imaverol dip in the UK without a prescription, please note it is a dip and should not be rinsed off.
http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Enilconazole-100mg_ml-100ml-Imaverol/productinfo/ENILCON/
I think your vet needs to take a sample to see if they can carry out a culture to show if it is Ringworm or not, though it does not always show up under a UV light. All other types of fungal rarely culture using the standard medium. The treatment I have recommended would also be effective for other types of fungal, such as Candidiasis.
For Itrafungol my vets use the cat treatment which is 1 week on 1 week off for 3 rounds, it carries on working on the weeks off so the treatment is effectively for 6 weeks. I know some other vets use it differently, but this was confirmed by the company that make it as being most effective.
The Imaverol standard treatment is dipping every 3 days, however, I have been advised to dip once a week otherwise you are not giving it a chance to work, this would be for 4 weeks in total. I also apply topically to the affected areas between dips. Please note that the whole pig needs to be dipped, and the Imaverol needs to be worked in using a throw away sponge or some members apply with a syringe.
You will find that there are different opinions on when to dip, and dosing etc, I am going by what was recommended to me by a friend who runs a Guinea Pig Health and Welfare clinic and has worked for numerous pigs there. However, see what your vet recommends.
If you are in the UK and need a more knowledgeable vet, please use our recommended vets locator.
biscandmatt
Senior Guinea Pig
the vet can take a skin scraping to send to the lab so you know for sure what it is. when ches had ringworm, he was on medication (terbinafine) and a cream to apply (lamisil). the treatment took 4weeks and he was clear after.
keep thoroughly cleaning the cage, and i threw away any wooden items aswell because the spores can live longer on those. although i think someone else just steamed them.
good luck x
keep thoroughly cleaning the cage, and i threw away any wooden items aswell because the spores can live longer on those. although i think someone else just steamed them.
good luck x
PiggySmitten
Adult Guinea Pig
I threw my wooden stuff away but you can dunk it in the anti fungal disinfectant like F10 or Anigene I read.
PiggySmitten
Adult Guinea Pig
I threw my wooden stuff away but you can dunk it in the anti fungal disinfectant like F10 or Anigene I read.
helen105281
Senior Guinea Pig
That's wonderful news.
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