Ringworm

[Silly]

Hi everyone,

I wonder if people could give me some advice.

Titch and Ruby have had problem skin ever since I got them. we've had a long battle with mites despite numerous Xeno 450. Tuesday after seeing dandruff parted Titchs fur and noticed a patch of fur missing nothing to the eye but when you part the fur. I put daktarin on but today behind both ears she has rings. I am taking them both to the vet at 9.30 tomorrow morning.:...

I feel such an awful owner :...I've only had a guinea with it the once and that was a young one from a pet shop who brought it with him, he was dipped every few days at the vets till gone, it never came back

I have been to the hospital with very itchy skin I have excema as well which I have had for 26 years. He gave me fungal ointment, I have no idea if its from them or I have given it to Titch. My guinea who I got who had ringworm 9 years ago gave me it and I have the same place erupt near my chin when stressed. Could Titch have got it from me? Apparently, the consultant said it lays dormant like a cold sore once you have had it.

My reason for asking for advice is, when at the vet I will have to blitz their cage again. I use F10, paper and dust extracted straw with a hay area and a cat basket with a little pillow pad in it which I change every day and pour boiling water on to kill anything. I am concerned they might have got it from the straw. I bought different hay and straw after finding the ringworm but what else can I use that could be mite or spore free? I tried fleece but I couldn't bare it, washing it and getting hay off it just wasnt for me.

Any help from anyone would be appreciated, I really do feel like bursting into tears as I am so worried I will get more and that I will never get rid of theirs. I feel awful about it. Just wanted to chat to someone with guineas and what to do.

Thanks for reading, sorry to be a pain.

S L

 

[Toffeewoffee]

I dont mean to offend you, but are you sure the patches behind the ears are some form of skin complaint rather than the normal baldness all piggies have behind their ears? Perhaps if you could post a picture?
x

 

[Silly]

I dont mean to offend you, but are you sure the patches behind the ears are some form of skin complaint rather than the normal baldness all piggies have behind their ears? Perhaps if you could post a picture?
x

Toffeewoffee,

The patch I saw Tuesday is on the back area to the side. Definately has a ring. Behind the ears is less hair than Ruby and positive there is a ring. I am on my iPad but if my daughter is willing I will ask her to take a photo and upload it I don't know how to. she is out till 5.30 so I will ask her after she comes in. No, I know they have fur missing behind ears as I double checked Ruby's. Other than me from my old wound I can only think it's from their bedding.

S L.

 

[Toffeewoffee]

I think i am right in thinking that ringworm is transmittable between humans and piggies, i know from personal experience. I dont really have any answers but wish you luck at the vets.

x

 

[Rodentopia]

I think vets is best choice as could be anything maybe fungal rather then ring worm but vets will be able to give you a definate answer. I've been dealing with a rescue piggy with skin problems for last month so i know how you feel but you will get there in the end with it

 

[Silly]

I think vets is best choice as could be anything maybe fungal rather then ring worm but vets will be able to give you a definate answer. I've been dealing with a rescue piggy with skin problems for last month so i know how you feel but you will get there in the end with it

I will let you know how I get on at the vet. The whole visit will be so stressful as Titch plays dead and they both find it so frightening. I don't think they have ever taken to humans much, Ruby is alot better but they both are easily freaked by anything. They weren't handled before I got them. I feel bad because I feel something must be wrong that I'm doing with them. The house isn't stressful and is very quiet I don't see how I can make it any better for them.

What skin problem did the guinea have out of interest?

SL

 

[Rodentopia]

Fungal they was bred to be snake food and came to me in poor state they had been treat for the fungal but been an up hill struggle getting one to stop scratching his scabs as when they heal they itch as we all know, tried allsorts in the end i taped his claws up and invested in some gorgeous piggies ointment to keep his skin soft, he now has fur growing back and looks a different piggy

 

[Silly]

Fungal they was bred to be snake food and came to me in poor state they had been treat for the fungal but been an up hill struggle getting one to stop scratching his scabs as when they heal they itch as we all know, tried allsorts in the end i taped his claws up and invested in some gorgeous piggies ointment to keep his skin soft, he now has fur growing back and looks a different piggy

Degurock,

Was the fungal ringworm then? Have been googling and it can be fungal but not ringworm. The fur seems to come out as if their skin was made of butter if you know what I mean.

You sound like you've done a good job for the guinea.

S L

 

[Rodentopia]

No was fungal, not had a piggy with ringworm. Is the skin dry?

Its took a lot of hard work and him hating me for a month but we have got there

 

[Silly]

No was fungal, not had a piggy with ringworm. Is the skin dry?

Its took a lot of hard work and him hating me for a month but we have got there

Hi,

Titchs skin on her back about 50p size has white flakes that are very dry on the end of hair that comes out very easily. She has white dandruff on her back as well.

SL

 

[shiny]

Ringworm or other fungal will sometimes make dry, crusty areas but is not always round - bit of a misleading name really! When you say they have 'rings' on them, what do you mean? When our piggies have had ringworm the patches have grown really quickly accompanied by hair loss in those areas but not scabs. I know this isn't always the same for all cases though...

Have you had a look at guinealynx on hairloss? http://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html There's loads of info about different causes of hair loss.

I know you said you have treated with Xeno 450, what spacing did you have between the doses? I'm just wondering if there were mites present whether they have ever been eradicated completely.

How often are you applying the Daktarin & how long have you been using it? When we had ringworm on Bertie's nose, we used Daktarin 3 times a day for about 3 weeks on the advice of our vet & it cleared it up. An important thing with treating fungal is to go on treating for the full course of time even after the initial symptoms may have disappeared otherwise it can just come back again if not properly blizted.

I would try talking to your vets about the possibility getting a 'tooth-brush' type skin scraping from your piggies which you could probably collect at home if they are very nervous of the vets & then getting it tested for fungal.

 

[Silly]

Ringworm or other fungal will sometimes make dry, crusty areas but is not always round - bit of a misleading name really! When you say they have 'rings' on them, what do you mean? When our piggies have had ringworm the patches have grown really quickly accompanied by hair loss in those areas but not scabs. I know this isn't always the same for all cases though...

Have you had a look at guinealynx on hairloss? http://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html There's loads of info about different causes of hair loss.

I know you said you have treated with Xeno 450, what spacing did you have between the doses? I'm just wondering if there were mites present whether they have ever been eradicated completely.

How often are you applying the Daktarin & how long have you been using it? When we had ringworm on Bertie's nose, we used Daktarin 3 times a day for about 3 weeks on the advice of our vet & it cleared it up. An important thing with treating fungal is to go on treating for the full course of time even after the initial symptoms may have disappeared otherwise it can just come back again if not properly blizted.

I would try talking to your vets about the possibility getting a 'tooth-brush' type skin scraping from your piggies which you could probably collect at home if they are very nervous of the vets & then getting it tested for fungal.

Shiny,

The vet doesn't think it is ringworm. Behind her ears there is no stabbing or dried blood or dry skin just more hair gone than the normal bald bit behind their ears. I put the cream on two times a day but ill up it to three then. The skin where the cream is on is pink more than other areas don't know if this is the cream done this or not. The vet said he dont seem to over itch but fur does come out alot when petted.

He was blaming their environment being inside the heating and said it could be hormones. I didn't think he knew much to be honest. He gave me malaseb shampoo and to use just a bit. I haven't done it yet they were so distraught especially Titch at the vet they needed to relax back at home again. Titch was shivering in her cage ages after I got back.

He said about a scraping but need to be put to sleep. No way I said. The Zeno I do every week for three courses. He did comment injections are far better. Maybe the Zeno is just keeping it at bay then they get worse again. He kept going on about vitamin c but I know they have alot of it, don't see how I could get a crushed pill down them either.

I have realised after them been at the vet just how relaxed they are at home, as they do lie right out and just let me stroke them while they are like that, so that was a positive thing for me to realise.

Just going to have to bite the bullet and give them a little bath. Do you know how many and for how long as he didnt say.

Thanks alot

S L

 

[Rodentopia]

I think you need to find a better vet, have you had a look in the recommended vets section on here for someone local to you? I found a cavy savvy vet 10 minutes up the road from me from looking on here and shes a gem

Have a look on gorgeous guineas http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/ read the section it might help you clarify what your dealing with better. Regards shampooing think when i was given shampoo by my last vets a few years ago it was a week apart but i could be wrong. Regards vit c you could add a probiotic to their drinking water whilst you are dealing with the fungal as will aid recovery. Some people also crush tablets and add it to food etc....

 

[Wiebke]

If you are dealing with repeated mites problems, a full course of ivermectin injections would be recommended. Topical treatments take you only so far; they are better for prevention than clearing them out. I have any piggy of mine put on injections that is affected by any form of mites more than just itching. Please be aware that mites can make a comeback whenever the immune system is lowered through stress or illlness.

The bald patches can be related to mites; it could be a fungal (not necessarily ringworm) problem due to a lowered immune system or it could be due to dry skin. A skin scrape will only be analysed for ringworm and mange mites, so it will come back negative if you are dealing with any other form of either mites or fungal. In defense of your vet, it is often very difficult to find the real culprit! I have been there myself a couple of times, so I can feel for you! Like you, I have treated with a combination of ivermectin injections and a mild fungal bath in the end.

 

[Silly]

If you are dealing with repeated mites problems, a full course of ivermectin injections would be recommended. Topical treatments take you only so far; they are better for prevention than clearing them out. I have any piggy of mine put on injections that is affected by any form of mites more than just itching. Please be aware that mites can make a comeback whenever the immune system is lowered through stress or illlness.

The bald patches can be related to mites; it could be a fungal (not necessarily ringworm) problem due to a lowered immune system or it could be due to dry skin. A skin scrape will only be analysed for ringworm and mange mites, so it will come back negative if you are dealing with any other form of either mites or fungal. In defense of your vet, it is often very difficult to find the real culprit! I have been there myself a couple of times, so I can feel for you! Like you, I have treated with a combination of ivermectin injections and a mild fungal bath in the end.

Wiebke,

Thank you for your reply. The patch doesn't seem to be bigger just the same really so ill keep using the cream.

I think that's what I am concerned with that my gps are stressed for some reason and aren't happy. if only they could speak the problem would be sorted partially. There just doesn't seem to be much light at the end of the tunnel at the moment. Possible I maybe worry about them a bit much.

S L