Scabby Balding Patches on faces

[RudderlessHippy]

Hi,

I seriously need some advice

I noticed on Thursday that Sprout had a really nasty sore patch under her eye. My mum took her to the vet, and she was prescribed Fucithalmic eyedrops. Over the weekend it has got much worse, eyedrops are not helping at all. Her eye is sore and crusty and now its bleeding. I am so worried about her!

I tried changing their hay in case it was too sharp, they now has burgess hay. This has not helped.

A few weeks ago her mother Alice was tested for ringworm and the results came back negative. I have been treating them all for mites with ivermectin, but this does not seem to be helping at all. All 8 of my pigs are still really itchy, and Patch, who was originally treated for mites has got no better, he has sores on his face, and I noticed recently Adora has a huge sore on her face. They are all from separate groups as well, they don’t even live together.

I think it may be ringworm, but the vet has already written that off. I am at my wits end. This is really distressing, and I am trying my hardest to look after them well.

I have a picture of Sprouts eye in case that helps

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Has anyone got some advice please! Is it even worth going back to the vet, they don’t seem to be helping? I live out in the countryside and all the vets around me are more experts on horses and dogs than piggies.

Help!

 

[NatalieMT]

It looks like fungal to me, ringworm is a form of fungal infection but it usually doesn't look quite like what Sprout has. You can see various pictures of skin ailments here on the Gorgeous Guineas website - http://gorgeousguineas.com/photogallery.html. I think the 5th one down is probably a good reference for you. Fungal infections are treatable, so don't panic, but they are highly contagious so that might explain why all your guinea pigs have symptoms even though they don't live with one another. It could be as much as handling one after the other without washing hands inbetween etc.

A lot of people, myself included, have had a lot of success treating fungal using Gorgeous Guineas products. They do the CocoNeem melt, the Manuka and Neem shampoo and then Kwench lotion which when used in combination with each other are very good. You can also use other OTC anti-fungal creams and I know a few members have mentioned another anti fungal shampoo called Sporal G.

If you can travel to see a vet who has more of an interest in guinea pigs then that might be worthwhile too.

 

[Raven]

How was the ringworm test done? *Sometimes a fluorescent light is used, which is useful at detecting some strains of ringworm but does not work on all. *If a culture was sent off, ringworm fungi are notoriously difficult to culture and can take a long time to grow, so a negative result does not 100% rule it out.

Based on the picture, the distribution of the lesions (facial) and the multiple piggies affected, plus the failure to improve after ivermectin, I would suggest you either go back to your vet armed with more information, or see if you can find a more cavy savvy vet. *See this thread*http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=80007&highlight=Ringworm&page=2 for someone who had a similar problem. *

 

[Suzygpr]

There are some very good vets in South Wales - if you could give your location then I'm sure we can recommend someone more suitable.

BTW I completely concur that this looks like a classic case of ringworm.

Suzy x

 

[RudderlessHippy]

How was the ringworm test done? *Sometimes a fluorescent light is used, which is useful at detecting some strains of ringworm but does not work on all. *If a culture was sent off, ringworm fungi are notoriously difficult to culture and can take a long time to grow, so a negative result does not 100% rule it out.

Based on the picture, the distribution of the lesions (facial) and the multiple piggies affected, plus the failure to improve after ivermectin, I would suggest you either go back to your vet armed with more information, or see if you can find a more cavy savvy vet. *See this thread*http://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=80007&highlight=Ringworm&page=2 for someone who had a similar problem. *

The vet did a skin culture. Alice's problem seems to have cleared up now, its just the babies who are all ill

Suzy - I live in Monmouthshire, near Raglan, are there any good vets near there?

 

[RudderlessHippy]

Another question, will the eyedrops that the vet perscribed acually help at all as I don't want want t keep treating them uselessly?

 

[Suzygpr]

You are about 20 miles from a good cavy savvy vet - Sarah Cooke at Budget Vets, Malpas Road, Newport.

Finding a vet you can trust is not easy, I know.

Suzy x

 

[RudderlessHippy]

You are about 20 miles from a good cavy savvy vet - Sarah Cooke at Budget Vets, Malpas Road, Newport.

Finding a vet you can trust is not easy, I know.

Suzy x

Thank you Suzy

I'm going back to my usual vet tomorrow so I can get some treatment for ringworm/fungal infections.

if things do not improve I will get in contact with that vet

Thank you for your help

 

[RudderlessHippy]

Now all the babies have ringworm

Been treating them with myconzole spray, which has not helped at all. I now have 5 pigs out of 8 with scabby bald patches, mostly on the face. it looks like its clearing up and then they get another one somewhere else.

How do I treat this?

 

[Little Pig]

Have you taken them to the vet that Suzy suggested?

 

[RudderlessHippy]

yes I took them to the vet who perscribed the spray, but that doesn't seem to have made a difference

 

[Little Pig]

I think I'd be tempted to take them back for a check up and to let the evt know you are concerned.