Scruff has nasty looking wound on shoulder...

[tylerina]

Well - just as the title says really.

It appeared - or rather I found it- a couple of days ago. Just a hard scab and it didn't seem to be bothering him. Now 2 days later its much bigger and it looks like he has scratched the dry scab off the top so it looks a bit weepy now...He is still eating, drinking and wheeking his head off during play time! Doesn't like me touching the area though bless him...

I have stopped him sharing free time with the other pigs for now though just in case it's the dreaded ringworm - but maybe it's mites seeing as he seems a bit itchy...

I will be popping him over the road to my vet tomorrow but I will try and get a picture up on here so if anyone has any pearls of wisdom please feel free to share them...

 

[Coffeebucks]

Sounds like the vet is the best thing for him. if he's itchy he will just make it worse without treatment
Hope it all goes well tomorrow.

 

[Dusty_bugs]

One of my guineas once developed a completely random whopping scab on her ribs once.. Circular-ish with flakey rings of dried skin around it.. Turned out to be just a scab! The vet reckoned she had nipped herself cleaning too much and as the scab itched during healing she just kept nipping it. The scab eventually fell off with clumps of hair in it (eeew) but the hair grew back and 2 months later you owuldnt have known! Very weird :/

 

[tylerina]

Thanks for the good wishes ladies.

Well - took Scruff along to the vet today and she gave him a good going over. She thinks he has either scratched himself or has had a nip from one of the other pigs which has got infected! Def not ringworm and she thinks highly unlikely to be mites but said to treat him for it anyway once the scab has healed completely just in case. He has baytril to take twice a day for a fortnight.

He is still very happy in himself thankfully so I hope to goodness this medicine does the trick soon!

Thank goodness for this forum...xxxxxx

 

[sport_billy]

Hope it clears up soon.

 

[tylerina]

Thank you sport_billy!

Well = the scab is certainly looking a lot dryer already and he is no longer scratching at it. It's no smaller yet but early days I suppose.

One thing that is concerning me a little this morning - he seems a bit down in the dumps and hasn't finished his breakfast salad when normally it would be all gone by now. He has had about half his normal amount. He is still eating hay all the time though.

Am I right in thinking that Baytril can have an effect on their appetite? Not sure if I read that on here or not...

 

[Valdansam]

HI Tylerina , pleased to hear the sore is improving, I believe Baytrill can affect their delicate balance of their tummie but if they are still eating and drinking I wouldn't worry much about that , as long as h e is happy in himself he should be ok

 

[tylerina]

Thank you Valdansam!

He ssems a bit perkier today but still not too hungry - eating lots of hay though so that's the main thing I suppose. He also scratched a little bit of the dry scab off yesterday and boy did he squeak poor little thing...

 

[Valdansam]

We this is good to hear he is perkier! Poor wee man. Mine won't leave his sore alone, so it is not getting better! Naughty thing, shame they couldn't have those collars to stop them nibbling like dogs use!

 

[sharonS]

Glad to here that he is improving day by day, sometimes these things are a mystery. For future refererence, if you put micropore tape on their back feet over their nails it prevents them from scratching open their wounds.

 

[shiny]

If he's not eating as much as normal, I would weigh every day to make sure he's not losing weight. It's really important to keep their digestive system going too. To tempt a poorly pig to eat, I find a handful of grass from my back garden is the best thing to get them started again. I give Bio-Lapis as a probiotic when giving Baytril to help keep the good bugs they need in their digestive systems. You can get it from vets or online.

Hope Scruff is feeling better soon xx

 

[Connie]

giving a probiotic along side antibiotics can help with the apetitie loss, you should be able to get this from your vet if you ask, but as long as he seem well in himself and is eating and drinking as usual thats the main thing.

 

[tylerina]

Thank you so much for all the advice ladies and gents - most helpful! I knew there was something in the back of my mind about probiotics lol!

Well - Scruff is doing fine - scabs are drying nicely - no smaller but def dryer and starting to fall off.. He is managing not to scratch them too. I have also let him run around with 2 of my other piggies in the evenings too as he was a bit down in the dumps and it's perked right up again bless him! His appetite is almost normal again too thank goodness - worried me when he had so much salad left over...hopefully another week or so and he will be all healed up!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

 

[tylerina]

Quick update - healing nicely! Scabs are slowly falling off and he is left with a bald patch but sure Scruff's fur will grow back soon hehehe!

xxxxxx