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Skin irritation? Mites?

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Toffeewoffee

Toffeewoffee

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Found a bald patch about the size of a 10p on Toffee's back on friday night, there was dry white clumps attached to the hair at the roots and the hair seems to be coming out, the skin is not red, dry or irritated at all, and there was a couple of smaller bald patches without the white clumps, one on shoulder and other on her side, i have been putting tea tree oil (guinea pig one) on her since i noticed it, all of the white stuff seems to be gone and the area is looking a bit better. You may recall she had a bald patch appear in may june time and the vet said it looks healthy and there was no infectin or mites and was most probably a case of barbering.

Am taking them to the vets tonight for a nail trim and m.o.t so they are going to look at it then, any ideas what it could be? No signs of anything what so ever on the other pigs, do you think this is going to be a continuos thing with her? She is fin in herself, eating wheeking weeing pooing as normal, she is very good when i am putting the cream on too!

She is about 8 months old, got her from P@H in feb, surprisingly happy and healthy.
 
The most common skin complaints are mites and fungal (ringworm), differing treatments for both and a swift diagnosis will stop it from becoming a big problem. Yay for the vet MOT - fingers crossed all will be sorted very quickly.

Suzy x

ETA Ringworm has been a big feature this year with P@H pigs.
 
Ring worm usually starts on the nose doesn't it? I asked about that the last time and they said it wasn't ringworm. I'm hoping all will be well, so fingers crossed. Hopefully they will be able to advise what treatments i can use that wont cost the earth!

If it was ring worm, would she not have had it when we first got her? It seems to flair up every couple of months and the first we saw of it was may june time, we got her in feb.
 
Ringworm can appear anywhere - often but not always on the nose. If you have been using tea tree ointment it will help but not kill it off, hence why it can reappear.

Without seeing the pig it's impossible for me to say what it is - but it's a difficult condition to shift without the right meds. Fingers crossed it's a quick fix.

Suzy x
 
Ok thank you, i trust my vets and they are Cavy Savy so i will see what they say.
 
UPDATE: Ear Infection!

Well i took them to have their nails trimed and it appears Toffee also has an ear infection, which could be related to the bald patches, we are going back tomorrow for proper diagnosis and to get some medication, does anyone know what medication should be prescribed, i hear awful tales about people being prescribed things that only make the piggies more ill and i want to know the names of the ones i should avoid if mentioned!

I have been told it would most likely be baytril which will be given orally however until i have the proper consultation tomorrow i am not sure!

Any advice would be appreciated.

Also Minnie had a small bladder stone which was luckily squeezed out, not that she was happy about it mind!

Thanks
 
"dry white clumps attached to the hair at the roots and the hair seems to be coming out"
If the clumps are flakes of skin then it appears to be fungal. Dindy has a recuring problem with it.
 
Just been back to the vets with Toffee - well my OH has, they have gven us a 5 day course of Baytril for her ear infection which we give oraly through a syringe (wish me luck with that!)

They also gave us something called stronghold which apparently are little sachets which you squirt on the back of the neck, which is a medication aganst mites, they have said there isn't one available for guinea pigs and have given us one that is designed for cats and dogs......however she did say they usually prescribe this for small animals and have never had any probs? I am sceptical about this, is a mite repellant designed for cats and dogs safe to use on my piggies?

Any advise on the above would be appreciated. The fur is starting to grow back on her bald spots already, i have been putting johnsons small animal tea tree cream on them twice a day and will hopfully giving her a bath tonight using some nizoral shampoo.

Thanks
 
Hiya

You mustn't bath after applying spot on for at least 48hrs.

I've never used or heard of Stronghold being used for small furries - Xeno 450 is the small animal spot on for mite treatments, it's been around for a while!

Suzy x
 
She had a dose of wormer on tuesday anyway so have been told not to apply this until the weekend, so wont be putting it on her anyway. But until i know it is safe i wont be putting it anywhere near any of my piggies!

Thanks
 
No advice, just wanted to say I hope Toffee gets well soon.
 
Afraid I have no advice to give - my piggies stuck to UTIs and dodgy lumps! - but hope Toffee gets well soon. Our cat Toffi (spelling by my brother when he was little) sends Toffee some kitty kisses!
 
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