Skinny Pig Skin Issues

[TTcat]

Hello, I’ve cared for many guinea pigs over time and all lived healthy happy lives, I just got a skinny pig that I adopted. He was prone to skin issues, and now I’m concerned. Any advice would be lovely. The skin issue just appeared today. He isn’t in direct sunlight ever, he does not go outside, and the only new thing he didn’t have before is the kind of hay I’m using.

 

[Flutterby]

It looks like it could be the start of a fungal infection. Please have your piggy seen by a vet to confirm.

 

[Swissgreys]

I agree with @Flutterby
If he is new to you then he may well have an infection, so a vet check would be best to rule out any problems, before he is introduced to the rest of your piggies (I assume he is still in quarantine).

 

[helen105281]

I would also ask them to check for mange mites as my Katie had what looked like fungal but it turned out to be mange mites. This does look more fungal like to me too though.

 

[Wiebke]

View attachment 78928 Hello, I’ve cared for many guinea pigs over time and all lived healthy happy lives, I just got a skinny pig that I adopted. He was prone to skin issues, and now I’m concerned. Any advice would be lovely. The skin issue just appeared today. He isn’t in direct sunlight ever, he does not go outside, and the only new thing he didn’t have before is the kind of hay I’m using.

I agree, that looks like the start of fungal to me, too. The onset is more visible than in furred guinea pigs, but it looks similar to when I caught ringworm on my arm during a ringworm outbreak once. The name is for this variety of fungal comes from the red/pink ring around it.

Please see a vet for a diagnosis and use very good hygiene when handling and use a disinfectant that is antifungal and not just antibacterial. Tips in our ringworm guide (which is for the most aggressive and transmittable form of fungal, but there are others). If it is fungal, then the tips in our guide, while more work, should help you to get on top of it once and for all. As you have caught it very early on, it should not be very difficult to get on top of it. Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[TTcat]

He had a vet check a day before I got him from my work and tested him for ring worm which he doesn’t have. They said he was healthy and that was about a week ago. When he was in our ISO at work he was being treated with benasoothe. And he hasn’t been around any animals since early November.

 

[gizzy]

Could be an allergy to hay or bedding!
Perhaps try different type of hay And bedding
Vet bed would be ideal

 

[Flutterby]

He had a vet check a day before I got him from my work and tested him for ring worm which he doesn’t have. They said he was healthy and that was about a week ago. When he was in our ISO at work he was being treated with benasoothe. And he hasn’t been around any animals since early November.

I wouldn't rule out ring worm until you have seen a vet. This is the best thing to do then you can get the correct diagnoses instead of treating on-spec and possibly making things worse.

 

[TTcat]

Again, he has already seen a vet and they ruled it out.

 

[gizzy]

Hi there, my thought's are on alergic reactions!
Do you have any think that he lays on that is washed in the Whashing machine?
If so perhaps get a milder delegate , or do's he wee were he sits ! Perhaps eczema, which can be cauesd by allergen in the urine in the bedding.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

That looks an awful lot like ringworm to me, how did the vet rule it out before the symptoms showed? I would recommend seeing a more piggy savvy vet maybe? Or going back since it's developed since your last vet visit.

I'd almost put money on it being ringworm as its a classic shape.

Hope piggy gets better soon, it's horrible when something happens when you've just been to the vets!

 

[Flutterby]