Sore, Crusty Ear :(

[Eriathwen]

I noticed last night Bramble has a very crusty ear, this seems to have appeared in a couple of hours, it certainly wasn't there the day before and I didn't notice anything in the morning. She's not been scratching at it that i've seen and it doesn't look too bloody or red so I don't think it's very itchy but it does seem to be sore and her ear feels quite hard. I'm really hoping it's not ringworm.. it's on the side she always sleeps/lays on, could it be a reaction to the shavings? Her other ear is perfectly fine, as are her sisters. There's no other patches of it anywhere on her.

I've phoned the vets and she has an appointment, but it's for Wednesday as that's the earliest she can be seen. Is there anything I can do for her until then? I was going to clean it but it doesn't seem to want to come off easily and I didn't want to make it more sore so i've left it for now.

 

[Wiebke]

Please see your vet for fungal ear treatment.

 

[Eriathwen]

Will do. I'm going to phone where I got them and see if she can be seen by their vet any sooner than her appointment on Wednesday with my own. Hopefully she's still covered as it's only been 2 weeks since we bought them.

It's definitely fungal then?

 

[Wiebke]

Will do. I'm going to phone where I got them and see if she can be seen by their vet any sooner than her appointment on Wednesday with my own. Hopefully she's still covered as it's only been 2 weeks since we bought them.

It's definitely fungal then?

It looks very much like fungal. As you have got them only so shortly, the risk that it is highly transmittable ringworm rather than a milder form of fungal is much higher. If you have got them from a pet shop, the shop should reimburse any vet cost from whichever vet you are using if you present the bill together with the sale receipt.

Ringworm has got an incubation period of 10-14 days between infection and outbreak. It is the one thing that guinea pigs can get that spreads between all mammals (including humans).

Please carefully read our hygiene guide (important!) and be aware that it needs to run its due course once a piggy has got it. You also need to treat the companion to make sure that it is not coming down with it, either.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[Eriathwen]

Thankyou, will give it a read! Poor little things only just really started coming out of her shell and not playing dead, i'm hoping going to the vet and being treated wont upset her too much I'm sure I have the receipt for them somewhere, i'll have a look.

Luckily i've been washing my hands after handling them since day one 'just in case' so hopefully it's not spread to any of the other animals but I guess we'll see.

 

[Eriathwen]

Right, we're just in from the vets, all costs are being covered by the shop luckily. They took a sample from inside the ear and found ear mite eggs so they're both being treated for ear mites first as that's most likely, they're to go back once a week for the next month for the treatment and to monitor how it's going, if that doesn't work then they're going to start treatment for ringworm in case it is both things. They don't want to treat both straight away so they know which treatment actually works in case it's a recurring issue with them or any others from the shop come in with the same issue.

It's not spread or got worse since I posted so fingers crossed it's just mites and is sorted with the spot on drops they're getting

 

[Eriathwen]

Only been 3 days but she's improved so much that I think it's safe to say it was the ear mites. Can't get a picture because she's being such a happy, wriggle bum but all that horrible crust has gone from the outer part of inside her ear, there is a small amount still inside and the bottom has become raw where she managed to tear off some of the crust either running through the hay or scratching, but that's healing up nicely as well and not showing any signs of being infected.

Her other ear has a slight dry patch but it's not getting any worse so hopefully that will go as well. Blackberry, her friend is still showing no signs of catching it which is good.

 

[Eriathwen]

Well this is how it's looking today, seems to be improving? Figured i'd keep posting pictures here just so I can see how it's progressing and all that or incase it's helpful to anyone else...you never know.



...she's a cheerful little sausage, despite it all though

 

[Eriathwen]

Well if anyones still reading...lol Just back from her check up with the nurse, had her second dose of panomec and given a good cuddle. Second appointment with the actual vet made for half an hour later as she's developed a runny nose and sneezes so she's also been given baytril for that and anti fungal cream 'just in case' for her ear (saw a different vet than last time) so the waiting to see if it's just ear mites is out the window. She's put on about 40g in the week and her next appointment has been changed from one with a nurse to with the vet to see how she's got on with the antibiotics...erm...think that's all? 2 appointments down, 3 to go! Then hopefully she can actually settle down and enjoy her new home without feeling so poorly!