• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Suspect Fungal Infection

Status
Not open for further replies.
Roclibrarian

Roclibrarian

Teenage Guinea Pig
Joined
Jul 12, 2016
Messages
734
Reaction score
2,384
Points
845
Location
St Helens, Merseyside, UK
Off to vets with Ginny today. I think she's got a fungal skin infection. She's not especially scatching, but her fur feels gritty with black bits in it. The fur comes out in clumps with skin attached at the end. She goes mad trying to bite when I rummage through her fur.
What do I need to ask the vet? I want to be prepared to ask for the best treatment, so what is it?
 
If it is a fungal then Imaverol is usually the best treatment but have her checked for mites too x
 
Roclibrarian said:
Off to vets with Ginny today. I think she's got a fungal skin infection. She's not especially scatching, but her fur feels gritty with black bits in it. The fur comes out in clumps with skin attached at the end. She goes mad trying to bite when I rummage through her fur.
What do I need to ask the vet? I want to be prepared to ask for the best treatment, so what is it?
Click to expand...

Please have her seen by a vet whether it is fur mites or fungal. They Need different Treatment, ivermectin for any mites.
Here are our tips for fungal infections (not all fungal is ringworm, but Treatments are the same): Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures
 
Agree with others.
It sounds like it could easily be either mites or fungal, so you need to have it confirmed by a vet so you can treat with the right drug.
My money would be on mites as I think they tend to be more painful and irritating, hence the biting when you rummage through her fur - our Eddi was the same when he had mites - however a vet will work it out.
On the plus side having recently dealt with both mites and fungal, both seem to respond very quickly to treatment
 
She's got an appointment in 45 mins, just wanted to know what to expect. I'm nervous now, not about the vet, just hate the waiting room. I worry about my babies getting stressed by dogs etc.
Last time they went I looked into the carrier to find them munching on cucumber, so I think I was more stressed than them lol
 
If you ever find your pigs stressing at the vets it's worth asking them to either move the barking dog or put you in a quieter room

How did it go?
 
Thankfully the waiting room was empty. Her and her cage mate both got spot treated with Ivormectin (or however you spell it). Back next week to see how she is getting on. The vet said it was hard to tell if it was mites or fungal. Black bits in her fur meant mite treatment first.
 
That's exactly the way we ended up doing it.
Spot on Ivermectin first for 3 treatments, and then when we saw a couple of new patches of scaly skin in a different location we started fungal treatment.
The vet (and I) both did multiple checks for mites and never saw them, but Eddi was a much happier and less itchy piggie after his treatment.

Glad the waiting room was empty too.
 
Just been back to the vets. Ginny definitely has mites, the vet did the sellotape test and saw them under the microscope. At least I know what I'm dealing with now. Ivermectin and back in 2 weeks.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top