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Unknown Skin Complaint - Help Please!

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JenniferG

JenniferG

Teenage Guinea Pig
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Hi, one of my guinea pigs has a sore on her lips and the vets at my practice don't know what it is. She has had it for a week now and it is spreading. Her official name is Kiwi but call her lemony, banana and yellow!

Some background - Monday last week I took her to the vets as she had a chest infection, she was prescribed sulfratrim. She had a small scab on her lip, I'm guessing from too much fruit. The vet wiped the mucus crusted on her nose and caught an edge of the scab, which bled a little. Another guinea pig has a similar sore lip and I have been using hibiscrub, but has not changed like this one, and the other guinea pig doesn't have sore lips.

Tuesday last week, the sore on her lip turned into a black scab, her lips were swollen and she stopped eating. I got some critical care and pain killer, and have been syringe feeding her since. Kiwi does want to eat and she can manage some regular food.

Wednesday last week, back to the vet as nose still runny but vet said her chest was now clear (different vet). The vet didn't know what the scab was and asked the other vets there but no one has seen it before. Increased dose of sulfratrim.

Saturday last week, back to the vet as Kiwi was having runny poos but vet not concerned as weight loss not great and she was given a fibre supplement. I wondered if she was having an allergic reaction to sulfratrim so we changed to baytril.

Now, her runny nose is a lot better but there is still some crusting. The black scab is spreading up to her nostrils! I need to call the vet again but they already don't know what to do and this is costing a fortune.

I wanted to insert an image here but I can't, so I'll have to change my icon to her sore lips, which is a shame.
 
JenniferG said:
Hi, one of my guinea pigs has a sore on her lips and the vets at my practice don't know what it is. She has had it for a week now and it is spreading. Her official name is Kiwi but call her lemony, banana and yellow!

Some background - Monday last week I took her to the vets as she had a chest infection, she was prescribed sulfratrim. She had a small scab on her lip, I'm guessing from too much fruit. The vet wiped the mucus crusted on her nose and caught an edge of the scab, which bled a little. Another guinea pig has a similar sore lip and I have been using hibiscrub, but has not changed like this one, and the other guinea pig doesn't have sore lips.

Tuesday last week, the sore on her lip turned into a black scab, her lips were swollen and she stopped eating. I got some critical care and pain killer, and have been syringe feeding her since. Kiwi does want to eat and she can manage some regular food.

Wednesday last week, back to the vet as nose still runny but vet said her chest was now clear (different vet). The vet didn't know what the scab was and asked the other vets there but no one has seen it before. Increased dose of sulfratrim.

Saturday last week, back to the vet as Kiwi was having runny poos but vet not concerned as weight loss not great and she was given a fibre supplement. I wondered if she was having an allergic reaction to sulfratrim so we changed to baytril.

Now, her runny nose is a lot better but there is still some crusting. The black scab is spreading up to her nostrils! I need to call the vet again but they already don't know what to do and this is costing a fortune.

I wanted to insert an image here but I can't, so I'll have to change my icon to her sore lips, which is a shame.
Click to expand...

Bless her that looks very sore indeed and not something i have seen before!

Have you checked the recomended vet locator on the forum so if theres a piggy savvy vet near you? A second opinion may be wise as this is obviously advancing fast.

I am wondering if this is simply infection in the scab causing this, but with already 2 different antibiotics, it may he tricky to find one that will treat it. There is also zithromax antibiotic which may help?

Has the diarrohea stopped now? How is her weight doing?

For the guts id suggest giving her a probiotic as antibiotics (particularly baytril) is harsh on the guts and can upset the gut flora. Probiotics are usually given 1-2 hours after each antibiotic dose, but if her course is now finished id suggest just adding it to her syringe feed and give regularly throughout the day. Examples include pro-c from pets at home, fibreplex from the vet or avipro plus from online.

Has any form of fungal issue been ruled out? Just a thought since your other pig had a scab also. If it is fungal, a topical cream as well as an oral intrafungal medication would be best for this severity but your vet would need to diagnose it as a fungal issue first.

In the meantime id suggest keeping it clean with the hibiscrub like u are doing and keep on with her painkiller and syringe feeding x
 
Thank you, the runny poos cleared up with fibreplex and not too much weight loss...I got in fast with the syringe feeding! We haven't gone down the fungal route yet...it doesn't look like a fungal infection but no one knows what it is. I'm at a good vets and 3 have looked at her. Will contact them again today but it's getting very expensive and she's getting worse, although in herself she is strong, which is something!

Have the option to upload a file now

IMG_0534.webp
 
Bless her, id be worried about that tissue dying what with it being black- have they mentioned anything about that?

Trying a topical treatment may be something to consider also, granted the severity of it. Her lips look so swollen bless her.

If it is chelitis that has become infected, a different antibiotic like zithromax may be an option as mentioned.

I'm sorry I'm not much help, i will tag some of our other health and illness advisors to see if they have any advice.. @Elwickcavies @Wiebke @helen105281 @VickiA @furryfriends (TEAS)
 
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Poor little girl

Experienced piggy vet here for a second opinion if needed from the recommended vet locator

Piddle Valley vets
David Holah
The Surgery
Backwater, Puddletown
Dorchester, Dorset DT2 8SD
01305 848820
 
Poor mite! Please have that seen by a knowledgeable vet.

Cheilitis can be fungal or bacterial or something else, depending on what gets into the cracks in the lips. If it is fungal, oral itrafungol would be the best to use, as well as a very strong antibiotic. In severe cases, you really have to throw the kitchen sink at cheilitis. :(
 
I've taken another photo. She still has a runny nose after a week of antibiotics but last week the vet said her chest sounded clear. The vets said the scab most looked like a burn, which it can't be. Amazingly she is eating more now by herself, so I'll cut down on the syringe feeding. Seeing this spread to her nostrils and still having a runny nose is worrying though. I have an appointment with the top vet at 3.45pm.

IMG_0542.webp
 
Not much I can add really except to see another vet if you can. I was thinking fungal too though a change of antibiotic to something like Zithromax may also help.
 
Oh my word poor girl that looks so sore. I haven't seen anything like that before. I hope the head vet has a plan to get her sorted. Please let us know how you get on.
 
Adelle said:
Bless her, id be worried about that tissue dying what with it being black- have they mentioned anything about that?
Click to expand...

Agree - Necrotising cellulitis. . . Treatment will need to be aggressive - Dead tissue will need to be debrided (Surgically removed), and strong broad-spectrum antibiotics will need to be implemented.
 
Flesh eating is what we thought at home...definitely necrotic! Well, I left her with the vet to have the scab surgically removed...it's like a thick sheet of pliable plastic. The vet said it's either a very nasty infection, and they need to treat it as if it's the type of infection they would have internally and remove it, or it's an auto-immune disease that is very rare in guinea pigs. She has never seen anything like it. Tomorrow late morning, they will take off the scab and go down to healthy tissue. It's awful that it has now spread to beneath her nostrils, and the vet warned me that her nose may look odd afterwards, which naturally I don't mind. Her chest is clear now and her nose may just be runny because of the inflammation in that area. She is keen to eat and lively, so I'm not unduly worried about the anesthetic. I will let you all know tomorrow what happens! Thank you for all the help and kind words xx
 
She has been on 2 different types of antibiotics and pain relief...and will need them after surgery.
 
JenniferG said:
Flesh eating is what we thought at home...definitely necrotic! Well, I left her with the vet to have the scab surgically removed...it's like a thick sheet of pliable plastic. The vet said it's either a very nasty infection, and they need to treat it as if it's the type of infection they would have internally and remove it, or it's an auto-immune disease that is very rare in guinea pigs. She has never seen anything like it. Tomorrow late morning, they will take off the scab and go down to healthy tissue. It's awful that it has now spread to beneath her nostrils, and the vet warned me that her nose may look odd afterwards, which naturally I don't mind. Her chest is clear now and her nose may just be runny because of the inflammation in that area. She is keen to eat and lively, so I'm not unduly worried about the anesthetic. I will let you all know tomorrow what happens! Thank you for all the help and kind words xx
Click to expand...

You have done well and your vet sounds very competant- heres hoping for a positive outcome xx
 
Newsflash: she's coming round from her surgery now and I have an appointment at 3.15pm to pick her up :) I was worried that there might not be enough guinea pig left once they'd removed the infection. I'll post again once I have her home.
 
She's home! Very dozy and her breathing is loud but the scab was up to her nostrils so that area has been affected too. She's continuing on baytril and painkiller, with an appointment on Saturday to see how she's doing. The nurse said it looked rather nasty and ulcerated under the scab...I think the vet has done a good job with cosmetic surgery. IMG_0546.webp IMG_0546.webp
 
I honestly didnt expect it to look so neat! Praying she heals up soon xx
 
The nurse said at 3.15pm that she had given her 20ml of critical care...I've just tried to feed her again (7pm) but she's turning her head away and really doesn't want it.
 
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