URGENT unhealthy pig

[loisguineapigs]

A couple of days ago I noticed one of my boy guinea pigs had a few scratch-looking marks on his body and assumed he and my other male guinea pig had been fighting, however, today my other male had a horrible black mark on his nose and his nose looks very sore and a little pussy. I also looked behind his ears to see they were quite dry. Today I will be treating them both with invermectin just in case it is mites and I will probably take them to the vets if I can’t find out what it is/a cure and so I just wanted to know what you think it is? Thank you xx

 

[sport_billy]

Please get them seen by a vet, skin conditions need correct diagnosis

 

[Swissgreys]

I agree with @sport_billy - they should both definitely be taken to a vet for a proper check up and diagnosis.
To be honest it doesn't really sound like mites, so I am not sure there is any point applying ivermectin.
If one of the wounds looks like it has pus coming from it then it may need antibiotics or some sort of cream to prevent the infection spreading.

If they are wounds from fighting then you will need to come up with a plan to seperate them.
How old are they, how long have they lived together and how big is their cage?

 

[Flutterby]

 

[Wiebke]

A couple of days ago I noticed one of my boy guinea pigs had a few scratch-looking marks on his body and assumed he and my other male guinea pig had been fighting, however, today my other male had a horrible black mark on his nose and his nose looks very sore and a little pussy. I also looked behind his ears to see they were quite dry. Today I will be treating them both with invermectin just in case it is mites and I will probably take them to the vets if I can’t find out what it is/a cure and so I just wanted to know what you think it is? Thank you xx

Hi!

Please do not treat on spec for skin issues.

Always have them vet checked first so you do not wipe the crime scene; no vet will thank you for meddling and interfering with the symptoms they need for the correct diagnosis.
Ivermectin for instance will suppress fungal skin infections temporarily to some extent but it won't heal them; they just come back worse than ever as soon as it wears out - and that just prolongs the suffering for your guinea pigs and can create further problems for you down the line if you deal with a highly infectious version like ringworm, which is allowed to spread its spores unchecked.
If you treat with a pet shop strength low dosed broad spectrum ivermectin product, this also means that it is not strong enough to cut through the problem, but you and your vet will have to wait until it has worn off before they can step in with the correct one - provided it is actually either mange or hay mites, which are two different parasites by the way.
In the end, you will spend more money and still end up at the vet's with a much more advanced case.

Here is our advice and information with further links: What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)

The above is part of our very useful new owners guide collection that is designed to help you avoid all the usual pitfalls that await the unwary. It may well be worth to actually read it! Getting Started - New Owners' Most Helpful Guides

 

[Merab]

Keep us posted when you’ve seen the vet
Hope it’s not anything serious

 

[loisguineapigs]

Keep us posted when you’ve seen the vet
Hope it’s not anything serious

Thank you for all your advice but I have a very big suspicion that they have been fighting and being very violent. I wouldn’t jump to any conclusions but I do know that they have been fighting for sure it’s just a case of whether this condition is due to that or something else I will have to find out