What is it?.........

[Polypea]

Hello

I am hoping someone may be able to shed some light on something that has been bothering me for a while now. :{

My male piggy Nugget has a very oily sticky patch of fur just above his bottom, very lower part of his back, it has made the fur very hard and clumped together in that area, the area is about the size of a new 50 pence piece.
I have bathed him and paid particular attention to this area to try to wash away/clear the sticky clumpiness but it just won't shift. :{
I have also try to brush it but it is so clumped together he just gets cross with me. mallethead

When I took him to the vets to be neutered a couple of months ago I asked about this patch and was told it was from his scent glands! :^-

Does anyone know anymore about what this might be?, is the vet right that it's something to do with his scent glands? and how do I get rid of it?

Any advise would be greatly appreciated and sorry for such a long winded explanation! ")

 

[Lisajazz]

It sounds like an overactive scent gland.

You can wash it with washing up liquid or swargz something or another! I'm sure someone will come along with the proper name for the stuff to shift it.

 

[elle100]

Swarfega Its fabulous stuff but I've heard on the forum washing up liquid works just as well.

 

[Polypea]

Hello

Wow, swarfega brings back childhood memories, my dad used to use it all the time on his hands! xx>>>

I'm assuming both washing up liquid and swarfega safe to use on piggies? :...

So it is sounding like the scent gland then? :^-

 

[flintstones]

I think It's the grease gland here is some information..

http://www.guinealynx.info/grooming.html#grease_gland

 

[alcesterpigs]

No, it is not a scent gland, it is the grease gland.
Swarfega or washing up liquid will clean the area. Just use one drop to clean away the grease.

 

[Polypea]

Hello

Thanks to everyone for the help and advise.

I have cleaned the area this evening with washing up liquid, to be honest I'm not sure it worked that well it stills feels quite greasy and his fur is still a little clumped up but better than it was.

I did notice that quite a lot of the clumped up fur actually came away, it also happened when I brushed him afterwards, quite a bit of his fur came off, is this normal?

Also his skin underneath was very pink, he's a white pig with deep red almost black eyes, so not quite albino, so not sure if his skin would be pink? and I did notice a red sore patch too under where the skin has been clumped together. I have made sure the area is dry and I have put a small amount of Bepanthen on the sore patch.

Nugget seems ok in himself, eating, drinking and going to the toilet normally but he did jump and squeak when I was near the sore patch so just wondering if there is anymore I can do or whether it calls for a vet visit?

Thanks in advance

 

[alcesterpigs]

Quite often the hair does come away from the area surrounding the grease gland, sometimes the hair needs to be cut if the the grease is too thick for the washing-up liquid to have any effect.
No need for a visit to the vet, just use Bepanthen ointment on Nugget for another few days.

 

[Polypea]

Thanks alcesterpigs