Worried About My New Rescue

[VickieD]

Hi all
Can you please help.
I've notice that my little boy has some loss of hair/thinning but no redness and no itching but concerned.
Can anyone suggest what this might be and if anything I can but now to start treating as cannot get to vets until Monday evening.
Thanks
Vickie

 

[VickieD]

Pictures

 

[Adelle]

Hi!

I think, rather than a skin complaint, your piggy may have an ear problem. It looks like the hair and skin aroud that one ear is thinned and irritated, possibly from scratching it excessively. The usual suspects are an ear infection or ear mites, both treatable but by a vet only- please dont use any shop bought parasitic treatments.

Is there any other issues anywhere else on his coat? Is he eating well and fine in himself?

I advise you have a vet check him when you can next get an appointment. For now, you could clip his nails on the back foot (only as short as u normally would) on the same side as the affected ear to reduce the damage he may be doing to the skin by scratching.

Hope the vet can get him some treatment soon x

 

[VickieD]

Hi
Thanks for this... no I will wait till Monday night Vets appointment already booked. Just wanted to make sure I should not be doing /treating him with anything in the meantime.
He is fine in himself purring noises and eating very well

 

[Adelle]

Hi
Thanks for this... no I will wait till Monday night Vets appointment already booked. Just wanted to make sure I should not be doing /treating him with anything in the meantime.
He is fine in himself purring noises and eating very well

I've just noticed the mark on his nose- has he always had this? If not, it may well be a skin complaint, but please dont treat with shop bought products as this could make it harder for the vet to diagnose the problem.

If he becomes ill over the weekend, goes off his food or seems uncomfortable then it would be best too seek an earlier appointment at that point.

 

[Wiebke]

I've just noticed the mark on his nose- has he always had this? If not, it may well be a skin complaint, but please dont treat with shop bought products as this could make it harder for the vet to diagnose the problem.

If he becomes ill over the weekend, goes off his food or seems uncomfortable then it would be best too seek an earlier appointment at that point.

Please have your boy checked for fungal, potentially ringworm by a competent vet. We do not recommend to treat on spec. Ringworm is not at all uncommon in neglected piggies with a lowered immune system. The damp warmish weather is certainly helping promote any form of fungal.

Here are our tips on ringworm/fungal hygiene, to make sure that you get and stay on top of it and not carry it further:
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[VickieD]

Thanks all
Only just got him last night. And did notice it on his nose but on 1st look thought just was his fur was with teddies but then after investigating him today found the ears and got me concerned.
He is definitely going vets but will be after I finish work on Monday.
He's only 8 weeks old.
Gutted but he's already my baby so will be treated professionally.
Should I attempted to bath with salt water round the ear in the mean time?
He is purring already and taking food from my hand on my lap and running about and loves food and water, so not concerned in himself just these worrying skin issues.
Thanks again

 

[VickiA]

With the above. Monday's appointment will be fine as its not an emergency and can wait til then but please do have him seen to get a formal diagnosis and the correct treatment. OTC products are not advised without diagnosis and the strength is usually not of a therapeutic level so we would not recommend trying them.

In the meantime which rescue did he come from? It may be worth asking them if there are any other piggies in their care with this problem

 

[VickieD]

Hi
Don't worry I won't buy anything over counter and will get the proper treatment and prognosis from the vets Monday.
Got from rescue from pets at home and will be speaking with them in due course.
Thx

 

[VickiA]

Hi
Don't worry I won't buy anything over counter and will get the proper treatment and prognosis from the vets Monday.
Got from rescue from pets at home and will be speaking with them in due course.
Thx

It's worth asking them to fund his vets treatment as they supplied him to you - other members have had the whole or part of their initial vets bills paid.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi
Don't worry I won't buy anything over counter and will get the proper treatment and prognosis from the vets Monday.
Got from rescue from pets at home and will be speaking with them in due course.
Thx

Thanks! Please don't do anything to it; for a diagnosing vet it is like wiping and tidying a crime scene and it makes any diagnosis ever so much more difficult. Washing with saline won't do anything at all for fungal.
However, it will keep until Monday and will likely much clearer and easier to diagnose. Please follow our advice in the ringworm guide. Ringworm is one single most transmissive issue that can pass from one mammal to another - and that includes humans and other pets.
The time between infection and actual break out is 10-14 days with ringworm. Some p@h shops have a ringworm problem; we see a regular influx of shop bought baby piggies.
You can see any vet you wish to (p@h are allied with a cheap no frill chain), as long as you present the sales receipt together with the vet bill.

 

[VickieD]

Update
Monday night saw vet.
Vet tested for mites - but confirmed not mites.
Took samples to grow and said could take 5-10 days and then said if ringworm treatment would be bathing but could be difficult round the eye. Then said if ring worm to be extra careful with them not to ensure not spreading to humans or other animals.
I get this but surely better treatment than bathing.
Anyway waiting at present for results but surely if it is ringworm I would see this on the others? No signs at all and the brothers been together since birth.

 

[Wiebke]

Update
Monday night saw vet.
Vet tested for mites - but confirmed not mites.
Took samples to grow and said could take 5-10 days and then said if ringworm treatment would be bathing but could be difficult round the eye. Then said if ring worm to be extra careful with them not to ensure not spreading to humans or other animals.
I get this but surely better treatment than bathing.
Anyway waiting at present for results but surely if it is ringworm I would see this on the others? No signs at all and the brothers been together since birth.

Here is our ringworm care guide, which you may find helpful; especially on how to prevent transmission. We recommend either asking your vet for oral itrafungol (which is prescription only) or to use imaverol/enilconazole dip, which is mild, but very effective, especially when carefully dabbed around the eyes and other sensitive organs. It is also suitable to be used on guinea pigs of all ages.
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures
Gorgeous Guineas Identification

 

[VickieD]

Thanks for the links which I have read through, however he doesn't have any redness or scabs so I'm not sure it is.
I am waiting for results and 4 days tomorrow so hope to be hearing something shortly.
When I know what I'm dealing with I can move forward.
I'm not putting them in the out in their hutch yet as want to treat and sort indoors and know the wooden hutch harder to clean.
Thanks

 

[VickieD]

Hi
I need advise.
I've been told he has ring worm and said they don't stock the guinea pig medicine to treat but would order and it's used on cats and I'd have to but the full bottle at 94.00 and given orally.
Surely this price isn't right?
Help
Vickie

 

[Adelle]

Hi
I need advise.
I've been told he has ring worm and said they don't stock the guinea pig medicine to treat but would order and it's used on cats and I'd have to but the full bottle at 94.00 and given orally.
Surely this price isn't right?
Help
Vickie

Is it intrafungal? I had the same problem and had to buy the full bottle for a piggy of mine that had ringworm.. £65 but that was around 3-4 years ago. X

 

[VickieD]

Hi
Been using medicine for 1wk now and I can see improvement on white one but fudge now got on his nose.
I've also notices a patch tonight above his bottom and it seems raised an concerned. I'm hoping this is ring worm too.
Omg it's put me off getting piggies again at this time

 

[Swissgreys]

I think if they have all been kept together and had contact (sorry if I misunderstood this part) then it is highly likely they all have ringworm.
Best to get confirmation from the vet, but are you treating all of them?

And please don't let this put you off piggies.
It sounds like it is a common problem with pet shop pigs, but if you were to go to a reputable rescue next time around all of their animals are quarantined and should be free of any type of illness.
It seems you have just been unlucky this time.
I hope everyone is feeling better soon.

 

[skittlepower]

Definitely get pets at home to reimburse you for the vet bills. You need to keep the pet certificate they gave you with the receipt but I've found then good at reimbursing. I recently got a very poorly pig from their adoption area, and they reimbursed around £150 in vet bills for him, and also the vet bill for getting my other pigs checked to make sure they hadn't caught the illness as well.