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a little more info on fungal?

piggiemummy03x

piggiemummy03x

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hi all i was wondering if anyone could share any advice or info they have on fungal after reading my situation please.

so a fair few months back i noticed my luna had rather dry, flakey skin, (della had it also but not to the level of lunas) which was uncomfortable for them for me to look at / push around. i took them to the vets, who said it didn’t appear to be fungal, there was no sign of mites on the skin scrape etc and to just keep an eye on them, treating with xeno if things got worse. over the next few months, nothing worsened, but things didn’t get better, the girls where still very dry and flakey, they seem to have shed more during the whole time and would be uncomfortable if i tried to push their fur back the other way to check the skin. after doing a bit of research, i came across gorgeous guineas and decided to order the neem melt & shampoo. i did two treatments, and things improved massively, the itching had reduced massively and the dry skin was gone, i could also push their hair back without any discomfort. this was done December time, fast forward to now and the girls seem to be itching more again, no flakey skin or discomfort while moving their fur around to check etc, but the itching i feel
has got worse.

does this mean my girls have fungal? i have never noticed other symptoms, neither of my girls have bald patches which i have seen on here is a big indicator for fungal, even in the months between the vets and treatment. i keep trying to tell myself if they have fungal something more would be happening, ie bald patches or crusty spots, however i am worried this is maybe the start of problem and want to make sure if it is i treat it asap.

i was advised by gorgeous guineas to shampoo every 4-6 weeks but have read conflicting information as bathing regularly is not recommended for piggies?

how would fungal be diagnosed? is it done via a test? is treatment then given like mite treatment or is it an injection? is it even something that can be cured?

if anyone has any questions or would like me to expand so you can give any advice, please let me know! appreciate you reading, thanks!
 
I am not one of the forum experts and have no experience of fungal skin in piggies but the advice on bathing means not doing it without reason.
 
Hi,

See my current topic about the fungal infection in both my guinea pigs...

From what I understood, dandruff is a possible precursor to a fungal infection. But I don't know whether you should also treat this.

My female has a rather nasty fungus. She also has dandruff and general hair loss. But the fungus is clearly a bald spot (one bigone on her back and 2 little spots around her bottom) with hairs that are falling off. Scales stick to the root. She had it also in her ears, but this recoverd.

I wash with Imaverol 2x a week. This helped the male and it is over. Unfortunately not with the female, so now I am waiting for a culture from the vet and possibly oral medication.
 
Spring100 said:
Hi,

See my current topic about the fungal infection in both my guinea pigs...

From what I understood, dandruff is a possible precursor to a fungal infection. But I don't know whether you should also treat this.

My female has a rather nasty fungus. She also has dandruff and general hair loss. But the fungus is clearly a bald spot (one bigone on her back and 2 little spots around her bottom) with hairs that are falling off. Scales stick to the root. She had it also in her ears, but this recoverd.

I wash with Imaverol 2x a week. This helped the male and it is over. Unfortunately not with the female, so now I am waiting for a culture from the vet and possibly oral medication.
Click to expand...


thanks! sorry to hear about your pigs, wish them a speedy recovery! as i said no other symptoms or bald patches which is making me question it..
 
Spring100 said:
Hi,

See my current topic about the fungal infection in both my guinea pigs...

From what I understood, dandruff is a possible precursor to a fungal infection. But I don't know whether you should also treat this.

My female has a rather nasty fungus. She also has dandruff and general hair loss. But the fungus is clearly a bald spot (one bigone on her back and 2 little spots around her bottom) with hairs that are falling off. Scales stick to the root. She had it also in her ears, but this recoverd.

I wash with Imaverol 2x a week. This helped the male and it is over. Unfortunately not with the female, so now I am waiting for a culture from the vet and possibly oral medication.
Click to expand...

so your pigs had visible crusts on them
which is how you knew it was fungal?
 
The spots do not have scabs. The spots are very dry and bald. With lots of flakes around it. Lots of dandruff around those areas.

At first it wasn't bald, but the hair was loose and I was able to pull it out. I've only had them since November and they already had this (came from a shelter). In addition, their feet were white and the ears were very scaly. They are not itchy, but they do find it very annoying when I touch the hair around these areas. They have also been treated for mites, but the vet immediately said this is a fungus. Only now a culture, because otherwise the vet will not give oral medication. I live in the Netherlands and the policy here is slightly different than in the UK.
 
A lot of vets here won't give oral medication either. Mine wouldn't for Bertie last year, they don't like giving it as it's harsh on the guts.
 
Spring100 said:
The spots do not have scabs. The spots are very dry and bald. With lots of flakes around it. Lots of dandruff around those areas.

At first it wasn't bald, but the hair was loose and I was able to pull it out. I've only had them since November and they already had this (came from a shelter). In addition, their feet were white and the ears were very scaly. They are not itchy, but they do find it very annoying when I touch the hair around these areas. They have also been treated for mites, but the vet immediately said this is a fungus. Only now a culture, because otherwise the vet will not give oral medication. I live in the Netherlands and the policy here is slightly different than in the UK.
Click to expand...

see mine have nothing like this. bless them well done for taking them on! that makes sense hopefully it comes back soon so you figure out what it is!
 
@piggiemummy03x the aby in my avatar picture had dry dandruffy skin all his life. He never developed fungal with it. I used to brush it out a couple of times a week.
 
piggiemummy03x said:
did yours have fungal?
Click to expand...
Yes, a grey bloom with an open sore on his ear. It was thought not to be ringworm though, the vet said it didn't look like it. Ringworm seems to be the only fungal that cultures and after 2.5 weeks he didn't grow ringworm which was the only reason they would have given oral meds. Bertie healed quickly with a fungal cream.
Your girls sound like they have dry skin, if it didn't respond to mite treatment and the vet doesn't think it's fungal then you have done all you can unless it develops more. I personally wouldn't keep bathing as this can dry the skin out further.
 
Spike just had dry skin. I used a pet brush, the tiny ones for small animals with the bobbles on the end of the bristles like you can get in Pets at Home. I don't know what they are called.
 
piggieminder said:
Yes, a grey bloom with an open sore on his ear. It was thought not to be ringworm though, the vet said it didn't look like it. Ringworm seems to be the only fungal that cultures and after 2.5 weeks he didn't grow ringworm which was the only reason they would have given oral meds. Bertie healed quickly with a fungal cream.
Your girls sound like they have dry skin, if it didn't respond to mite treatment and the vet doesn't think it's fungal then you have done all you can unless it develops more. I personally wouldn't keep bathing as this can dry the skin out further.
Click to expand...

right okay so there was actually evidence of fungal, with my girls there isn’t, only the things iv mentioned. oh right so if its anything but ringworm it wont show up on tests? how frustrating!

thankyou, this is what my boyfriend says to me but i just worry..
 
piggieminder said:
Spike just had dry skin. I used a pet brush, the tiny ones for small animals with the bobbles on the end of the bristles like you can get in Pets at Home. I don't know what they are called.
Click to expand...

did you ever use a shampoo on him? I'm worried as my girls got better with the neem, this means its fungal.. however not sure if neem is good for any skin problem and helps most.. meaning this isn’t an indication its fungal?
 
To my knowledge - Neem is good for lots of skin conditions acne, skin infections etc, and has anti fungal properties. To me that means it isn’t an indication of fungal.
Some piggies do just have dry skin (teddies are known for it for example).

Are they on fleece? Have you changed detergent recently that may have set it off? Equally have you actually tried changing it in case the one you use is the issue?

Had it been since central heating was turned on etc? Dry air can cause all kinds of things
 
Piggies&buns said:
To my knowledge - Neem is good for lots of skin conditions acne, skin infections etc, and has anti fungal properties. To me that means it isn’t an indication of fungal.
Some piggies do just have dry skin (teddies are known for it for example).

Are they on fleece? Have you changed detergent recently that may have set it off? Equally have you actually tried changing it in case the one you use is the issue?

Had it been since central heating was turned on etc? Dry air can cause all kinds of things
Click to expand...

okay.. this has made me feel better! so its not as straightforward as if neem treats it, it must be fungal, thanks for clearing that up. they went to the vets for this problem back in august, so i was telling myself if it was fungal, they would have something to show me that by now?

luna is definitely worse, they have short coats but lunas is slightly longer.

they are on fleece, no change in detergent, i’ve used this one the whole way through keeping them on fleece, could they develop a problem too it? maybe i can try another.. any you recommend?

the flat before was extremely humid, we got a dehumidifier around the time incase it was that causing the problem. humidity here now sits around 40/50, before in the flat 70/80. but the date’s don’t add up to give me an indication it might be one of them things if that makes sense?
 
piggiemummy03x said:
okay.. this has made me feel better! so its not as straightforward as if neem treats it, it must be fungal, thanks for clearing that up. they went to the vets for this problem back in august, so i was telling myself if it was fungal, they would have something to show me that by now?

luna is definitely worse, they have short coats but lunas is slightly longer.

they are on fleece, no change in detergent, i’ve used this one the whole way through keeping them on fleece, could they develop a problem too it? maybe i can try another.. any you recommend?

the flat before was extremely humid, we got a dehumidifier around the time incase it was that causing the problem. humidity here now sits around 40/50, before in the flat 70/80. but the date’s don’t add up to give me an indication it might be one of them things if that makes sense?
Click to expand...


i noticed the problem in the old flat (where humidity was high) so i don’t think it could be the dry air as the air wasn’t dry? hope that makes sense!
 
With humans a detergent sensitivity can develop at any time, I have this problem. So I assume it's the same with piggies. A couple of years ago I started using an eco egg instead and have not had issues since. I wash all the piggy laundry with it too . It's better for the environment and saves a huge amount of money.
 
fluffysal said:
With humans a detergent sensitivity can develop at any time, I have this problem. So I assume it's the same with piggies. A couple of years ago I started using an eco egg instead and have not had issues since. I wash all the piggy laundry with it too . It's better for the environment and saves a huge amount of money.
Click to expand...

interesting! maybe i will try another brand then.. just looked up eco egg, looks great however i can’t see a non scented one only fresh linen non bio, i didn’t think pigs could have scented?
 
I maybe bathed Spike once or twice during his life (5 years). I use GG shampoo if I have to bath them either the boar one or tea tree. The only piggie I have that is bathed regularly, twice a year is Brillo my teddy who has teddy skin, he has the neem melt and shampoo as his skin does get a very thick dry patch where the hair doesn't grow.
I did notice Spike's skin was drier in the winter when the heating was on, he was better in the summer. Whether this was down to being outside during the day in the summer or the fact that he ate a lot more grass I don't know. Spike just had dry skin it wasn't sore, or a medical condition so I didn't think about it much.
 
piggiemummy03x said:
interesting! maybe i will try another brand then.. just looked up eco egg, looks great however i can’t see a non scented one only fresh linen non bio, i didn’t think pigs could have scented?
Click to expand...
The do an unscented one. I was looking at them before Christmas as I'm thinking about using them.
 
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