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Alapeshs, Scabby And Flakey Skin 10 Week Old Pig.

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Alex2016

Alex2016

Junior Guinea Pig
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Stevenage, UK
image.webp image.webp image.webp image.webp image.webp image.webp image.webp image.webp Hi guys,

I feel bad asking for advice already as a new member and befor I write this post I want to make clear that I am not asking this advice in place of a visit to the vet with my pigs being so new everyday is a battle to win their confidence and a vet visit will scare them !

I've had my pigs about 9 days they where rehomed from a family who got them from a breeder they are both boars. I noticed 4 days ago a small patch of missing hair on the side of my smaller pig I googled it and assumed it was from fighting for domance ? Over last few days I've observed the site appear to spread, as I've said these pigs are very scared so today is the first time I've been able to get a good look below are the pics of the smaller pigs various sites I've now relished the extent and am worried, the bigger pig has a couple of very small scabs but no bleeding or hair loss thanks in advance

The most sevesr is on the pigs neck is it mites or fight wounds ? P.s please excuse my filthy hands I'd been building a shed and could not get them clean !
 
Even if it scares them, I think your best option is to go to the vet with both of them as soon as possible, because that will not be cured by itself and can get pretty serious. And I'm no expert but I would say that having that dandruff-like aspect means that the reason behind it is not fighting.
 
Alex2016 said:
View attachment 42494 View attachment 42495 View attachment 42496 View attachment 42497 View attachment 42498 View attachment 42499 View attachment 42500 View attachment 42501 Hi guys,

I feel bad asking for advice already as a new member and befor I write this post I want to make clear that I am not asking this advice in place of a visit to the vet with my pigs being so new everyday is a battle to win their confidence and a vet visit will scare them !

I've had my pigs about 9 days they where rehomed from a family who got them from a breeder they are both boars. I noticed 4 days ago a small patch of missing hair on the side of my smaller pig I googled it and assumed it was from fighting for domance ? Over last few days I've observed the site appear to spread, as I've said these pigs are very scared so today is the first time I've been able to get a good look below are the pics of the smaller pigs various sites I've now relished the extent and am worried, the bigger pig has a couple of very small scabs but no bleeding or hair loss thanks in advance

The most sevesr is on the pigs neck is it mites or fight wounds ? P.s please excuse my filthy hands I'd been building a shed and could not get them clean !
Click to expand...

Hi and welcome!

Please have them seen by a vet as soon as you can. It looks like a fungal complaint to me. You will need to have all guinea pigs living together/in contact treated. It is not necessarily ringworm, but seeing the bite wounds from the intense irritation, it may well be. Ringworm is not at all uncommon in new pet shop or breeder guinea pigs. You can reclaim any vet cost from the shop if you show the vet bill together with the sales receipt.

Please read our hygiene tips very carefully as ringworm is by the most transmittable thing between all mammals (including humans!) and be aware that any fungal needs to run its due course, so it is getting worse before it can get better.
Guinea Pig Vet Locator
Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures
 
Update : so both pigs have been seen by Walton lodge vets in Stevenage , the skin condition and hair loss has got progressively worse and now effects both pigs the vet said it is due to either dry skin or lack of vit c and I should get a vit tablet to add to the water - I read this was a bad ideas tho as it disapated fast anyone have advice I pm not sure I trust the diagnoses ....
 
I don't know the answer but we give our pigs vitamin c and they are fine. we add it to their pellets. I have read that you don't have to use a tablet,you can use bell peppers or oranges instead so that may not have the same effect that you are talking about.
 
Alex2016 said:
Update : so both pigs have been seen by Walton lodge vets in Stevenage , the skin condition and hair loss has got progressively worse and now effects both pigs the vet said it is due to either dry skin or lack of vit c and I should get a vit tablet to add to the water - I read this was a bad ideas tho as it disapated fast anyone have advice I pm not sure I trust the diagnoses ....
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I am very sorry, but this doesn't look like dry skin, especially if it is getting continuously worse! Please see a piggy savvy vet! :( Here is our recommended piggy savvy vet locator: Guinea Pig Vet Locator

Adding vitamin C to water may work for dogs, but it doesn't work for guinea pigs. It is certainly not going to heal your guinea pigs!
You either dissolve some vitamin C in 1 ml of water and syringe that directly or give it directly; there is not harm in giving extra to boost their immune system, but won't do anything for their skin problem!
Any additives in the water are a big turn-off for the guinea pigs (who have double the number of taste buds than we humans and about 5 times as many as cats), it also goes off rather quickly and you cannot control the intake.

@helen105281 @Abi_nurse
 
Alex2016 said:
Update : so both pigs have been seen by Walton lodge vets in Stevenage , the skin condition and hair loss has got progressively worse and now effects both pigs the vet said it is due to either dry skin or lack of vit c and I should get a vit tablet to add to the water - I read this was a bad ideas tho as it disapated fast anyone have advice I pm not sure I trust the diagnoses ....
Click to expand...

Sorry but I would also doubt the diagnosis by the vet. That doesn't look like any case of dry skin or scurvy I've ever seen but it does look other skin conditions that require specialist treatment. Are there any vets near you with guinea pig experience? If so it would be worth getting a different opinion.
 
There is my vets in Letchworth but they do tend to just go along with what I ask for and for anything more complex we now travel to Northampton. Vets and Pets in Broxbourne though are my back up and I used to help out at a guinea pig clinic that was held there (it has since stopped).

So did the vets not even consider a fungal issue?

The vets in Broxbourne is this one:

Vet services in Broxbourne | Vets & Pets

The only other option would be to try Letchworth vets and ask to see either Jeremy or Donald and specifically ask for Itrafungol, which is an oral medication and would be the most effective treatment if it is Ringworm or any other type of fungal. I can always message you my details so you can mention me if you want to as they have prescribed it to me before. I would offer to come to the vets but I have a post op pig and can't risk any of mine getting it.
 
You could even try Vets 4 Pets in Pets at Home, as I would think they would be able to spot Ringworm (there are often cases of Pets at Home pigs having ringworm and being treated by the instore vets) so it is worth a try. You could always ask them over the phone first.
 
Hi all another update, since my visit to Walton lodge vets thre condition had gotten worse with hair loss around the eyes and noise, I've just had a consolation with a lovely female vet in letchworth vets she disregarded what Walton lodge vets had tole me and said the presence on flakey skin alone should have ruled out any vit c dificiency and fighting wounds,ms he has prescribed me a course of ivermectin to start with and to see them back in 3 weeks if it's successful it will indicate mites and we will continue for another dose if not we will treat for fungal infections. She did a hair and skin sample too and it came back clear but she said she can not always see fungi on the slides... Overall I'm happier !

Kind regards
Alex
 
That's ringworm for sure :( I would treat her as though she had a fungal infection regardless as it doesn't always show up in a skin scrapping.
 
That sounds more promising (you may have been there when I was tonight, I was picking up our heart meds). I am still thinking fungal too, could you post a photo if possible? I am just a bit concerned that if it is Ringworm it could get a lot worse while you wait for the Ivermectin to work. They can even get both mange mites and fungal at the same time, so it would not be a bad idea to treat for fungal now.
 
Is the Ivermectin spot on? do you have a few doses to give before you go back?
 
The ivermectin is topical, I opted for that over injectable as I thought it was kinder, yes I have 2 tubes per pig to be given in 2 weeks time then back for s check up if it's treating the cindition I'm given another 2 tubes per pig for four weeks time if not we try something els
 
Thank you for the photos. I hate to say it but it does look more like Ringworm. I can see why the vet treated for mites but I think the sooner you start fungal treatment the better. Are they testing the sample they took to see if anything comes up in a culture? Ringworm is the only type of fungal that tends to culture.
 
The topical really isn't that bad, it'll be better at getting the sores direct from the surface then under the lesions, and will be better at stopping the itch. You can wipe her face with a sponge rather than struggling.
edited to add, please handle her with disposable gloves whilst doing this as you can catch ringworm, I've caught it myself from a horses face, it's not pleasant and it really does itch!
 
UPDATE 9/3/16- treatment is going well and both piggeys seem to be responding well with their skin clearing up and hair folicals beginning to grow back ! They will see the vet again in a week or so for their next prescription of ivermectin !
 
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