One of my piggies somehow contracted ringworm and is in isolation during treatment. She is the alpha and will be out for about 3-4 weeks. My youngest guinea pig of the 4 is harassing and lunging at one of the others which she has never done before. The other one is submitting and just running away squealing but I don't see any cuts or blood. Is this normal since the alpha is gone? Will things recover when she is put back in? Is this safe for the piggies? I am just concerned, thank you for your advice. All girls btw.
Alpha Guinea In Quarantine And Others Are Fighting?
- Thread starter TMan4563
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As they were already together prior to the outbreak, then quarantining her now may not help as the others may well already be exposed to the spores spreading them. it takes 10-14 days between exposure and outbreak. Spores can live in the environment for two years so treating all the piggies to break the cycle and ensuring strict hygiene is important. If they were together prior and the others aren’t treated then they may well just start a whole new cycle of ringworm outbreaks .
What medicine she being treated with?
This is our tried and tested ringworm guide
Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures
As you have separated, then the others will be be trying to create a whole new hierarchy without her. When she goes back, it will cause a brand new sort out in hierarchy
What medicine she being treated with?
This is our tried and tested ringworm guide
Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures
As you have separated, then the others will be be trying to create a whole new hierarchy without her. When she goes back, it will cause a brand new sort out in hierarchy
That was my idea too when the vet originally told me not to treat all of them. The medications prescribed to me are Intrafungol oral suspension 10mg/ml and a topical spray of Miconazole Nirate 1%. Both meds are for dogs/cats but I was told they are fine for guinea pigs in the correct dose by the vet. Thank you for your input and any advice helps tremendously!
Good you’ve got intrafungol - it’s the recommended treatment
I do think though that the others need to be treated. How long ago did she show signs of ringworm?
I do think though that the others need to be treated. How long ago did she show signs of ringworm?
Merab
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Hope your piggy recovers soon
The first day I noticed symptoms on her was 3 days ago. Its a small spot on her eye so not a bad case yet. The wiki on this forum says to quarantine her preferably, but would you say I should reach out to my vet and ask if I can treat them all and skip the quarantine part? I don't want the others to get super stressed in exchange for the slight possibility that they haven't been exposed. Stress can sometimes hurt them more than being slightly sick but receiving treatment.
Hi and welcome
Please put them all back together but treat the other piggies with itrafungol as well for 3 days. That should interrupt any developing ringworm infection during the 10-14 days gap between infection and acute outbreak.
PLEASE read our very detailed ringworm care and hygiene link. It WORKS. We have had 15 years on this forum and plenty of personal experience to trial any possible treatment and - even more importantly - to work out all the many ways in which long-lived invisibly tiny ringworm spores can be transmitted and how you can address all those angles.
Ultimately, hygiene is key to getting on top of it once and for all; but it is much more than just a cage clean.
Here is the link to all our little practical how-to tips: Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures
Thank you so much for the advice. I will contact the vet and get the dosage for the others. I read the ringworm guide and it recommends separating them if they are in a herd. Should I ignore this to avoid stress?
Since you have already had three days with acute ringworm, exposure has already happened so is easier to keep your piggies together if you can keep the others from developing it acutely by treating them within those 10-14 days. It is only the acute patches that shed the spores.
It has done the trick for my ringworm companion piggies - who did have to go into quarantine with the infected piggy in another (easy to wash down) corner outside the piggy room, considering I have a room full of piggy pens and plenty of other piggies which was a pain to do deep clean but that way at least I only had to do it once.
If you have just one bonded group and are treating with oral medication, it basically doesn't really matter. You still have to deep clean after it is all over to make sure that there really are no ringworm spores lurking to cause another outbreak at some point in the future; but ideally the acute phase is over by 1-2 weeks (depending on the strength of the immune system).
Amazing advice, thank you so much!