Bald spot under my guinea pigs eye

[HRC.00]

My guinea pig suddenly has a bald spot under her eye. I have been on vacation for two weeks and left her with a pet sitter, so I don't know exactly when the balding started but I am pretty sure it began recently. under the bald spot there is also dried blood. The eye itself seems normal and fine. Earlier I put some vaseline on the wound to protect it, and I noticed her cage mate was very gently licking that spot. I do not know if she was just licking off the vaseline though, or if she is the reason my other pig has the bald spot. There are no other bald spots, she is eating well and such, and generally the two guinea pigs get along well.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please do have her seen by a vet
I hope she is ok

 

[Mother Hubbard]

Oh that looks nasty, definitely a vet visit to diagnose appropriately and give treatment.
Always best to their piggies together when vet visits occur, it can help to reduce their stress.

 

[weepweeps]

Ouch that does look sore. Good luck at the vets.

 

[Wiebke]

My guinea pig suddenly has a bald spot under her eye. I have been on vacation for two weeks and left her with a pet sitter, so I don't know exactly when the balding started but I am pretty sure it began recently. under the bald spot there is also dried blood. The eye itself seems normal and fine. Earlier I put some vaseline on the wound to protect it, and I noticed her cage mate was very gently licking that spot. I do not know if she was just licking off the vaseline though, or if she is the reason my other pig has the bald spot. There are no other bald spots, she is eating well and such, and generally the two guinea pigs get along well.

Hi

Please have it vet checked. It could be the start of a fungal ringworm outbreak but we can only guess and not diagnose. It could be something else (potentially skin parasites which need different treatment to a fungal skin infection).
New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

Unfortunately, you will have to wait a couple of days with seeing your vet after putting some cream on the spot so any indicative fungal exudate crusts have a chance to form again and make the issue diagnosable. Right now, we are all dealing with the equivalent of a wiped crime scene because of the vaseline.

Please inform the pet sitter after you have got a proper diagnosis. Ringworm has a 10-14 days lapse between contracting the infection and the acute outbreak but tiny ringworm spores, which are being shed in their thousands in an acute outbreak, can stay active for around two years. Spores can be accidentally picked up by clothing or even the soles of shoes and carried into a house that way by somebody in contact with a pet of any species with ringworm. It is by far the most contagious species jumping problem.
Ringworm is every bit as much or even more a hygiene/contagion problem than a health issue and you ignore that aspect at your own peril. Expect the copmpanion to be already infected but not yet for as long as showing acute symptoms. The added stress from changed circumstances means that the immune system is somewhat lowered which will make pets more prone to picking up things or coming down with illness.
Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

PS: The licking is because of the vaseline and not because of the companion causing the sore. The bleeding area in ringworm is very shallow and the result of the fungal exudate crust coming off but it is not an inflicted injury.

Please accept that this is not a diagnosis and just an educated guess. Please take the time to read the links in this post to help you with your vet trip.

 

[Free Ranger]

Hi, and I hope you are able to get some help for her eye x

It would help us to know which Country and/or State you are in even if you don't wish to give any more specific location. It's handy because this is a global forum and vets in different countries have different medications available to them or there might be a different brand name for something. Good luck little ladies