Dry eye and ear skin

[Mirandapear]

Please see attached photo of my guinea pig Roly. I have a vet appointment on Monday but wanted to see if anyone here knows what it could be. Roly’s ears, around her eyes and arm skin looks really dry, could this be a fungal infection or ringworm? She also seems to have lost weight and looks tired. Any suggestions would be really appreciated! Thanks

 

[Piggies&buns]

It’s good you’ve got a vet appointment.

It could be a fungal infection (ringworm is a fungal infection but not all fungal is ringworm), obviously the vet needs to diagnose.

How much weight has she lost?
If she has lost weight then switch to daily weight checks and prepare to step on with syringe feeding if the weight loss is 50g or more.

Let us know how the appointment goes on Monday.

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck at the vets.

 

[Claire W]

Aw bless her. It does look like it could be a fungal infection whether that be ringworm or another fungus but it’s good you have an appointment booked as the vet will be able to give a firm diagnosis and prescribe the correct treatment. Let us know how you get on x

 

[Mirandapear]

My mum took Roly to the vet on Monday and the vet said it was mites just by looking at her - not under a microscope or anything. He gave her an antibiotic injection as she seemed very run down and lethargic and put some oil behind her ears (I assume it was invermectin) and also prescribed oral medicines Enrocare and Emeprid. She’s perked up as is moving about a little bit more but her skin still looks awful to me and seems a bit painful/uncomfortable to the touch. Her skin is flaking all over and she has calluses on the bottom of her feet as well as gunk in her ears. She doesn’t really have any bald patches although hair and dandruff is coming out. To me it still seems like a fungal skin infection as she’s been on the medicine for 6 days without change to her skin and I’ve never seen anything like this before with my guinea pig that had mites.

 

[Piggies&buns]

If they said mites and potentially gave ivermectin, did they give you the rest of the ivermectin course?
They should have told you what they put on, was it listed on any invoice or receipt? (It should have been).

How much weight has she lost?
Has her weight loss stopped?
Are you syringe feeding?

Enrocare an antibiotic. While it will treat any infections caused by the condition, it itself will not treat either mites or a fungal infection.
Emeprid is a gut stimulant.

Is the vet piggy experienced?

 

[Claire W]

Poor Roly, she does look sore I’d be inclined to go back to the vets and have her seen again. Ivermectin should be given more than once. I think around 3 doses spaced out?

 

[Mirandapear]

I took Roly Poly to another vet today and she said she is displaying the classic signs of a fungal infection as it’s around the eyes and on the paws and she’s not overly scratching herself. She’s giving me a prescription for Itrafungol as it’s so wide spread all over her body. She wasn’t overly guinea pig savvy unfortunately so I was wondering if I should be bathing her in something from gorgeous guineas / F10 shampoo / ring o cide a long with the oral treatment? She also seems to be in pain if I handle her a lot so maybe also give her some metacam?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I took Roly Poly to another vet today and she said she is displaying the classic signs of a fungal infection as it’s around the eyes and on the paws and she’s not overly scratching herself. She’s giving me a prescription for Itrafungol as it’s so wide spread all over her body. She wasn’t overly guinea pig savvy unfortunately so I was wondering if I should be bathing her in something from gorgeous guineas / F10 shampoo / ring o cide a long with the oral treatment? She also seems to be in pain if I handle her a lot so maybe also give her some metacam?

I'm glad you’ve got a diagnosis and the correct treatment.

If she is in pain then asking the vet for pain relief would be a good idea.