Dry Skin

[piggiewb]

Hi guys, not an urgent one but just feel like I should ask about my guinea Winston, he’s a crested black haired pig and I noticed he had dry skin after having to give the pigs a course of ivermectin for lice that came from nowhere. He seems to be worse on it rump but I don’t think it’s bothering him that much. I don’t see how it can be lice or mites as it was literally after they had something to get rid of those. Do you think it’s something for me to worry about? My other pig is absolutely fine. I just thought he might be a bit of a dry-skinned piggie

 

[Wiebke]

Hi guys, not an urgent one but just feel like I should ask about my guinea Winston, he’s a crested black haired pig and I noticed he had dry skin after having to give the pigs a course of ivermectin for lice that came from nowhere. He seems to be worse on it rump but I don’t think it’s bothering him that much. I don’t see how it can be lice or mites as it was literally after they had something to get rid of those. Do you think it’s something for me to worry about? My other pig is absolutely fine. I just thought he might be a bit of a dry-skinned piggie

Hi

What ivermectin product and how many applications have you fiven Winston? Has he been seen by a vet?

 

[piggiewb]

Yeah the vet prescribed them to both of them I think it was 4 pipettes each 2 weeks apart at the top of my head it was back in august. It cleared the love up really well

 

[piggiewb]

Yeah the vet prescribed them to both of them I think it was 4 pipettes each 2 weeks apart at the top of my head it was back in august. It cleared the love up really well

It was xeno 50 mini they were 8 months or around that at the time and they couldn’t give the larger size

 

[Rubysue]

He might have needed another dose I'd ask the vet before they get going again if that is what's happening.

 

[piggiewb]

He was completely clear along with my other guinea pig, there’s definitely not any lice on either of them

 

[Rubysue]

Sometimes they re hatch and need follow up treatments. Dry flakey skin can indicate it. Just saying better to be safe than sorry, you don't want to start all over again with treatments when you could just call your vet and say you might need one more dose and get the meds without having to do the added expense of a vet visit again. Especially since you don't know where your lice source came from.

 

[piggiewb]

I only say I’m sure as they finished treatment 4 months ago and I know they don’t have lice. I completely understand where you’re coming from but they already had the course repeated 3 times over 6 weeks which seemed longer than was necessary as that is what the vet said at time for the reason you mentioned to make sure they completely got rid of any new eggs that hatched over the time

 

[piggiewb]

Hi there, Just an update and a question. I took winston to the vet (who has their own guinea pigs also so trust them) and they had a look at him and said it looks like its just dry skin. I then dropped it until i noticed this morning that my other piggie Boris had a try dark skin patch with white flakes behind his ear. I have just taken him to the vet and he has set me off with one treatment of xeno 450 for him and to come back in 10 days to see if there is any improvement. I just kind of wanted some advice as i went into the appointment sure it was fungal and he said it could be bacterial or fungal. I am hoping that it is the chirosdiscoides mite that is causing the issue now as there are literally no other signs of a fungal infection on the ears or on their normal naked patches behind the ears.

 

[piggiewb]

Hi

What ivermectin product and how many applications have you fiven Winston? Has he been seen by a vet?

Hi Wiebke, I hope you’re well would you be able to help me with my latest comment on the thread?

 

[Wiebke]

Hi there, Just an update and a question. I took winston to the vet (who has their own guinea pigs also so trust them) and they had a look at him and said it looks like its just dry skin. I then dropped it until i noticed this morning that my other piggie Boris had a try dark skin patch with white flakes behind his ear. I have just taken him to the vet and he has set me off with one treatment of xeno 450 for him and to come back in 10 days to see if there is any improvement. I just kind of wanted some advice as i went into the appointment sure it was fungal and he said it could be bacterial or fungal. I am hoping that it is the chirosdiscoides mite that is causing the issue now as there are literally no other signs of a fungal infection on the ears or on their normal naked patches behind the ears.

Hi!

Could you please post pictures via the 'attach files' button under your post as you write it?

The xeno may temporarily suppress it in case of fungal but not cure it so it will come back again. Your next step would be fungal treatment, either oral or as topical treatment if that is the case. You will always need to treat both piggies.

I would not recommend to home treat on spec with both at the same time unless your vet decides on a two-pronged access and ideally opts for one treatment to be oral or by injection as you have to wait 48 hours between any topical (i.e. on the spot) skin treatment to allow the previous lot to be fully absorbed.

Please accept that we cannot diagnose sight unseen and not necesarily from a picture, either, although it can help.

 

[piggiewb]

Hi!

Could you please post pictures via the 'attach files' button under your post as you write it?

The xeno may temporarily suppress it in case of fungal but not cure it so it will come back again. Your next step would be fungal treatment, either oral or as topical treatment if that is the case. You will always need to treat both piggies.

I would not recommend to home treat on spec with both at the same time unless your vet decides on a two-pronged access and ideally opts for one treatment to be oral or by injection as you have to wait 48 hours between any topical (i.e. on the spot) skin treatment to allow the previous lot to be fully absorbed.

Please accept that we cannot diagnose sight unseen and not necesarily from a picture, either, although it can help.

Hi Weibke, thank you I have attached a pic for you please ignore my ridiculously dry hands how embarrassing

Yeah I’m aware that obviously no one but a vet can diagnose just looking for advice to see whether you had seen anything similar. I am happy with the vets approach to trial and see what happens after one xeno 450 application, he said if this didn’t work they would look at a cream for the area but I am cautious as I have read that an oral treatment is better for fungal infections if it appears that it is.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi Weibke, thank you I have attached a pic for you please ignore my ridiculously dry hands how embarrassing

Yeah I’m aware that obviously no one but a vet can diagnose just looking for advice to see whether you had seen anything similar. I am happy with the vets approach to trial and see what happens after one xeno 450 application, he said if this didn’t work they would look at a cream for the area but I am cautious as I have read that an oral treatment is better for fungal infections if it appears that it is.

Is the crust sitting firmly on the skin (i.e. more like a fungal exudation crust) or is it more like small dead skin flakes?

Creaming is not the most efficient form of dealing with fungal; it is pretty outdated by now, frankly. What it doesn't is cover the whole affected area (which is wider than the area of hair loss) and it also fails to deal with spores getting to the ground or being stuck in the fur coat and causing further infected spots. This is like how the companion has picked it up.
A fungal dip is much more efficient than creaming because it covers the whole body even if your vet is not willing to prescribe itrafungol (which is not cheap).
You can find the various methods discussed in our ringworm guide: Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

 

[piggiewb]

Is the crust sitting firmly on the skin (i.e. more like a fungal exudation crust) or is it more like small dead skin flakes?

Creaming is not the most efficient form of dealing with fungal; it is pretty outdated by now, frankly. What it doesn't is cover the whole affected area (which is wider than the area of hair loss) and it also fails to deal with spores getting to the ground or being stuck in the fur coat and causing further infected spots. This is like how the companion has picked it up.
A fungal dip is much more efficient than creaming because it covers the whole body even if your vet is not willing to prescribe itrafungol (which is not cheap).
You can find the various methods discussed in our ringworm guide: Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

Its a very hard and thick feeling lump, is a little flaky on the top.

And yes I have ready through your ringworm guide a few times now, it is really great Looking at pictures it does seem to be either mites or fungal, i dont think it is mange mites as it really isn't that severe and i suspect this has been underlying for months now and has only just started showing signs but i could be wrong.

 

[Wiebke]

Its a very hard and thick feeling lump, is a little flaky on the top.

And yes I have ready through your ringworm guide a few times now, it is really great Looking at pictures it does seem to be either mites or fungal, i dont think it is mange mites as it really isn't that severe and i suspect this has been underlying for months now and has only just started showing signs but i could be wrong.

See how it goes with the xeno.

Unfortunately, it is one of the situations where working remotely is really hampering. Has the other side the same lump under the skin (wash your hands before touching another area, please)?

It doesn't look like mange mites to me, either.
Hay mites you should be able to feel tiny egg cases fixed to the hairs in the underlayers of the coat; especially round the bum, like really tiny beads on a string. This is generally the best way to find their presence with dark-haired piggies.
Fur mites are larger and are not-guinea pig specific mite that can jump across from rabbits, cats or dogs in the same household.

 

[piggiewb]

See how it goes with the xeno.

Unfortunately, it is one of the situations where working remotely is really hampering. Has the other side the same lump under the skin (wash your hands before touching another area, please)?

It doesn't look like mange mites to me, either.
Hay mites you should be able to feel tiny egg cases fixed to the hairs in the underlayers of the coat; especially round the bum, like really tiny beads on a string. This is generally the best way to find their presence with dark-haired piggies.
Fur mites are larger and are not-guinea pig specific mite that can jump across from rabbits, cats or dogs in the same household.

Nope just that one patch as far as I can tell on both piggies.

Defo not hay mites either as I have seen images of what that can look like.
I have my fingers crossed for the xeno to work but if it doesnt then I will chat to the vet about maybe just going for the oral fungal treatment instead of the local creams as personally I just want to do the best for the piggie.
He did suggest getting a skin sample but it was very expensive so I decided to go through this test and see route.
I am such a worrier, it is difficult for me to shut off and relax about things like this but I guess it is a waiting game now

 

[Wiebke]

Nope just that one patch as far as I can tell on both piggies.

Defo not hay mites either as I have seen images of what that can look like.
I have my fingers crossed for the xeno to work but if it doesnt then I will chat to the vet about maybe just going for the oral fungal treatment instead of the local creams as personally I just want to do the best for the piggie.
He did suggest getting a skin sample but it was very expensive so I decided to go through this test and see route.
I am such a worrier, it is difficult for me to shut off and relax about things like this but I guess it is a waiting game now

Lab tests will only check for ringworm but not any other forms.

It can be frustrating. Hang on in there. A lumps sounds more like exudate.

 

[piggiewb]

Yeah its what comes with being a pet owner! What do you mean by exudate?