Help wanted! Bad skin and hairloss

[Spring100]

Dear All,

First of all, apologies for my English. I am Dutch and my English writing is not flawless.

Four weeks ago I adopted 2 guinea pigs from the shelter. 2 US Teddys. The male is 6 months and the female 1.5 years.

After a week I found that they both had flaky skin with a bald spot on their back. When I looked closely I also saw white hind feet and flakes in the ears. I went to the vet and searched a lot of information online. It looks like fungal.

They were treated for mites and I got fungal ointment (Terbinafine). I have been rubbing all the spots, ears and feet with greasy ointment and Terbinafine for 2 weeks now.

The male seems to be doing better. But the female is still not doing well. Her feet appear to have recovered. Unfortunately, her ears have become even flakier. It also hurts her when I rub them. The bald spot on her back also seems to be getting worse. The bald spot itself is healed (but I don't see any hair yet). The edges have flakes. She also has a lot of dandruff all over her coat. Her coat also looks a bit matte.

I also washed them once with shampoo (specially for guinea pigs against fungal), but this doesn't seem to help much.

Now I don't think the female is in such good condition at all. She seems to have had a litter in the summer. She eats hay and vegetables very well, but she doesn't touch her pellets. Science selective and Versele Laga. I bought two brands to check what she likes to eat. She's still a bit scared. I give her fresh hay every day (a lot...meadow hay and Timothy Hay) and fresh vegetables twice a day. She now gets extra vitamin C every day.

I'm taking her to the vet again on Monday. But does anyone here have an idea how I can get her into better health? Tips for treating her skin? I would like to add that many medicinal ointments/shampoos are not available in the Netherlands due to strict legislation.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Piggies&buns]

You will need to speak to your vet about the skin issue - treatment depends very much on whether the issue is parasites or fungal. Is it ringworm or a different type of fungal infection? Sometimes it does look worse before getting better.

I will add our ringworm guide below just in case it is ringworm as it explains the best way to treat it and the strict hygiene that is also needed in the cage.

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights
Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures

In terms of diet, don’t worry that she isn’t eating pellets. They are not an important part of the diet and can be entirely left out. It is however essential she eats lots of hay and a small amount of vegetables each day

Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Is the male piggy neutered?

 

[Spring100]

Thank you. I read about oral treatment. I will speak with my vet about that option.

The male has not yet been neutered. They are still sitting separately, but next to each other. The castration is scheduled for Friday, but I doubt whether this can go ahead. He has not yet fully recovered.

My vet said it's hard to tell if it's fungal. Many fungal tests are negative, even though it turns out to be fungal. A test also takes 10 days.

To be safe, they are treated for parasites. But I don't think this is it.

 

[Piggies&buns]

I hope you can get to the bottom of the issues.

Make sure he is still kept separately for six weeks after he is neutered.

 

[Spring100]

I hope so too. I'm especially concerned about the female. I suspect she has had little vitamins and hay. Perhaps a vitamin deficiency? She's getting enough of everything now, so that should recover.

Vets in the Netherlands do not know much about guinea pigs. That also makes it more difficult to discuss. Guinea pigs are not that popular here. Mostly cats, dogs and rabbits.

I will definitely do 6 weeks apart!

 

[Spring100]

I went to the vet yesterday. Another treatment against mites and a diagnosis of fungus. The male is recovering from the fungal spots.

The female is getting worse every day. The spots seem to be getting bigger. On her back and side. And in both ears towards her eyes. The vet said to continue applying the anti-fungal cream for a few more weeks and watch.

I have no confidence in it at all anymore. Today I rubbed her again while crying. I'm not at all confident that it will help. It makes me so sad and despondent.

I have read the information about Ringworm. But this is also confusing and I read so much different information online. Shampoo, no shampoo. Ointment or solution with a brush. Orally, but my vet says this is very harmful to the liver and can shorten her life expectancy.

Does anyone have a success story? Someone who has gotten a serious fungal outbreak under control? With a clear treatment plan? Then I will call the vet again on Monday.

Thank you in advance!

 

[Spring100]

Update:

I have now been given Imaverol. Yesterday the female was washed very well with a homeopathic guinea pig shampoo against fungus. This allowed me to remove all crusts. Then completely rubbed with the Imaverol solution. The male was also treated, but I couldn't wash him completely because he had just been neutered.

I also cleaned everything with an anti-fungal cleaning solution.

Today it seems to be calmer. The spots are less flaky. However, it turned out very white. Is this normal after 1 treatment?

The vet said wash twice a week with the Imaverol solution for 2 weeks. Things should get better after that. I really hope this works!

What are you're experiences with Imaverol and the healings proces?