Looking for advice

[Jsapp]

We recently adopted two young teddy guinea pigs. Both had some missing fur and one had some skin issues. We took them to the Vet and they did a ringworm test which we are still waiting for the results for. They also gave us two doses of Selarid for each to treat for mites. The first ten days they improved but now Teddy (who is also a a Teddy) has more itching and skin issues again. We have an appointment with the Vet but it is 8 days from now. Any ideas what this is? I have pictures but cannot tell how to upload them.

 

[Zorro1]

Sorry to hear your piggies are unwell. Unfortunately, I probably wouldn't be able to identify what the problem is (even with photos). Hopefully another member can help you out with that.
If it is ringworm though, please be careful as ringworm can be transferred to humans.

To attach photos, click the 'Attach files' button below the reply box. Then, select what photos you want to attach. I hope they get better soon.

 

[Piggies&buns]

You will be able to upload pictures once your registration completes in the background.
Attach files will become visible.

However we can’t diagnose anything and given mites and fungal infections have very similar initial symptoms it’s hard to tell.

A parasite treatment won’t cure fungal so if symptoms have returned after a full course of parasite treatment then either it is parasites and the treatment needs to be repeated or it isn’t parasites!

Also though dry flaky skin can be a complaint of teddy type piggies. Not all struggle with it but teddy skin is a known thing! Other treatable conditions need to be ruled out first though

This is our ringworm guide which will help you further information and full disinfection guidance to prevent spores spreading. They can live in the environment for up to two years and cause repeated reinfections so it is important to deal with ringworm stringently

Thread 'Ringworm: Hygiene, Care And Pictures'

Jun 12, 2014

1 What is ringworm and how is it treated?
- Ringworm facts
- Available treatments (UK-US-worldwide available products)
- Your customer rights with new guinea pigs
2 Ringworm hygiene during and at the end of treatment
- When to quarantine
- Recommended disinfectants (UK-US-worldwide available brands)
- Disinfection (plastic/hard surfaces, fabrics, wood/toys)
3 Ringworm hygiene/prevention and treatment...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Wiebke's Home Care Support Guides

• 

 

[MnJ]

Hopefully the treatment and good care will get rid of whatever they haveWhat are they bedded on? I have heard some people saying switching to fleece might be better if they have skin issues, but I think that is for severe cases like open wounds, scabs,etc. I think that's so their skin doesn't get irritated. This might not be the case though, I don't have personal experience with this as mine are on fleece.

If they are on fleece, you have to be careful with the detergent you are using as that can irritate them too.

I have also heard that they can scratch more, because the mites are dieing. Idk know how true it's that.

I had a piggy that I adopted with bald patches too, but over the months they disappeared and his fur became fuller/thicker.

Hopefully good care and diet plus the treatment will be enough.

Since you said that you got them recently, if you are a new owner, you may find the forum's guides really helpful.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi

You best upload pictures via the Attach Files button underneath your post when you write it. This works for all formats. Please accept that you will only be allowed to once your registration has been fully processed, which can take a little while.

Ringworm is a fungal skin infection while invisible mange mites (trixacarus caviae) and hay mites (chirodiscoides caviae) as well as visible lice are the three guinea pig specific skin parasites.
Ivermectin or selamectin based anti-parasitic medication can suppress ringworm temporarily but it cannot kill it. You also need to be aware that the time between infection and outbreak of an acute ringworm spot shedding thousands of invisibly tiny long lived and species jumping spores is 10-14 days. It is also by far the most contagious species jumping health issue you will encounter. That is why ringworm hygiene and proper identification and treatment are so important.

Our ringworm guide contains pictures as well as all the other step-by-step information from products to all necessary hygiene measures to what to do when you or a child of your catch ringworm.

Here is our information on the cavy specific skin parasites:

Thread 'New piggy health problems: URI - Ringworm - Skin Parasites'

Nov 4, 2018

1 Vets and your customer rights
- What makes newly bought guinea pigs so vulnerable?
- Do I need to see a vet?
- Documenting illness and your customer rights
3 URI (Upper respiratory tract infection) and sensitivities
- Typical symptoms in order of development
- What to do immediately
- Sensitivity to hay dust and pollen
2 Ringworm (highly contagious fungal skin infection)
4 Species specific skin...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Reference Section

• 

However, without having at least an idea of what you are really up against, we cannot comment. Treating on spec can incidentally make things worse rather than better so the priority must be working out what you are actually up against.

PS: I have had piggies with 'teddy skin' but I want to state clearly that it affects only a minority of teddies and that it is only ever on the table after both fungal and parasitical angles have been treated for. It is genetic and not badly itchy.
Mange mites can kill and unchecked ringworm can turn into a long running nightmare; first and foremost you need to deal with the real baddies.

 

[Jsapp]

I appreciate all the information and support. We are working with a Vet and see them again next week. Here are a couple photos. We are using fleece and washing by hand with a scentless soap. I think it might be mites again because the Selarid did work for about two weeks.

 

[Wiebke]

I appreciate all the information and support. We are working with a Vet and see them again next week. Here are a couple photos. We are using fleece and washing by hand with a scentless soap. I think it might be mites again because the Selarid did work for about two weeks.

Hi

I doesn't look like ringworm to me if you compare it with the pictures at the end of the ringworm guide. I can't see the typical large bald circles filled with white fungal crusts. The vigorous itching is also not typical for ringworm.

Unfortunately, we cannot tell you what exactly it is from your pictures. It takes several rounds of ivermectin or selamectin to get on top of any of the parasites at the recommended interval of the product used - usually a minimum of three rounds. The first two to get rid of all emergencing mites and then the third to catch any stragglers and to prevent a return. Mites will come back after around 2 weeks after the first appliance.