Mouth Cheilitis & Skin Sores Treatment

[Moon-Neko]

Hello, I have a question concerning my guinea pig.

She is roughly 1 1/2 years old and she has fungal cheilitis on her mouth, and I believe it is also causing scabby sores around her eyes and nose area.

I read that it is easily treatable with a mild antiseptic, and that is what I have tried before, and it works very well! The problem is, it is incredibly difficult to apply it, especially on the inside of her mouth area.

I want to help her, but she just won't let me. Is there any safe way to hold her still, or maybe even hold her mouth open to let me get in there? She's had this for quite a while and I just want to be rid of it.

Also, yes, she has been to the vet and he confirmed it was a fungal infection.

Thank you very much!

 

[Wiebke]

Hello, I have a question concerning my guinea pig.

She is roughly 1 1/2 years old and she has fungal cheilitis on her mouth, and I believe it is also causing scabby sores around her eyes and nose area.

I read that it is easily treatable with a mild antiseptic, and that is what I have tried before, and it works very well! The problem is, it is incredibly difficult to apply it, especially on the inside of her mouth area.

I want to help her, but she just won't let me. Is there any safe way to hold her still, or maybe even hold her mouth open to let me get in there? She's had this for quite a while and I just want to be rid of it.

Also, yes, she has been to the vet and he confirmed it was a fungal infection.

Thank you very much!

Hi and welcome!

Could you you please ask your vet for an oral fungal medication like itrafungol (UK brand, active ingredient is itraconazole) as you cannot get at the fungal in her mouth with topical treatment? That way, you have to syringe only once a day, but do not need to bother her anymore, and the acute fungal should be gone in a week or so (although you may want to treat for a bit longer to make sure). Itrafungol has been increasingly used for guinea pigs in the UK for several years now. It is much more effective and much less stressful for the piggy than any topical treatment - and well worth paying a bit extra for.

I would also refrain from feeding any fruit (including tomatoes) at the moment, as the acid they contain is making the sores worse.

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