My guinea pig is loosing fur on nose and feet. It has been treated but nothing helps

[Mimoza79]

Hello, Nearly 2 years ago my guinea pig started loosing hair on her nose. The process was very slow , on some point part of the hairs regrew . The skin is not calm , not irritated at all. In the last 6 months it seems the hair loss sped up and she started loosing hair on her 4 feet too.
She has been seen by 3 different vets and nobody can say what is teh reason. She had been treated with ivermectin and another antibiotic /dont remember the name/ , she had been treated for fungal infection too. On some places on the sides of her nose some hairs regrew but quite sporadically.
the guinea pig is happy and chatty, behave and eat normally.
She share a cage with another female pig that is absolutely fine. Both guinea pigs and been treated with the antibiotics in case the problem is mites ..
I dont see her barbering , their diet is hay all the time , a lot of fresh grass and vegetables 2 times a day, as well as nuggets food.
I will highly appreciate any suggestions as the vets cant really figure out what is the problem.

 

[Ramia]

I'm not sure, but it does look like she needs a nail trim!

 

[Mimoza79]

Her nails are trimmed - that image is from a week ago

 

[Ramia]

Her nails are trimmed - that image is from a week ago

gotcha!

How old is she?

 

[A Guinea Pig]

I've got no advice, but may I ask, has her weight stayed constant? And, could you feel her heft? I didn’t see any notes on that so I thought it would be helpful to ask. You can check her heft by feeling around the rib cage, there are steps for how to do it in the link below.

Weight - Monitoring and Management

 

[Mimoza79]

gotcha!

How old is she?

She is 4 years old

gotcha!

How old is she?

She is 4 years old

 

[fluffysal]

Welcome to the forum. I have no advice just wanted to say hello to you and your pretty little lady

 

[Mimoza79]

I've got no advice, but may I ask, has her weight stayed constant? And, could you feel her heft? I didn’t see any notes on that so I thought it would be helpful to ask. You can check her heft by feeling around the rib cage, there are steps for how to do it in the link below.

Weight - Monitoring and Management

No change on her weight- she always has been tiny piggy - not more then 900 grams.I checked her and I think she is not overweight or underweight.
Last summer a friend of mine who has guinea pigs too looked after mine guinea pigs and they both were slimmer when I collected them but I think maybe it was because of stress as they quickly gained weight.

 

[Mimoza79]

Welcome to the forum. I have no advice just wanted to say hello to you and your pretty little lady

Hello, nice to meet you

 

[A Guinea Pig]

Bump

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

Poor girl. Mystery hair loss is always ... well mysterious. In many cases it is some kind of fungal infection though.
Antibiotics don't work in case of a fungal infection, neither does ivermectin. Ivermectin kills oft mites if used in the right way.

What kind of fungal treatment did she get?
Is her partner affected as well?

I have had a sow some years back that used to loose fur on a paw. Nothing really worked, it just came and went away again and came back.
Tessy also has episodes of recurring hair loss on her back (where she was operated once) and more recently on all four paws. But it's not as bad as in your girl's case.
The specialist vet believes that Tessy's hair loss is hormonal.

 

[Mimoza79]

Poor girl. Mystery hair loss is always ... well mysterious. In many cases it is some kind of fungal infection though.
Antibiotics don't work in case of a fungal infection, neither does ivermectin. Ivermectin kills oft mites if used in the right way.

What kind of fungal treatment did she get?
Is her partner affected as well?

I have had a sow some years back that used to loose fur on a paw. Nothing really worked, it just came and went away again and came back.
Tessy also has episodes of recurring hair loss on her back (where she was operated once) and more recently on all four paws. But it's not as bad as in your girl's case.
The specialist vet believes that Tessy's hair loss is hormonal.

She has been on medicaments for fungal quite a while. She had dactarin trough mouth and another medicine which is topical but not sure about the name. The other guinea pig is absolutely fine - no hair loss at all.
I was thinking about thyroid problems but she doesn't loose weight and is not hyperactive...
The last vet suggestion was under anaesthesia to take probe from her nose but I am scared as I lost a pig due to anaestethic procedure.
She might have an allergy of something but not sure what is it. I stoped using any washing powder when I wash the bedding.
Really dont know what to do. And on the top of that I am going away fro 3 weeks and the piggies will be in my friends house- she is experienced guinea pig owner but still feel stressed when I think about it...

 

[Viennese Furbabies]

I can understand that you're stressed before going away. I was the same because of Odi's teeth problems. But my friend who is also an experienced piggy owner did great. And I'm sure your friend will be just as great.

So it's probably not fungal, it's not mites (there usualy is a lot of itching showing with mites). She is not scratching and not loosing any weight.
My guess is that it could be some hormonal issue. There are some hormonal inbalances that can cause hair loss. But usually it's not seen on the nose.
You could also try to give more vitamins for a couple of weeks to see if there is any change. If it's a symptom that the immune system isn't working quite right.

But to be honest, I've never seen a piggy with hair loss on the nose that wasn't fungal. So I'm just guessing.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi and welcome

I am very sorry but in 15 years on this forum with tens of thousands of enquiries I have never come across a hair loss pattern like yours - and it is one that would stick in your mind because it is so distinct and clear.

Unfortunately, once you have eliminated skin parasites and fungal, it gets difficult. The hair loss pattern is definitely not that of hormonal ovarian cysts or (thankfully extremely rare) Cushing's. It is also not due to self-barbering or mechanical abrasion.

I have had a couple of mystery cases with a persistent bare patch under the chin that were not caused by drooling but that was also pretty different from yours.

It may be metabolic and/or genetic but it is certainly something that is extremely rare.

PS: As your piggy is stable I would not worry about the holiday.

 

[Mimoza79]

Thank you so much for your replays - I feel more confident now about Holliday time.
All the vets I have seen her are saying that it is not something that is seen every day. Nobody suggested hormonal problems so far.
I have started giving them Probiotic C couple of days ago - will see the result.
I hope 1 day the mystery to be solved.

 

[RosieLily]

What a special little pig. I've never seen anything like this.

Good on you for taking such excellent care of your little one, she's very loved.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for your replays - I feel more confident now about Holliday time.
All the vets I have seen her are saying that it is not something that is seen every day. Nobody suggested hormonal problems so far.
I have started giving them Probiotic C couple of days ago - will see the result.
I hope 1 day the mystery to be solved.

From my personal experience, hormonal hair loss is rather a gradual thinning of hairs that is progressing and spreading. Yours is definitely not happening in the areas that are normally affected, not even in the more extreme cases (especialy not in the face).

It is also not congruent with a malnutrional hair loss, which again would affect the body and not the extremities.

But whatever it is, it is most unusual and rare. I am very sorry that you have drawn one of the 'out there' tickets in the cosmic lottery.

All the best for your holiday.

 

[Mimoza79]

From my personal experience, hormonal hair loss is rather a gradual thinning of hairs that is progressing and spreading. Yours is definitely not happening in the areas that are normally affected, not even in the more extreme cases (especialy not in the face).

It is also not congruent with a malnutrional hair loss, which again would affect the body and not the extremities.

But whatever it is, it is most unusual and rare. I am very sorry that you have drawn one of the 'out there' tickets in the cosmic lottery.

All the best for your holiday.

Do you think that if the reason is hormonal it is normal the hairs to regrow but very sporadically on some places- in this case I am pointing out the sides of her nose. Her whiskers were affected too but regrowing now...
Also will start changing the mats 2 times a week to check if there is a difference at all...

 

[Wiebke]

Do you think that if the reason is hormonal it is normal the hairs to regrow but very sporadically on some places- in this case I am pointing out the sides of her nose. Her whiskers were affected too but regrowing now...
Also will start changing the mats 2 times a week to check if there is a difference at all...

Personally, I am not convinced at all because your hair loss pattern is the total opposite from a hormonal ovarian cyst based hair loss. But hair will regrow once the hormones are treated or the sow is spayed (which is quite a major operation which should not be considered on spec). I just cannot see your girl fitting into that category, I am very sorry to say; seeing how desperate you are for answers.

Unfortunately, nobody can tell you whether the hair will regrow or fall out again because nobody knows what is causing it in the first place. It is much easier to rule out things than to pin down the cause.

 

[Mimoza79]

Thank you so much for your response! I was thinking about thyroid problems, but again she doesn't loose weight- I do measure her every day.Last night I looked at her nose again with magnifying glass- it look like her hair is being "eaten" from the top which can be caused by parasites but again other pig is ok and they have been treated for mites.
If I ever find out the reason I will message here in case somebody else have the same problem.
Have great day and thank you for your time!

 

[Julie M]

I've never seen anything like this either. Hope you enjoy your holiday and try not to worry.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much for your response! I was thinking about thyroid problems, but again she doesn't loose weight- I do measure her every day.Last night I looked at her nose again with magnifying glass- it look like her hair is being "eaten" from the top which can be caused by parasites but again other pig is ok and they have been treated for mites.
If I ever find out the reason I will message here in case somebody else have the same problem.
Have great day and thank you for your time!

If it is eaten from the top, then I would consider looking at barbering. There are no parasites that do that in guinea pigs. Thyroid doesn't come with hair loss.

Barbering ( Eating Hair)

 

[Mimoza79]

If it is eaten from the top, then I would consider looking at barbering. There are no parasites that do that in guinea pigs. Thyroid doesn't come with hair loss.

Barbering ( Eating Hair)

I have never seen her scratching her nose and with the other guinea pig they never share hides. Also the fallen hair doesn't grow immediately - the hair on the top of her nose has fallen more then a year ago ...
I think is from the top because when I look closely it looks white before it clears fully... or maybe it is a dry skin....
Thank you for sharing the link!

 

[Wiebke]

I have never seen her scratching her nose and with the other guinea pig they never share hides. Also the fallen hair doesn't grow immediately - the hair on the top of her nose has fallen more then a year ago ...
I think is from the top because when I look closely it looks white before it clears fully... or maybe it is a dry skin....
Thank you for sharing the link!

Piggies barbered by others don't scratch themselves. But I agree that I have never come across a social or dominance barbering pattern, either. It was just another angle to look at and to exclude.

Yours seems to affect the extremities, which is the unusual bit.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Welcome to the forum
Ŵhat a cute little lady you have. I hope the forum members have put your mind at rest so you can go away and enjoy your holiday. If she is doing all things piggie then I agree I wouldn’t worry too much, her skin looks lovely and healthy, she’s just a very pretty girl with a bald nose

 

[Mimoza79]

Welcome to the forum
Ŵhat a cute little lady you have. I hope the forum members have put your mind at rest so you can go away and enjoy your holiday. If she is doing all things piggie then I agree I wouldn’t worry too much, her skin looks lovely and healthy, she’s just a very pretty girl with a bald nose

Thank you so much!
It is funny because my son always says that he loves her meaty nose - she is his favourite one :. I love her too

 

[Julie M]

I've been wondering if she's got some skinny pig genes going on. She's a beautiful girl regardless

 

[Mimoza79]

Her nose tonight looks like dry skin... If I put. bit of coconut oil she will be ok . I just want to show you how sometimes her skin looks like dry atopic skin...
I do apologise if pie are annoyed of my constant posts..

 

[Mimoza79]

I've been wondering if she's got some skinny pig genes going on. She's a beautiful girl regardless

I dont think she has relatives being skinny type. We got her and her brother when they were babies from a private seller as during covid there was no chance to rescue guinea pigs. I think the seller was not experienced because the piggies supposed to be 2 boars but it turned out that 1 of them is a sow/ that is teh pixie with the problem/ .She gave a birth to 3 little piggies and we found a good home for all of them. We decided to keep her brother and castrate him/ I really sorry for my choice/ but sadly he died after the surgery .

That is the story of this little lady with meaty nose . She is mix of breeds for sure as she is not ling haired but she have some long hairs sticking out around her hind legs.

 

[Julie M]

I dont think she has relatives being skinny type. We got her and her brother when they were babies from a private seller as during covid there was no chance to rescue guinea pigs. I think the seller was not experienced because the piggies supposed to be 2 boars but it turned out that 1 of them is a sow/ that is teh pixie with the problem/ .She gave a birth to 3 little piggies and we found a good home for all of them. We decided to keep her brother and castrate him/ I really sorry for my choice/ but sadly he died after the surgery .

That is the story of this little lady with meaty nose . She is mix of breeds for sure as she is not ling haired but she have some long hairs sticking out around her hind legs.

That's so sad. Sorry to hear that.