New pig - itchy/fur loss poss bite wound?

[Liz47]

After the sad loss of our older girl Ellie, her partner Rocco was left alone. Through word of mouth I found a family looking to re-home their 2 year old female as she has also lost her companion in December. It was a nice family, a farm where she was kept outdoors but will have been well cared for I got the impression. I made the decision not to quarantine her as both really needed a friend and kept an eye on her for a day to watch for any obvious health problems.

My only concern was the fur looked a bit thin in a small area over new pig (Robyn's) spine but I'm fairly certain it's not ringworm so put them together yesterday. All is going well and both are happy and popcorning together. However, Robyn does scratch her sides towards her spine quite a bit so I checked again today and she has a small wound now.

I'm hoping it's self inflicted from her scratching or nibbling herself? Could it possibly be a bite from Rocco, although that would be suspicious given its the location I noticed her fur was thin over.

Unfortunately I have Covid (for the 2nd time!) so hoping to get her a vet appt for tomorrow but of course won't be with her so would appreciate any advice on what I should write down/ask for in regards to check over and treatment? I'm thinking of asking for a Woods Lamp check anyway and mite treatment for both her and Rocco?

 

[Wiebke]

After the sad loss of our older girl Ellie, her partner Rocco was left alone. Through word of mouth I found a family looking to re-home their 2 year old female as she has also lost her companion in December. It was a nice family, a farm where she was kept outdoors but will have been well cared for I got the impression. I made the decision not to quarantine her as both really needed a friend and kept an eye on her for a day to watch for any obvious health problems.

My only concern was the fur looked a bit thin in a small area over new pig (Robyn's) spine but I'm fairly certain it's not ringworm so put them together yesterday. All is going well and both are happy and popcorning together. However, Robyn does scratch her sides towards her spine quite a bit so I checked again today and she has a small wound now.

I'm hoping it's self inflicted from her scratching or nibbling herself? Could it possibly be a bite from Rocco, although that would be suspicious given its the location I noticed her fur was thin over.

Unfortunately I have Covid (for the 2nd time!) so hoping to get her a vet appt for tomorrow but of course won't be with her so would appreciate any advice on what I should write down/ask for in regards to check over and treatment? I'm thinking of asking for a Woods Lamp check anyway and mite treatment for both her and Rocco?

Hi

Please have your new piggy vet checked for either mites or fungal (ringworm). Be aware that the Woods Lamp check is not a fail-safe diagnostic tool, as we have seen on here a few times over the years.

Please take the time to read this link here. You will in any case have to have both piggies treated.
New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

All the best for all of you! Verys sorry for the unfortunate timing.

 

[Liz47]

Thank you, yes mites and ringworm are what I'm most worried about! Being careful with handling incase of ringworm, I didn't think it was as yesterday there was no circular area it's more a line of thin fur down her spine. There was no redness/flakeyness or anything yesterday. Is xeno still a good option for mite treatment? I won't send Rocco as when he last went with Ellie he got so stressed we ended up being more worried about him than Ellie who was poorly, but will make sure we get treatment for him as can weigh him at home and they have him registered.

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you, yes mites and ringworm are what I'm most worried about! Being careful with handling incase of ringworm, I didn't think it was as yesterday there was no circular area it's more a line of thin fur down her spine. There was no redness/flakeyness or anything yesterday. Is xeno still a good option for mite treatment? I won't send Rocco as when he last went with Ellie he got so stressed we ended up being more worried about him than Ellie who was poorly, but will make sure we get treatment for him as can weigh him at home and they have him registered.

Yes, xeno is still the most commonly prescribed mites treatment in the UK but we strongly recommend to seek vet advice and not treat on spec. I am sure that Ellie will prescribe for Rocco, too; epsecially when she is aware of his stress issue and you remind her about it.

 

[Liz47]

Thank you. I couldn't attend the vet appt of course but she's just got back, Woods Lamp was negative and the vet took a skin scraping to send off. Initial look showed no mites or ringworm signs Apparently the vet had a good look through all her fur with a comb and sellotape and nothing picked up. She's got baytril to cover incase it's a wound. Vet said no harm in giving Xeno to cover too but saw no evidence of mites.

 

[Liz47]

Just to update if anyone reads this thread in the future. Robyn has been on baytril since Monday (she has a 10 day course) and the bloody patch is now no longer scabby and looks much better since yesterday. She's not itching. There's a tiny mark on the area which looks like a hole so I'm thinking it likely was some kind of injury. Both her and Rocco had xeno applied today as a precaution but the skin scrape came back clear.