Red Bald Patch; Fungal Or From Stress?

[BiggiesMom]

Hi! I've had my guinea pig Biggie for a month now. I was looking into adopting another guinea pig so he could have a friend when i noticed he has a patch of hair missing/thinning and the skin is red in some spots, white in others and bleeding from when i think he scratches at it. He also has a sore spot on the foot on that side.
Hes really friendly and energetic. Especially when i get the hay bag out for a refill!
He let me hold him and check it out and it looks like the skin is red under the hair around the sore too. I can't get to the vet until next weekend.
What does it seem like?
Is there anything i can do to make him more comfortable?
He doesn't act sick but its definitely sore. I tried to look if i could see mites or anything and i can't see anything on or in the hair.

 

[sport_billy]

Welcome to the forum. I'd guess at fungal to be honest from your description, will need anti fungal cream/ointment etc.... Needs a vet check for sure. Whereabouts are you located? Do you mean this weekend coming? It really can't wait over a week to be honest.

Vets in US by state Guinea Lynx :: GL's Vet List


Can you share a photo of the foot please?

 

[Freela]

It wouldn't be due to stress, it would likely either be mange mites or some kind of skin infection. Fungal tends to look flaky more so than red/bleeding. I would get him to the vet, as sometimes mites can be under the skin and not visible to the naked eye and are very itchy/painful... he could be scratching/biting until he makes himself bleed.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi! I've had my guinea pig Biggie for a month now. I was looking into adopting another guinea pig so he could have a friend when i noticed he has a patch of hair missing/thinning and the skin is red in some spots, white in others and bleeding from when i think he scratches at it. He also has a sore spot on the foot on that side.
Hes really friendly and energetic. Especially when i get the hay bag out for a refill!
He let me hold him and check it out and it looks like the skin is red under the hair around the sore too. I can't get to the vet until next weekend.
What does it seem like?
Is there anything i can do to make him more comfortable?
He doesn't act sick but its definitely sore. I tried to look if i could see mites or anything and i can't see anything on or in the hair.

View attachment 72435

Please have your boy seen. It is likely fungal (ringworm), but there is a chance that it could be mange mites, which requires different treatment. Do you have family or a friend who could take him for you?

Here is our ringworm guide: Ringworm: Hygiene And Pictures

 

[BiggiesMom]

The small animal vet will be here Saturday and I'll be the first appointment. Hopefully they can diagnose him. He's starting to look puffy and won't stop grooming the spot and then he makes a spitting noise? I'm thinking this showed up right after the week he spent on aspen/carefresh bedding mix.

 

[Wiebke]

The small animal vet will be here Saturday and I'll be the first appointment. Hopefully they can diagnose him. He's starting to look puffy and won't stop grooming the spot and then he makes a spitting noise? I'm thinking this showed up right after the week he spent on aspen/carefresh bedding mix.

Good, that is only two days. I think you can manage until then. Please do not treat on spec beforehand, as you will make it much more difficult for your vet to diagnose. If it is indeed fungal, the best and least invasive treatment is by oral unlicensed itrafungol (UK brand, active ingredient: itraconazole), which has been increasingly used for guinea pigs for the last 6-7 years. It is not quite cheap, though, but very effective.
Ringworm is the most infectious and transmissive problem that you can pick up from your guinea pigs, so please take the time to read our hygiene guide. The tips in there have been learned the hard way, but they work in getting on top of it once and for all and preventing it from spreading to others or from returning.