Ringworm?

[Nemo]

We have had little Tilly two weeks today. After we had had her a few days I noticed a lumpy area under the skin on her right shoulder. I couldn't see any wound or anything. A few days later it came up as a scab so I put some sudocrem on it. I was just putting a bit more sudocrem on it tonight when it struck me that it might be ringworm.:...

I have never had a guinea pig with ringworm and haven't a clue what it looks like. I have looked for pictures on the net but a lot of them aren't close up enough to see what it looks like. I was thinking it was a bite because I tried to bond her with two young female piggies for a few hours and they seemed to get on okay but then I later noticed they were being a bit peevish with her so I brought her inside whilst she got bigger because she is very tiny.

I am now extremely worried in case it is ringworm because she has had contact with 3 of my piggies and one of the piggies she had contact with yesterday lives with two more piggies. My 8 year old daughter has also been handling her a lot and giving her cuddles everyday.

This is Tilly, taken last week.

The pictures I have seen of ringworm seem to be on the face but her face is fine and it's just behind her shoulder. Can ringworm spread to other animals that she hasn't had contact with?/

 

[alcesterpigs]

Don't panic, even if it is ringworm, it can be easily treated. Some owners treat ringworm as though it were a lethal, end of the world event.
I have never quarantined a pig with ring worm, neither have I found it necessary to wear protective clothing as though biological warfare is about to start.
Doubtless those comments will attract criticism!
Nevertheless, I hope it puts the condition in perspective.

 

[teadragon]

Ringworm is a fungal infection and is contagious through contact with an infected animal. If you want to eliminate the chances of you catching the fungal infection or passing the infection onto other animals, wear gloves while handling the pig and, if the others aren't showing symptoms, you can isolate the girlie until she's cleared of ringworm.

This link contains information (including good pictures!) of guinea pigs with ringworm infections and how to treat. You may need to consult your vet to have some of the medications prescribed.

http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html

It is treatable; so if your other pigs DO show symptoms of having caught ringworm, it'll be easy to clear up.

 

[Nemo]

Don't panic, even if it is ringworm, it can be easily treated. Some owners treat ringworm as though it were a lethal, end of the world event.
I have never quarantined a pig with ring worm, neither have I found it necessary to wear protective clothing as though biological warfare is about to start.
Doubtless those comments will attract criticism!
Nevertheless, I hope it puts the condition in perspective.

Oh thanks for that - I was getting really worried.

It's like sarcoptic mange - our dog had it for 18 months before the vets diagnosed it and he used to sleep on my daughters bed all the time and none of us caught it. The vets were treating him for food allergies and just kept giving him antibiotics and steroids every time we went. Eventually after me pleading with them to do something else they said we had three choices. Have skin allergy testing done, keep him on steroids for life or put him to sleep.:... He wasn't even two years old. The vet then told us to bring him in next morning and they did an ear scrape - which found nothing and a blood test. Two weeks later they phoned me and said he has tested postive for sarcoptes. The treatment was just putting Stronghold on the back of his neck every two weeks. He's now 5 years old and absolutely fine.

I am going to leave it a few days and see whether it seems to be any different and if not book her in at the vets. I've told my daughter no more cuddles till we are sure. It may just be a bite from my other two guinea pigs when she was with them for a few hours. She hasn't got any patches on her face or nose at all which seems to be where the majority of ringworm starts looking at the pictures on the net.

 

[Nemo]

Ringworm is a fungal infection and is contagious through contact with an infected animal. If you want to eliminate the chances of you catching the fungal infection or passing the infection onto other animals, wear gloves while handling the pig and, if the others aren't showing symptoms, you can isolate the girlie until she's cleared of ringworm.

This link contains information (including good pictures!) of guinea pigs with ringworm infections and how to treat. You may need to consult your vet to have some of the medications prescribed.

http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html

It is treatable; so if your other pigs DO show symptoms of having caught ringworm, it'll be easy to clear up.

Thanks for all that info.

It doesn't really look like those pictures. She doesn't like you touching it and it seems a bit sore. I have some antifungal shampoo called Selene - I might give her a little bath in it later.

 

[idoj333]

Hey! I just found on 1 of my guinea pigs a scab sort of thing while i was cleaning her and i think it is ring worm! I have 4 guinea pigs and i looked at all the other guinea pigs and only 1 of my guinea pigs doesn't have it so we are going to take them to the vets tomorrow, but i don't have anywhere else to put the guinea pig which doesn't have it, but i have been looking at it but i think you can get medicine for it!
I am so scared i have only had them for less than a year and i am only 11!

 

[Abi_nurse]

Dont worry, fungal can usually be treated quite easily. Pop to the vets for a diagnoses and get some cream/shampoo to help.

x.

 

[utsava]

Ring worm or fungus in quinea pigs-natural remedy that works!

A ring worm is a form of a fungus; something you will have to fight against. It takes persistency in treatment. The best worked for my guinea pig who had severe Ring worm; is:

Give him a bath every day or every 2 days with about 20% apple cider vinegar and 80% water. Also mix in some 3% Hydrogen peroxide and seasalt (about one half cup). Make sure the water is not too hot and be careful with open sores, as it might burn. If it is too strong, then reduce the vinegar amount/Hydrogen Peroxide. Bath the guinea pig for 10 minutes.
Otherwise rinse the hairless areas and other areas where the fungus might start again with a tea made out of Calendula flower. Also every day put some neem powder on the areas as well; it might get messy, but this doesn't matter; you will see it is all worth it.

Also sprinkle some neem powder on the guinea pigs food; so he gets neem internally as well as externally. When the hair grows back, and is fully back, bath the guinea pig once a week for another 4 weeks and continue with the neem powder internal treatment for another 2 weeks.

with this treatment you will have success!

Bathing the guinea pig is nessessary since the fungus is all over their body, and it is also in the bloodstream; that also why it is important to give them neem internally.

Neem also helps them with parasites or any other skin desease. Good luck!

 

[Zofia]

2 of mine had ringworm a couple of years ago. They had hair loss in the affected area and the skin around the edge of the bald patch was red and sore looking. The bald skin was flaky and scabby. I also found that their ears were flaky and white.

My vet said it's quite difficult to see by looking if it's ringworm and not mites and that the easiest way to confirm ringworm is if the owner gets a lesion. I didn't get one, but my ex-boyfriend did.

You can bath them in Nizoral (human antifungal shampoo) and apply canesten cream (antifungal, like the cream you get for thrush - I think the active ingredient is miconazole). My pigs ended up on an oral antifungal medicine as the cream didn't work very well. You should also disenfect their house thoroughly with an antifungal detergent.

 

[Wiebke]

Please be aware that this thread is over two years old!

 

[Abi_nurse]

I noticed this too, but newbie idoj333 asked a question so i started up answering.

Members please be aware that it is best to see a vet before persuing home treating with home remadies/self medicating.

Fungal can be hard to shift i agree but it first needs a diagnoses so you know your definatly treating it. Treatments may have worked for things in the past but there are different strains and types of things, so without good medical experience or vet knowledge please dont go treating things without prior veterinary advice.

x.

 

[Suzygpr]

I've asked for this thread to be binned - it has some very dodgy home remedy advice - never treat an animal for anything until you have a confirmed diagnosis. Unless you are experienced enough to know what you are dealing with please ALWAYS see a vet.

 

[Popcorning Poppy]

it sounds more like mites to me, In Australia we can buy Ivermectin in bottles usually from bird sales to treat parasites on birds, but it has to be used in very small quantities, I think in the UK you would not be able to buy it and it would have to be Vet prescribed, Ivermectin has no ill effects when treated with the right dose, it might be worth mentioning it to your vet. Here is a link to the site about the mites http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html Let us know how you get on.