Scaly skin on bum

[Butatoes]

Dear piggy friends,

So sorry for posting this but I really need your help I will call the vet tomorrow during work hours but I’m terribly worried at the moment. Could you please give us some advice on this please?

Just now we found our two one and half years old boars Mister Potato and Bunny having some scaly white skin flakes from the waist down to the bum where the long fur covers, excluding private area and nipples.

There is no bald patch and the hair does not come off easily. I can remove the skin flake from the fur easily without taking off any hair. The piggies have been eating, drinking and sleeping normally, didn’t scratch more than normal as well. After grooming with the pet brush the flakes came off and their skin appear to be fresh pink and smooth.

Please see the photo for more details, sorry it might be a bit scary ;( I did some research around and I guess it doesn’t seem to be an fungal infection or parasitic problem? If anyone have any idea about it please let us know, thank you so much!

Our piggies live indoor in the living room on fleeces and we clean the beddings every two weeks the most. In addition to hay and piggy food from pets at home, they have fresh veggie and grass everyday. During weekend they could go on free grazing and sun bathing on grasses in our backyard for 1-2 hours if the weather is nice. They’ve always been eating and drinking healthily. We covered them with coconut oil and washed them off about three months ago and had a anti mite Bath then but haven’t washed them since because it’s never warm here I’m scared of potential risks from bathing them I really wish them to be happy and healthy

 

[Adelyn]

Is it possible that their skin is just dry? How often do you change their bedding?

 

[Butatoes]

Is it possible that their skin is just dry? How often do you change their bedding?

Thank you so much Adelyn! We change the mats where they sleep and wee every 3-5 days and the other parts of the bedding (e.g. playground, eating area) every two weeks.

I’ll put some coconut oil on them tomorrow to see if it gets better! Hope it wouldn’t be mites from hay or from cats that visits our backyard?

 

[Adelyn]

I'm not sure if it's mites, but these members may be able to tell you: @Siikibam @Piggies&buns @Wiebke

 

[Wiebke]

Thank you so much Adelyn! We change the mats where they sleep and wee every 3-5 days and the other parts of the bedding (e.g. playground, eating area) every two weeks.

I’ll put some coconut oil on them tomorrow to see if it gets better! Hope it wouldn’t be mites from hay or from cats that visits our backyard?

Hi
Please don't panic. It is a nuisance but not life-threatening.

Please never home treat on spec with what you have at hand. You can make things easily worse and a proper diagnosis much more difficult. Please book a vet appointment tomorrow. It is ultimately cheaper to see a for a correct diagnosis and the appropriate good quality treatment so you get on top of it once and for all.
It is difficult to judge whether you are dealing with either mange or hay mites (two different species specific skin parasites) or whether it is potentially ringworm (potentially species jumping fungal skin infection) just from a picture without a hands-on examination.

Here is more in-depth information. Give your cage and its contents a thorough clean once treatment has started.
New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

 

[Butatoes]

Thank you sooo much Adelyn! I really appreciate your help and referrals!

 

[Butatoes]

Hi
Please don't panic. It is a nuisance but not life-threatening.

Please never home treat on spec with what you have at hand. You can make things easily worse and a proper diagnosis much more difficult. Please book a vet appointment tomorrow. It is ultimately cheaper to see a for a correct diagnosis and the appropriate good quality treatment so you get on top of it once and for all.
It is difficult to judge whether you are dealing with either mange or hay mites (two different species specific skin parasites) or whether it is potentially ringworm (potentially species jumping fungal skin infection) just from a picture without a hands-on examination.

Here is more in-depth information. Give your cage and its contents a thorough clean once treatment has started.
New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

Dear Wiebke, thank you so much! I will definitely book an appointment first thing in the morning! Thank you so much for the suggestions and information, really hope they will be ok and not suffer much

 

[Wiebke]

Dear Wiebke, thank you so much! I will definitely book an appointment first thing in the morning! Thank you so much for the suggestions and information, really hope they will be ok and not suffer much

Dear Wiebke, thank you so much! I will definitely book an appointment first thing in the morning! Thank you so much for the suggestions and information, really hope they will be ok and not suffer much

With the correct treatment, any parasite or fungal skin problem should never get any further than 2-3 weeks of moderate discomfort. It is worth doing it properly because that is the quickest way of getting on top of it. Because these issues are contagious, you will always need to treat all piggies in contact with each other.

All the best. But please take a deep breath; it takes a lot more mis- or under-treatment for them to start suffering badly.
Skin parasites, fungal and other opportunistic illnesses that can hit whenever the immune system is lowered are a fact of life for any pet keeper, whatever the species. You just deal with it promptly and properly (i.e. not on the cheap) whenever it comes up and it will never get to the stage where it can become a problem.

 

[Butatoes]

Thank you so much Wiebke! I’ve managed to get an appointment on Thursday for both piggies. Hopefully will all get sorted! Thank you sooooo much for your help I really really appreciate it!

 

[Butatoes]

With the correct treatment, any parasite or fungal skin problem should never get any further than 2-3 weeks of moderate discomfort. It is worth doing it properly because that is the quickest way of getting on top of it. Because these issues are contagious, you will always need to treat all piggies in contact with each other.

Thank you so much Wiebke! I’ve managed to get an appointment on Thursday for both piggies. Hopefully will all get sorted properly! Thank you sooooo much for your help I really really appreciate it!