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Sensitive Skin and sore feet

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Endemoniada

Hi

Just updating the situation with Winston....took him to the vets last night, couldn't find any recommendations from here or rescues near me (I can't find any!) - we're in North Wales near Llandudno. Anyway, so took a chance and I think the vet does seem to be quite good with guineas. There was one in before us, and the nurses all had several of their own O0.

I had thought he had ringworm systemically, cos he's had an ongoing skin problem since I got him as a baby, and now he has one bumblefoot. But, as the vet pointed out, none of my other 5 piggies have the problem, and since ringworm is highly contagious, I have now come to the conclusion that he must just have really sensitive skin, excema or something. He's had all the symptoms of ringworm, bald patches, thick scurf etc, and peter gurney's magic oil soaks for a few days followed by a shampoo in tea tree oil shampoo clear him up for about a month, and then its back. This is the frustration, it always returns, whatever I do! Also Winnie hates being covered in oil, and its got to the point where he can smell the oil when I take the lid off and starts squeaking and hiding.

Anyway, vet has given me some fusimide gel which has antibiotics and antifungal in, to rub on his feet for a week, then to return if it still plays up. She reckons to go for Invamec spot on after that, and she is convinced it is parasites rather than fungal. I am also going to try to swap to megazorb, wanted to from the start, but couldn't find a supplier near here....its been a couple of years so I'll try again now. If all else fails, Greenmule will deliver, but delivery charge alon is £9.34 per bag! Also I will try and get some nappy rash cream to put over his feet, as Mary suggested (unfortunately no Waitrose here either!).

Anybody any other suggestions or know where there may be a local stockist of Megazorb? Anybody else have a piggie with sensitive skin that isn't fungal or parasitic? Thanks! 98)
 
Oh yes, I forgot..anyone any tips on HOW to rub cream on piggies feet? Winnie won't stay still when I try to look at them, hates being upside down....our first attempt at putting the cream on resulted on it all over me and my clothes, and a very squeaky pig!
 
I have to rub cream in Lennies feet as his are dry and I hold him against me so that his back is againt my tummy and his 4 feet are then streched ahead (if that makes sense), Lennie loves having it done! I use GG perfect paws ointment :)
 
sounds fungal to me :-\ can we see a pic? Have you tried any GG stuff on him? It would be worth e-mailing chrissie i think O0
she can tell you if her products will help, they're really good for pigs O0 her e-mail's [email protected]
and the website is http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/index.html that should help (((hugs and piggie kisses for you and him)) :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Thanks you two! I'll go and try holding him against my tummy now! Have emailed GG too. Still no luck on finding a local supplier of megazorb or medibed :( . But for now I thought I'd put lots of sawdust down where he likes to sit and cover with hay - that should keep his feet off the sawdust, and the sawdust should absorb the wet, and just keep changing it as soon as it starts to get wet looking. Also he has a plastic house which gets lots of condensation - I will get a log house today for him, as this won't get any condensation...he won't be happy...theres already a choice of log house or plastic one, and he chooses the plastic one! Silly piggie!

Thanks! O0
 
glad you've e-mailed chrissie O0 umm can't you use some old towels or fleece or something until his feet are better? :-\ i know it's not ideal but sawdust really isn't good :( my bluebell has sore pads at the moment too :( i'm changing from chopped hay and newspaper to magazorb and newspaper because i'm finding it's not absorbent enough and she's getting scalded feet :( also cleaning them out every day, washing her feet once a day and i've ordered some soothe gel from GG for her poorly tootsies O0
 
Thanks - yes I'll try the old towels for now. Went out to get him a log stix house and they hadn't got any, so got a big hay tube instead, not sure if this'll be better or not...depends if the wee drains through or if it just gets soggy! Hope Bluebell's feet are OK soon too! Chrissie is being really helpful, so I'm sure we'll get something sorted. Went to take a photo this afternoon, but the camera battery ran out...but you can't really see much at the moment anyway...just a couple of scabs and red patches near his neck, and dandruffy near his rear...but no bald patches at all at the moment.

Bit worried about the Fusederm now...third time I've applied it and he really doesn't like it, I think it must sting. He does a bit of twitching a bit like a fit...mind you he does that when I try to apply an oil soak on his coat too....maybe he's just canny...he knows that that sort of behaviour gets me worried and stops me carrying on!? His feet do look better, but he's not such a happy pig now :-\
 
Sounds to me like a allergic reaction to shavings as well as the wee on her scabs. The dust from the shavings will irritate the womb to no end. Maybe vetbed would be best for you rather than the megazorb cos if its an allergy I doubt that will help either. Also you would not have to spend so much! if your sticking to the megazorb, consider a saddle shop 1st they often stock it for the ggs! I would also sock the poor lambs feet in luke warm water! and then dry him off, then apply the cream. Its important to let the skin breath too.
 
Thanks you two...that's a great help - I didn't think of bathing his feet for a bit...he does like a luke warm bath, prob because it does sooth his skin! Thanks KatieP....that vet's only 30mins away...much closer than the other recommended vet I'd heard of an hour away!

Tonight as a temp measure until I get megazorb or vetbet I've got him on Snooze for small animals - it looks like cotton wool and he seems to like it!
 
Update on Winnie:

Hiis feet are getting better, but he still hates the fuseiderm cream SO much :-\ ...infact he's getting more bitey and demonstrative now ....but a great tip yesterday off the forum was to bath his feet in warm water to give them a break.....and he LOVED it ;) thanks guys!....he sat there for a good 10 minutes not moving, and afterwards he gave me a lick to say thanks! However, when I turned "bad guy" again and put some more cream on, he was not amused! I left off the morning cream today to give him another break!

Chrissie from Gorgeous Guineas has been fantastic O0! She's send me loads of different bits of advice and I've ordered some stuff to help with the rest of his skin when his feet have got better!
 
yeah chrissie's fab she really helped me any times i asked her ;) awww glad his feet seem better :smitten: yeah i'm having problems with bluebell's feet at the moment she loves to sit in her wee :P so she has a bit of scalding on her pads, she loves her warm feet bath every day but hates it when i come to put cream/gel on! ::) :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
 
Once its a little better maybe have ago with some cooling aloe vera gel, its great for skin problems and will keep away infections!

Glad your finding solutions though!
 
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