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Sever cuts

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FluffyFriends

Sorry for not being aroound much, have recently moved and have poor internet for over 3 months now. Although now thats sorted YAY.

Anyway I am after a bit of advise.

The day after we moved 2 of my piggies (brothers) had a massive fight (we think). We did not see the big fight but saw a small one later. On closer inspection of the pigs one had cuts from head to bum on his back, chewed ears.

I took him out and put him in the hospital cage to chill out for half an hour as he was so so scared. I then cleaned all his injuries and arranged to see my super vet.

He was given some anti-biotics for a week and some white powder to put on the cuts to encourage healing.

This was 3 weeks ago now. They are healing well but the hair is not growing back (yet) and the powder is making his skin very dry. I have to wash it off (warm damp cloth) every day and then re-apply. Although I have started to do this now only every other day as its healing well. As it is drying his skin out should I stop?

He has never shown any signs of infection, the anti-biotics were a 'just in case' thing a bit of protection for him.

He was off he food for a day or two at the start but for the last 16 days he has eaten very very well and drank well too. Its still sore for him if I touch it (which I try not to and always use medical gloves). But he seems quite happy.

He is in a small cage indoors. The small cage was to restrict his movement as every time he moved his wounds would crack open. Now this is not so much of an issue I think I will put him in a larger nero today.

He has also become very quiet now. No squeeking when I do his food or any sound from him apart from when he cleans his wounds which are sore.

Below is a photo of one area of his back (the only one he would let me photo) a week after the fights. As you can see the powder is making the skin dry. It almost looks like a skin condition and I did go back to the vets to check it was ok and he said it was not a skin condition, the injuries were typical of a fight and it is only the areas where the powder has been used that are dry.

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Anyone have any tips? I know like most things its going to be a bit of a waiting game to see how well he heals but like anyone, I want to give him the best chance of making a full recovery.

Thanks :)
 
Ouch that looks painful! Sunshine had a bite from Radley aboout six months ago and it was just a 5p piece size. He lost no hair but did have an open cut. It did not look like this.

I'm inclined to think it is a skin condition, hair loss is a sign of that. I've just googled it And Guinea Lynx popped up with Mange Mites http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html Guinea Lynx is an American site so some of their practises are all little different to ours.

I would see another vet.

Good luck!

Louise
:)
 
Hi

Sorry to hear about your piggies injuries. I must say, having seen a few wounds from fighting I wouldn't say this is what these are. We have had lots of rescue piggies in the shelter with mites and I would certainly look at mites as a strong possibility. The wounding that mites cause are like scabby spots whereas with a fight the wounds often tend to be a cleaner cut slice or a bite around the face area. Also with mites the hair around the area with disappear.

Personally I would advise that your guinea pig is given an injection of ivermec by your vet as a precautionary measure. Then treat the sores for a couple of days with Aloe vera gel which can be bought from Gorgeousguineas.com. After a few days, when the skin is no longer grazed use a lotion or gel from gorgeousguineas such as Neem Gel - Aloe Vera Gel with Neem and Lavender. This is brilliant for calming irritated skin where there is a lot of scratching and scabbing or the Lavender & Myrrh lotion which is as equally as good. You should see an improvement within a week or so.

Hope he makes a quick recover.
Claire
xx
 
Thanks :) See I thought skin issue too. Thats why I went back to vet but he is sure its not (confusion). He says its simply the powder drying the skin out! Plus the injuries under the chin and to the ear (photo of ear below) indicate fighting and I would have noticed the start of the skin problem and it would not have got this sever over night. Plus my other piggies would have it too. But I am not convinced. It does look like a skin issue in places. (another photo below). I have used my vet for all my animals for 7 years and he is a star with them all, but I am considering going to a different vet. The cost is not a problem as they are insured so I don't mind going to another place for an opinion but have no experience of other local vets!

Photos taken today. Chewed ear and wounds (they are getting smaller, this time I have lifed the fur so you can see one of the larger ones.

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Aww bless him, he is lovely. One of mine had mites and he was not that severe and his cage mates didn't catch it from him. Mites can come out in times on stress and he has been through it with the fighting hasn't he?

I would just ring around a couple of vets and see if they are knowledgable with guinea pigs.

:)
 
I agree with Lousie. If one gp gets mites it doesn't always mean the others will catch them.

If he has been feeling down and stressed because he has mites his companion will bully him more and this might be why he has nibbled ears. The ears are not an indication that there has been a massive fight....more of a get out of my way, i'm in charge situation. With a fight they tend to slice into the ears so they are ripped to pieces.

From your new pictures showing the irregular pattern of the wounding and the fact that their is hair loss i'm 95% sure it has a mites connection. The powder has dried the skin out which has caused irritation but the powder will not kill the mites and therefore the spot like sores errupt again.

I would insist he receives a course of ivermec injections.

Claire
xx
 
Out come the yellow pages LOL.

I may also right the local rescue he came from and see what vet they use and would say is good for Guinea pigs.

He is a little fighter and does not seem at all bothered by what ever it is, till he cleans himself and knocks a scab.

He is on his own in the hospital cage and I always wash my hands after touching any of the animals (I also have rabbit, rats and dog). Can any of these get mites? My dog loves the Guinea Pigs and often lays by the cage, should I be stopping him from going near them? Also can I catch the mites? I have no experience of mites.

Sorry for so many questions. All your help is most appreciated.
 
I have no experience of other animals with mites so I really don't know but I would just keep other animals away for now to ease his stress.

With regard to humans catching them I have heard that they can be transfered if you have any cuts or abrasions yourself but through personal experience working with many that have had mites I certainly wouldn't worry yourself silly about it. Afterall he has probably had them quite a while and you have been handling him daily without problems.

I have two children and none of us have ever caught any. It might be a good idea to have a seperate change of clothes when handling him, just for a couple of weeks. Also make sure you wash you hands and arms with an antibac before going about the house.
 
If it is the powder causing drying could you use someting else e-mail chrissie at gorgeous guineas and she will be able to help. I used some of her aloe gels on a boar with a very similar bottom (came to us in this condition after living in a group of 8 boars)
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This was not a mites problem, the powders can dry the skin to make it look as if it is one. Although treating for mites would be a good idea as the stress of the fights and him being run down might cause an outbreak for him. Personally I do noy like injecting ivomec as it can cause irritation at the injection site i have it administered orally.
He does have some serious bite wounds on his back but the hair is obviously re-growing so I would e-mail chrissie and/or ask the vets for a non powder option of treating them.
If he knocks a scab maybe you could use martha and mauds method of making a tubi grip jacket for him? I know it worked very well on one of her rescue boars.
Good luck.
 
Thanks Vikki. I am going to try and see another vet today to get a second opinion. I have never seen a mite problem so fine it hard to judge if there is a skin problem and injuries, just injuries or just a skin problem.

Will look in to the tubi grip idea, never eve thought of that so thanks :)
 
Oh no after all that stress of shifting and this happens 8...8...
GOod luck and let us know how he goes, bless him it sounds like he's a real little champ xoxoxoxo
Do you think also he's a bit quiet with nobody to chat to? is it possible to shift him nearer the others for company?
Huge healing wheeeeeeks coming his way x>>x>>x>>x>>
 
I don't think it's mites. I think it's a fungal infection. If you are not having much luck with your vet then contact Chrissie at gorgeousguineas.com. She is very helpful and attach a picture.
 
Vet trip number 2...

Ok saw a different vet how was very good and took a lot of time over my little piggy.

First off much to my guinea pigs dislike he gave him a good old wash to get the white powder off the skin to have a proper look.

He was a bit stumped to be honest, he said it looks like a degree of fighting has been going on as one of the cuts (hard to see as back of neck under hair) is a large tear and you can see the flap of skin so this indicated its not mites (in that area at least).

As for the hair loss he is not sure if the hair has been pulled out in a scrap or if it is due to a mite issue.

He did comment on how dry the skin was in areas but agrees this could be due to the powder.

So the outcome is.... No charge for going today (impressed). Do nothing to guinea pig for 48 hours and come back on wednesday so he can see how it is after 48 hours or no powder and so on. But if at any point any of the wounds / sores open up to go back or if he goes off food or shows any signs of distress.

So no closer to an answer but happy with the outcome.

I asked about a mite treatment just in case it was that and he wanted to hold off for 4 hours to see what it is like then as he does not like giving meds to animals unless it is really needed. Fair enough I guess.
 
My cats have sensitive skin and eczema and often have sores like that on them (the skin also goes dry). I find bathing the open sores in salt water twice daily and putting vaseline on top of the sores to protect them and also helps with the dry flakey skin. If the sores are not open then I just apply vaseline. Hope this may help your piggies.
 
The skin around the wound on his back is healthy and regrowing hair and I know our boy took a long time to grow back the fur on his bum even after the scabs had cleared as it had been pulled out by other boys. It does look as if they had a really big falling out. Your vets sounds very sensible I hope your second trip goes ok.
Have they fought before? I was looking at the back photo and there seems to be a scar just below where the new bites are. In my humble opinion these are fight injuries but follow the advice of your vet as they have seen the guinea first hand
 
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Thanks for the replies.

Vikki - The first photo is a week post injury and the second photos were taken the day I posted. The bit that looks like a scar was a injury, very minor that happened at the same time as the rest but healed quicker, probably as it was less sever and deep.

As for fighting before, I have never seen them but that does not mean they have not had a fight.

Yesterday was very sunny and I took him outside in his hospital cage for some fresh air (did not let him on the grass because I did not want any dirt to get on him just yet). I put a clean towel we use for the animals on the patio and a small run on the top. The hutch with the others in is on the patio too and I had not put them out yet. So the run with poorly boy in and the hutch were side by side. I got out the one who had the fight with poorly boy and sat having a good look at him (has long-ish hair) next to the run. He started chattering in the evil way piggies do at the run so it looks like poorly boy will not be going back with him!
 
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