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Skin issues - please help!

guineabecs

guineabecs

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi guys

Please help.
I took on two beautiful girls last August from the vets as part of a cruelty case. They've not given me a days trouble since. The cruelty case was not anything to do with their physical health, they came to me in (seemingly) great condition.
From August - December they stayed in the cage they came in which was smaller than I'd have liked, but eventually in December then I upgraded to a c&c type cage I did myself with grids I purchased etc. For the base I use a waterproof sheet on the carpet, inco pads over that, and then bobble bath maths as their fleece layer. (I use the inco pads over the waterproof sheet because the waterproof sheet doesn't quite cover the full length of the cage, and I have to protect carpet).
Anyway. I noticed some scratching but thought nothing of it.
I bought an Ivermectin based spot on from the shop to put on them, so I picked them up to apply it and their skin was awful. Thin hair where they had been biting and scratching, red/pink skin, and the one had scratched and made herself bleed.
We went to the vets that day and have been under treatment since.
She is on antibiotics, pain relief, we've tried fungal shampoo baths, both have been treated with Xeno, but we still cannot stop the scratching. They have to be treated again in 2 weeks with the xeno, but does anyone have any ideas we haven't thought of?
I was washing their bedding in ecover which I had checked before hand, and read it was safe as it is plant based, fragrance, enzyme free. But I have since stopped using this and just use white vinegar. Everything is washed on a hot wash. I clean them out every 2 days. But just cannot get on top of it.
I'm convinced it's mite related, but I expected to see big improvement and reduction in scratching since the Xeno, but haven't.
Today, as a last resort, I purchased a pet remedy plug in diffuser to see if it was stress related due to the change in cages.
I am lost and flummoxed as are the vets.
I have been looking at a rabbit medical t shirt in the smallest size today, to keep her body covered and allow the wound to heal if she scratches. I'm just baffled.
The skin and hair today appeared in much better condition. The hair felt fresh, not greasy, and the skin was a normal colour. But the wounds on the one keep opening up when she scratches, just as they start drying.
Has anyone had any experience of this, or any ideas?!
Sorry for the long post! I am just at my wits end and it is so hard seeing her like this and I honestly think if she carries on and doesn't improve she will have to be euthanised. But she is so bright, still eating and drinking as normal. So I hope it doesn't get to that.
Thanks!
 
I'm sorry you are in this situation, poor piggies and poor you.
Xeno needs to be given 3 times each dose 2 weeks apart. The first dose often makes the itching worse as the lice die. It sounds from our post as if they may have only had 1 dose so far? I have heard Gorgeous Guineas Lice and Easy shampoo can help in these situations used in conjunction with the Ivermectin.
I hope your girls get better soon.
 
Thank you souch for your reply.
Yes so far had first dose, waiting now for the 2 weeks to give them a second. I wonder if that's what it is, where the mites are dying and that's why they're still super itchy.
I'm praying she is relieved soon, both of them 🙏🏼
I'll have a look at shampoo's!
Thanks so much xx
 
piggieminder said:
I'm sorry you are in this situation, poor piggies and poor you.
Xeno needs to be given 3 times each dose 2 weeks apart. The first dose often makes the itching worse as the lice die. It sounds from our post as if they may have only had 1 dose so far? I have heard Gorgeous Guineas Lice and Easy shampoo can help in these situations used in conjunction with the Ivermectin.
I hope your girls get better soon.
Click to expand...
Thank you souch for your reply.
Yes so far had first dose, waiting now for the 2 weeks to give them a second. I wonder if that's what it is, where the mites are dying and that's why they're still super itchy.
I'm praying she is relieved soon, both of them 🙏🏼
I'll have a look at shampoo's!
Thanks so much xx
 
Is your vet sure that it is mites. If not, it may be worth getting them to do a skin scrape which they can culture for fungal infection and also test for bacterial infection. You could also ask the vet to increase the pain meds that you are giving. Guinea pigs can tolerate quite high doses of Metacam as they metabolise it very quickly. Hope that your piggy is feeling better soon.
 
YvonneBlue said:
Is your vet sure that it is mites. If not, it may be worth getting them to do a skin scrape which they can culture for fungal infection and also test for bacterial infection. You could also ask the vet to increase the pain meds that you are giving. Guinea pigs can tolerate quite high doses of Metacam as they metabolise it very quickly. Hope that your piggy is feeling better soon.
Click to expand...
Thanks so much. She is currently on the highest mg/kg dose listed in the formulary which is the post surgical dose.
Good point about the skin scrapes etc. This was actually the first thing that was going to be done at the first appointment, but she went absolutely ballistic so we decided to stop, and went straight to treatment for the mites. But, come Monday if no improvement I think it will be a do or die situation, or hair plucks at the least. Thanks so much xx
 
My piggy who weighs 850g is on 0.5ml of the dog Metacam twice daily, she has mild arthritic pain. Sometimes vets give a dose more suitable for cats/dogs which is far to low for GPs. There are also alternatives such as a low dose of Gabapentin which can help if your piggy is in a lot of pain. I am not a health expert but this is from my own experience and the advice of the exotics vet that i use.
 
Ah that's interesting. Mine is on the same dose but, once a day. I'll be sure to ask about the gabapentin. How do you get it into piggy may I ask? Is it tablets? X
 
YvonneBlue said:
My piggy who weighs 850g is on 0.5ml of the dog Metacam twice daily, she has mild arthritic pain. Sometimes vets give a dose more suitable for cats/dogs which is far to low for GPs. There are also alternatives such as a low dose of Gabapentin which can help if your piggy is in a lot of pain. I am not a health expert but this is from my own experience and the advice of the exotics vet that i use.
Click to expand...
Ah that's interesting. Mine is on the same dose but, once a day. I'll be sure to ask about the gabapentin. How do you get it into piggy may I ask? Is it tablets? X
 
guineabecs said:
Ah that's interesting. Mine is on the same dose but, once a day. I'll be sure to ask about the gabapentin. How do you get it into piggy may I ask? Is it tablets? X
Click to expand...
The tablets are usually crushed in liquid and then given by syringe like the Metacam.
 
Our vets have gabapentin in liquid form (not mixed crushed tablets), it tastes disgusting apparently according to Red and Brillo!
 
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