Question about a friend's guinea pig/possible new addition

[OSUCavies]

So tonight I went to my boyfriend's friends apartment who lives with his new wife. She was showing me the apartment (this was my first time there and meeting them) and she mentioned "oh don't mind the mess upstairs, I have a lot of clothes everywhere and my guinea pig cage, etc." So I was immediately like hey! I have four guinea pigs!

So in a nutshell, her guinea pig, Bubba, a male of course, she has had for about 6 years (he is really active and does not act that old at all!). He resides in one of the larger cages you can buy in the stores. It looks like the rabbit size ones (of course it's not a CC but now the smallest I've ever seen, thankfully). She feeds him hay and all that. She mentioned that her husband does not like him and she feels guilty that he does not get much attention. They have a new bulldog puppy that they have had for less than a year that seems to be getting 100% of the attention. I'm also willing to bet from what I saw the few moments I was up there that the bulldog messes with the cage and probably stresses Bubba out. The girl seems very caring of her guinea pig and said that she wanted to find him a new home but refused (thank goodness) to give him to a shelter, petstore or anyone that would take him in and not care for him properly. So anywho, I basically told her that if she paid to get him neutered that I would most likely take him in. She was very interested and said that she would be willing to take him to my vet and get him neutered. I was checking him out and she said that he had a spot on his back that kept appearing (she said it would go away and then come back) and she was not sure what it was but that a vet in Toledo told her that it was due to stress.....

I began looking at it, Bubba definitely didn't like me touching it. I wish I had a picture of it. Basically, it is RIGHT around his grease gland on his back (almost exactly in the middle) and it is a perfect little bald spot. And it is sticky but there is a genuine amount of hair missing in that spot. He didn't appear to have anymore and seems to be a healthy weight, active as I mentioned, etc. My first thought was that it was a fungus because the skin looked rather irritated and a little raw. The bald spot was probably about the size of a dime, maybe a little smaller.

Does this sound like a fungus or possible something to do with his grease gland? I am not sure if it was exactly where his gland is, but it appears to be definitely near that area. I know it's hard to tell without a picture, but I thought the fact that it is sticky would point in a certain direction.

Any thoughts?
I want to help her out (I suggested she take him for a check up before the neuter, of course...perhaps the vet she went to doesn't know as much as they say about GP..?) and give her more information. Plus, I wanna know what is possibly going on with him before I take him in and add him to the bunch.

[OSUCavies]

Yea, after reading a bit on Guinea Lynx Fungus, sounds like the stickiness could be coming from the "serum" the skin produces from the fungus.

I'm really thinking that is what it is.

[magbert594]

you went to see your boyfriend who just got married? Did you mean ex-boyfriend?

[Jane_G]

"So tonight I went to my boyfriend's friends apartment who lives with his new wife."

Magbert594: Please read posts carefully before you comment.



Do you think you are going to adopt him? If he's unhappy at home and not getting attention he would be so much more happy with you and your bunch. Does he clean him out or bathe him? I'm jealous of people with lots of piggies.

I would love to have lots of animals, but it's just not possible right now. Maybe when I'm a senior citizen I can be one of those crazy ladies with her own personal zoo!

Good luck with him. I hope everything works out.

[Char-x]

Originally Posted by magbert594

you went to see your boyfriend who just got married? Did you mean ex-boyfriend?

I don't really think that was any of our business but she did say boyfriend's friend

I would definatly get a GP vet to check everything out before adding them to the bunch, of course qurantine would be really important, more so than usual even if you have any concerns. I hope the poggy gets sorted though and can come and live with you're herd, sounds like she is looking to do the best thing for him, always nice to see

[OSUCavies]

I went to my boyfriend's friends apartment. It was a guy he went to high school with and his wife's apartment.


Anywho,

thanks Char. Yes, I believe a vet visit is in order. I hope she follows through with going. I even gave her my vet's card.

[magbert594]

sorry i'm an idiot haha it's not my business anyway. sorry. best of luck with your piggies -maggie

p.s. your himalayan,maisy?, is so adorable

[OSUCavies]

Yes, Maisy is Himalayan. She is a pistol, though. She is soooo not into being held. She hates it. We call her our demon pig. Hahah. She is a mess. I'm hoping she calms down when she gets older and actually lets us hold her.

[PiggieMamaKelly]

I wonder if 6 years old might be too old for surgery? I know that neutering is a less risky surgery; I just wonder about the anesthesia. I guess your vet will know about safe ages for surgery.

Bubba has a cute little name!