Wanting to adopt a 4th, but...

[Haley0489]

I currently have 3 boars and would like to get a fourth one day. I'd do it now, but my dad already thinks "three is too many."

However, I browse petfinder.com on a daily basis, and have been admiring a certain pig for several weeks. I'm a bit concerned about something on his page though.

He has a flaky skin on his lower back. The vet said that this can be cleared up by occassionally bathing him with Cetaphil soap. But, she recommends that he be neutered, as the skin condition is normal in an unaltered Guinea Pig. Neutering him may greatly improve his skin.

I'm not sure if this is a true "cavy savvy" vet the shelter is using. Does this sound like a fungus? I've never read about neutering a guinea pig to fix a skin condition, so I'm worried the shelter may not know what it's talking about. Should I be turned off from adopting from this shelter, or adopting this specific pig because of the above reasons?

[paula.m.moore]

I doubt being unaltered has much to do with this or any other skin condition. Other more experienced owners can weigh in on that.

As for whether or not you should adopt that particular pig, I think it's up to you. I have 12 pigs and can't imagine letting my feelings about the shelter they came from get in the way of me giving any of them good homes.

If you are unwilling to take a pig that might be somewhat "special needs," that is a decision only you can make, though judging by the description it seems unlikely that what he has is anything other than a very treatable medical issue.

Good luck in whatever you decide!

[rabbitsncavyluv]

If it's an animal shelter, they usually are more dog/cat focused. It sounds like the pig needs to be treated for mites. If you adopt him, you'd need to quarantine him at first.

Cetaphil is not a good product to put on pigs. It's a human face wash.

[Haley0489]

Oh no, no! I didn't mean I wouldn't adopt him because of the skin condition. I was just concerned I may be adopting from a shelter that knows nothing about their GP's, and because of such, the poor things haven't been cared for properly [much like petstore pigs, URI/mites/lice/infection/etc.]

I figured this skin condition, like many others, was quite treatable. It's the possibility of adopting a very sick pig, from a un-cavy savvy shelter I'm most concerned about.

[salana]

Neutering will have no effect on his skin. Being unaltered doesn't make mites or fungi infest a guinea pig.

Mites and fungus can be treated at home, with ivermectin (for mites) or antifungal cream or shampoo (for fungus; most people use Monistat cream or Nizoral shampoo).