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Hair Loss Are mites or fungal infections always itchy?

zaylea

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My new pig, Raisin, has a bald spot on one side towards her back legs. There isn't an open sore or any visible critters on her. I haven't seen her scratching either. They put some cream on her at the shelter (ivermectin I'd guess but couldn't get an answer about that.) She's been good about drinking, and eating her pellets and veggies. She is nice about being held, but there is no obvious indications of her being in pain (although, I've tried to keep handling her to a minimum.)

The placement of the bald spot is making me really wonder if it might be ovarian cysts. Her nipples seem kind of elongated but not crusty. I mean, if it were mites or something like that, shouldn't she be crazy itchy?

Edit: Wanted to add, she has an appointment with an exotics vet at 6pm EST tonight
 

Cogni

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Let us know what the vet says.
Is there another pig in the cage who could be biting her hair off there? I thought my boys had mites but it turned out one was biting the hair off the other's rump. He never did it when I was watching but I found tufts of hair too cleanly bitten off to have fallen out.
 

zaylea

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Let us know what the vet says.
Is there another pig in the cage who could be biting her hair off there? I thought my boys had mites but it turned out one was biting the hair off the other's rump. He never did it when I was watching but I found tufts of hair too cleanly bitten off to have fallen out.

No, she was an only pig and hasn't been introduced to my other pigs yet.
 

foggycreekcavy

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How old is she? Usually with ovarian cysts the hair loss is bilateral--the same on both sides. Can you post photos of the hair loss area and of her nipples?
 

kathlaaron

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My new pig, Raisin, has a bald spot on one side towards her back legs. There isn't an open sore or any visible critters on her. I haven't seen her scratching either. They put some cream on her at the shelter (ivermectin I'd guess but couldn't get an answer about that.) She's been good about drinking, and eating her pellets and veggies. She is nice about being held, but there is no obvious indications of her being in pain (although, I've tried to keep handling her to a minimum.)
The placement of the bald spot is making me really wonder if it might be ovarian cysts. Her nipples seem kind of elongated but not crusty. I mean, if it were mites or something like that, shouldn't she be crazy itchy?

Edit: Wanted to add, she has an appointment with an exotics vet at 6pm EST tonight

I am confused why they couldn't tell you what cream they used ? They couldn't even tell you the name and what it was for ? That is strange to me.

Well, I know from reading a ton about piggies with mites that indeed, she would be scratching, so I really don't think it is mites, hon.

A clear up close as you can, picture of this bald area, would be much more helpful for us to help you figure this out. Do you think you could post a good clear photo of the area in question ?

MAKE SURE that you ask a lot of questions, when you take her in tonight...write them down in an organized format, to make it easy. I always try to write my questions down before ANY kind of doctor appt. whether it is for me, my family or my piggies. It is best to be as prepared as you can beforehand, you know ?
 

zaylea

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I don't want to take pics tonight because she's had enough stress for the evening (car ride + vet), but I will take some pics tomorrow.

She is actually losing hair bilaterally but it's just worse on one side, and also a bit flaky. It's also a bit red/inflamed too. The vet couldn't feel any cysts or anything funny (neither could I.) So, he gave her a dose of Revolution. I'm to call in 2 weeks. If she's improved, he's going to give her a 2nd dose of Revolution, because the critters have a life cycle of 1 mo and that way we'll be sure to have gotten them all. While it's probably not ringworm, there's a chance, and the test takes a week and wasn't crazy expensive or invasive, so I had him test for that too to rule it out (I'll find out about that on Monday.)
 

zaylea

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She seems pretty active/happy tonight so I went and got some pics. It's a little hard to see. I might try again tomorrow with my dSLR instead.

IMG_20120109_213140.jpgIMG_20120109_213004.jpg
 

Cogni

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That could well be mites. I hope that is all it is. If so, the Revolution should take care of it. It might take more than one application. Be sure to thoroughly clean the cage and bedding and all surfaces the pig comes into contact with so that reinfestation does not occur after treatment.
 

zaylea

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Just an update. Most of Raisin's hair has grown back, so must have been a parasite of some sort.
 
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