Mouth brown-green thing on guinea pig's lips!

[Elaavor]

hello.
it's been two days since something weird has appeared on my guinea pig's lips. also it seems that it's become bigger since yesterday. please take a look at the pictures and tell me if you know what it is.
by the way, he is eating well like always, and he cleans his mouth with his paws like he used to. he doesn't seem to be in pain. but if I try to touch his mouth, he pulls away.
I probably won't have access to vet for 8 days. but I'm really worried about it and I have no idea what it is and if it's something serious or not. so right now asking on forums seems to be my only choice.

 

[Fay]

Firstly, welcome to the forums!

Looks like it could be cheilitis or maybe fungus, which according the Guinea Lynx is treated with antibiotics or anti-fungal remedies depending on what it is.

A cavy savvy exotic vet would be able to determine what treatment your guinea pig needs, I'm not entirely sure how to best treat these problems.

Someone more knowledgeable about this issue will probably pitch in soon with some advice but in the meantime I would recommend reading the Guinea Lynx website:

https://www.guinealynx.info/cheilitis.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html
https://www.guinealynx.info/medical_guide.html

 

[bpatters]

Ditto Fay. I'd bet on cheilitis.

 

[Elaavor]

oh! ok guys do you think it will get worse in these 8 days that I can't take him to the vet? will it cause a problem for him?! I'm kinda negative about giving him any antibiotics or stuff without talking to the vet first.
also, another information I just remembered: this thing appeared after i gave him half a tomato. he's eaten tomatos before, but this one that I gave him was really red and juicy! do you think there's a connection?

 

[bpatters]

If it became bigger from one day to the next, it may continue to grow. If it's cheilitis, it probably will. If it's from the tomato, probably not.

But if it doesn't improve by tomorrow, then I'd get him to the vet.

 

[Elaavor]

hello again.
yesterday it seemed that a part of this thing on his lips had fallen off. but today it seemed that it has grown back on.
anyway, I took him to the vet. (the only vet I could find here) the vet prescribed ointment vitamin A to apply on that area. he didn't see it as a bacterial or fungal thing.
do you think that he's right?

 

[bpatters]

If it's cheilitis, he probably needs an antibiotic. Most cheilitis is caused by staph, and you don't want to fool around with that.

Where are you, and we might be able to help you find a better vet.

 

[Elaavor]

I wish we could find a better vet but I don't think so. I live in Iran. There are good vets in Tehran but that's like 800kms far from my city (Ahvaz). I have a really important exam this week but I rushed through my schedule and made time to take him to the vet. I was kinda hoping that he diagnoses it correctly. I even asked him if it's something bacterial or fungal, but he said no.

a part of this thing just fall off again now. I touched it and it is dry and stiff.

 

[jacinda.laski]

My guinea pig has that too rn but she has ringworm that I'm treating with monistat so bpatters domu think it my case is that or what?

 

[jacinda.laski]

But hers is on her nose

 

[bpatters]

@Elaavor, in your situation, with no good vet nearby, I'd get a triple antibiotic cream. I have no idea what it would be called where you are, but they're sold as that here in the US. Nystatin may be available there, so you might look for it.

Get the cream, and a cotton swab, and apply a very thin film over the whole thing. Rub it in very well, and make sure there are no globs of it around his mouth. You don't want him to lick it off his mouth or get it on his paws, but there's no other way that I see to do this. Do this twice a day, and see if it makes a difference.

While you're treating him, weigh him daily to make sure he's not losing weight, and watch him carefully to make sure he's eating and pooping normally.

If you've been feeding him fruit or tomatoes, stop. Some pigs have sensitive skin around their noses, and fruit may aggravate it. If you're feeding things like green lettuce, you can continue with that.

Good luck, and keep us posted on how he's doing.

 

[Elaavor]

Hi.
thanks for your advices. I got Nystatin. I've been using it on him since two days ago. but there's this problem. when I want to apply it on his mouth, he pulls his face away and it gets really hard to use enough of it on his mouth. and when I try to do it again to rub more, he gets really squeaky and tries to climb down of my lap. so I will be forced to put him down. and then he starts wiping his mouth right away! I don't think any cream remains on his mouth in this way. is there any way to do this better?! I'm really gentle while trying to use cream on him, but he backs down as soon as he sees the swab near his face.

 

[bpatters]

Hold his head FIRMLY with one hand, and make sure his eyes are covered. Either burrito-wrap him or put him in a cuddle sack so he can't back away from you.

He's never going to sit there politely and wait for you to put it on -- you'll have to restrain him.

 

[Elaavor]

Hi. His lips are totally healed! I guess it took 5days for him to get healed.
thanks a lot!