Skin Problems Fungus vs Fighting Wound?

[Scintie]

I ran across another thread that got me thinking. My little girl has had a spot on her nose for a week that I thought was just a wound from fighting with her former cage mate. It started out kind of red, didn't bleed just looked kind of bloody. Now it just looks like she's bald there.


Here's a few pictures, I know crappy quality but an iPod is all I have with a camera.

Would this be fungus and should I start treatment?

 

[Kieri]

that appears to be fungal. i'd get her to a vet.
https://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html

if you google "guinea pig fungus" you can see a resemblance.

 

[Scintie]

Thanks for that link! That bottom picture looks exactly like it started out as. Will definitely need to get her seen. Or is there any at home treatments that are effective?


Also, as she was housed with my other pig when she got it does that mean he could have it too? He has a small rough white patch on his ear but besides that haven't seen any.

 

[Kieri]

it sounds like he does.

my guinea pigs currently have a fungal infection and one of the pigs has a white patch on her ear. (i went to a joke of an exotic vet and haven't been able to treat my pigs because she believes they will "heal on their own," but once i find an actual experienced exotic vet i can hopefully begin treating my pigs )

 

[foggycreekcavy]

You don't need a vet to start treating for fungus, Kieri.

Scintie, that definitely looks like fungus. It is likely that your other pig has it too (that's probably what's on his ear).

Start treating with an over the counter topical fungal cream, like Monistat or Lotrimin. Just rub a small amount on the area two or three times a day. If it doesn't improve, then a vet visit is in order.

 

[Kieri]

I'm only wanting to find a vet, because Obcy has it around her eyes and I was told by the vet that any cream could hurt her eyes or ruin her eyesight, so I would need to get an oral medication. Then again, that woman also told me to feed my guinea pigs yogurt...

Is it okay to treat my pigs then? Is Monistat or Lotrimin safe to apply around a guinea pig's eye?

 

[Scintie]

Took my little girl to the vet. Turns out its ringworm. She's been having diarrhea too. Gave me enough meds for both my pigs.

 

[Scintie]

Griseofulvin

My guinea pig sparkles was diagnosed with a intestinal parasite and ringworm. She's had horrid diarrhea for a few days and lost 18g in just over a day. The exotics vet gave us Panacur Suspension (administer 15 units by mouth once daily for 5 days) and Sulfa/Trimethoprim (0.2ml by mouth daily/week) for the parasite and said not to treat the ringworm till she was having solid poops for 4 days. He gave us enough to treat both pigs since they have been in contact with each other. He prescribed 0.25 ml of Griseofulvin daily for each until the bottle is gone. I've been reading up on it and I'm really worried now. I read somewhere it caused a pig to have seizures and ended up passing. Obviously I want to get rid of the ring worm and it's pretty bad but don't want to put either of my pigs at risk. Nor can I afford another vet visit at the moment. Had to borrow money from my mom to see the vet.
Input? Should I trash it, or use it?

 

[SurfingPigs]

Re: Griseofulvin

From discussions like that on the following link, I would be wary of using this.

https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?t=177

Other parts of GL indicate that it is less harsh than other, equally effective drugs.

 

[Scintie]

So should I get ahold of some Nizarol shampoo first and see if that works?

Or I may call the vet and see if he will give me something else. If not I may just have to self treat it but being its so close to the eye I'm worried.

 

[SurfingPigs]

Re: Griseofulvin

You can treat with a cream like Monistat or Lotrimin near the eye, just be careful when applying and don't get it into the eye.

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

 

[Scintie]

Thank you will try that.
Last question. Even if I'm treating both should they still be kept seperated?

 

[Scintie]

Pig won't take medication

Since sparkle passed yesterday Terra won't take her medication. They both took it amazingly before she passed and would chase after the syringe. Now terra is impossible to get it into, and she seems really fidgety today. Could this be from loosing her friend? How can I tell the difference between a side effect of the meds or a side effect of depression?

 

[bpatters]

Re: Pig won't take medication

I don't know that you can tell the difference, and I don't know that it really matters. You need to get the medicine into her, whether she likes it or not.

What is happening when you try to give it to her? Is she just not opening her mouth, or you can get the medicine in and she lets it run out?

 

[Scintie]

She won't open her mouth at all, and head butts me out of the way..me and my partner both tried alone and together and even trying to hold her head still we wasn't able to get most of it in (we got pretty much all today's doses in through putting it on hay and tricking her into taking it) She even bit both of us which is not like her. I know sparkles bit alot but she was very sick. The vet gave us meds for terra pretty much just for precaution.

Are intestinal parasites spreadable? I know terra has the ringworm but I don't like the med he gave us to begin with (griseofulvin) but when I called he assured me it was the safest drug out there. Today's only her second dose of it.

 

[bpatters]

Re: Pig won't take medication

You should be able to hold her still by wrapping her in a towel with only her head sticking out. If you're right handed, grasp her head firmly with your left hand -- it may help to cover her eyes with something.

Insert the syringe with the medicine just behind her front teeth but in front of her back teeth, wiggle it in a little toward the back of her mouth, and give it to her.

It's called "force feeding" for a reason -- it takes a lot of force to do it, and you're having to force the pig to take it.

Intestinal parasites are definitely spreadable. What kind of parasites did Sparkle have?

 

[Scintie]

The vet didnt say exactly just mentioned ?flymgellium? Or something like that. Then the ringworm. The ringworm was horrible on sparkles but on terra it's just a bit in her ear. Terra hasn't showed any of the signs sparkles had before she passed (lathargic, drank constantly, diarrhea)

 

[Emissa]

Re: Pig won't take medication

My friend's guinea pig required medication and he was just not having it. She wrapped firmly in a towel, like a baby so he couldn't squirm. It made him much easier to deal with and just being wrapped up possibly gave him the security he needed because then he took it without causing any problems

 

[kourt1313]

Re: Pig won't take medication

When giving my pigs their meds I sat them on the kitchin sink with their backs to me, held them up against my chest, and administered their meds. This way when they tried to pull their heads back or away they really couldn't get far. Plus I think it let them be more relaxed, they could just sit on the counter without fear of being dropped and they weren't given the opportunity to wiggle, and when they were done they'd get a favorite treat and lots of cuddles and kisses. Now when I do it they happily sit there and rest their little front paws on my hand and gobble up the meds. I think the more stressful medicine time is made, the more a pig will dislike it and fight.

 

[Scintie]

So now terra is showing signs of a URI. She's sneezing and has a clicking noise in her lungs. But she just finished an sulfa/Panacur and griseofulvin. Aren't any of those antibiotics? I have 26$ to my name..after just taking sparkles to the vet. I may end up having to give up being a piggy parent until I have a stable income. My partners fast food job just isn't cutting it. As horrible as it sounds it's best for the piggie. I'm going to try my best to get her seen by a vet then I may have to find her a new home as much as I hate it