Help! Friend's friend guinea pig is sick...what is it?

[RubyPiggie2]

I am on the phone with my friend and her friend. Well, she thinks her guinea pig has ringworm and lice. What are the syptoms of lice and ringworm? Her guinea pig has patches of hair on her ear missing, and it's really dry(towards the tip of the ear on both of her guineas) and is flaky. Then the guinea pigs keep itching themselves, but no screaming, blood drawn, or any of that sort. What could this be? I know they say no emergencies on here, but no body is hhome with her and this really is an emergency!

 

[tashagurl]

You could try www.guinealynx.com , But it sounds like mites to me.She should take her pigs to the vet as soon as possible.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

I'm looking on that right now. It sounds like lice, I've been searching up on it... But what about ringworm? I heard something come up a few days ago on this forum, and I don't know what the thread was though.
Thanks

 

[RubyPiggie2]

She's probably taking her guinea pigs to a vet tomorrow, there is no possible way today. I'm going to look up vets for her(exotic animal specialists) and tell her the price, ect.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

I just found about ringworm.. and I think this is it! I'm not too sure about the "lice" thing though, anyone got any ideas of what this could be?

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

If you can see the parasites crawling on the pig, then it is lice. If you can't see them, then it is probably mites.

Ringworm is a fungal thing, I think?

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Yes, it is. I just looked up on it. Maybe it's not lice, just dry skin? You can't see anything, just that they stratch.

 

[tashagurl]

Just to be careful she might not want to touch the pig. If it does have ringworm it can be transfered to humans. Everyone thought my pig Salem had ringworm but the vet said it was only mites. A few shots later and he was fine. Keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[RubyPiggie2]

Yeah, I told her that it was contagious and could go to practically anything. They held her, but washed their hands well afterwards. On guinea lynx they recommended that. Is this okay? I'm calling them tomorrow because they will be out late tonight. My friend's friends mom is probably taking the pigs to the vet tomorrow.

 

[mncavylover]

I'm pretty sure that this one has mites, but she'll need to take the cavy in asap to get it treated! Yes, do tell her that washing her hands is fine.

Hope everything goes well!