# Guinea Pig with sore skin



## Leigh P

Can anyone help? I have recently treated my 2 yr old male guinea pig for mites (sores on back with short/balding fur). Today I have seen that he is sore around one eye (dry skin) and seems to be itching around his face. the other eye is fine. I treated him for the 2nd time approx 1 week ago. Can anyone help me identify what the problem is?
thanks
Leigh


----------



## CarolineH

Sounds more like a fungal condition. I normally use Manuka and Neem shampoo and lotions from Gorgeous Guineas Absolutely brilliant and most good show breeders swear by them. I do not breed and show now but I used to.


----------



## Leigh P

Thanks. I have just ordered some Lavender and Myrhh cream from Gorgeous Guineas so am hoping that this works.


----------



## lillynharry

Hi, my 2 guineas had a fungal infection. it does sound like your has this too. i used the lavenda and myrhh from gorgeous guineas aswell and it worked brilliantly!x


----------



## Guest

My Guinea Pig had Ringworm, I put sudocream (sp?) on it, bathed it with warm salt water, twice a day, and it cleared up on its own. I took him to the vets to be safe, but he said I'd done a good job, and he didn't need treating 

Hope yours gets well soon!


----------



## Leigh P

Thanks for all the optimistic replies! I do hate taking piggies to the vets as they hate it so much! I will try the lavender & myrhh first, but also have some sudocreme so will try that if the first stuff fails.
Thanks again... Leigh and Fudgie


----------



## Leigh P

I am not sure whether to take my GP to the vets now. He has scratched his face so much that there is an open wound. I have tried to clean it, but he screams and pulls away. I have also tried to put aloe vera gel on it (a very experienced GP owner advised this) but again he pulls away.
Can anyone advise?


----------



## CarolineH

He will pull away, tis natural. Hold him firmly, maybe wrap up in a towel and do it anyway. It's for his own good.


----------



## Leigh P

I succumbed and took Fudgie to the vets this morning. He was screaming so much when I tried to clean his face that I was in tears. It seems that he has ringworm (although this won't be confirmed until the tests come back). He was given an anti-itching drug and some anti-biotics so I am hoping that he's feeling a bit better now (hasn't stopped his appetite though!). I am still going to persevere with the aloe vera gel and lavender & myrhh lotion as I prefer the natural methods, just think that due to the scratching, the sores had become infected.
Poor little piggie - I feel guilty for not stopping it sooner.
Will update when I know more


----------



## Guest

Leigh P said:


> I succumbed and took Fudgie to the vets this morning. He was screaming so much when I tried to clean his face that I was in tears. It seems that he has ringworm (although this won't be confirmed until the tests come back). He was given an anti-itching drug and some anti-biotics so I am hoping that he's feeling a bit better now (hasn't stopped his appetite though!). I am still going to persevere with the aloe vera gel and lavender & myrhh lotion as I prefer the natural methods, just think that due to the scratching, the sores had become infected.
> Poor little piggie - I feel guilty for not stopping it sooner.
> Will update when I know more


Aww I'm sure he'll be fine soon. It didn't affect my Guineas appetite either, lol pigs will be pigs  haha.

Make sure you wash your hands before and after handling him ... you can catch it too.

Hope he gets better soon!


----------



## hazyreality

Be very careful to wash your hands with soap and water of antibacterial gel everytime you touch him because I caught ringworm from a guinea before and it took well over 2 months to clear up, 2 weeks on the guinea! 

*Heidi*


----------



## Leigh P

I have separated Fudgie from his pals (Sausage and Chip - don't ask!, who are two young males), but all are so quiet. Not sure whether to keep them apart of put them back in together. Ringworm hasn't been proven yet - so do I wait the 10 days for the results, or not? I am a bit worried that if Fudgie is kept away for too long, then we'll have problems when putting him back in.

Any advice?


----------



## hazyreality

hmmm, is there anyway you can keep him so they can see each other? I would be worried about keeping them apart for so long.
Are you treating as if it is ringworm? If you are, can you not put him back with them and then treat the others aswell, I'm not sure what the treatment is?

*Heidi*


----------



## Leigh P

Have taken the plunge and put them back in together as they were all so quiet. So pleased that I did as there was a stand-off between Fudgie and one other male in the gang. Looks as though even 24 hrs apart has caused a slight problem. Have kept an eye on them, let them "chugger chugger" a bit and they now seem to be OK. Will keep an eye on the other two to see if any sores appear - will only treat them if they need it. I really don't want to separate them again unless absolutely necessary, however, I only have room for one hutch!
Fudgies sores also seem to be drying up, so hoping that the anti-itch medicine he was given has helped a lot.

Thanks for all postings.... its been an awful couple of days

Leigh xxx


----------

