# Piggie with a sore back :0(



## georgefan (Dec 18, 2009)

Hi

I have a beautiful long-haired guinea pig called cookie. She is on anti-biotics (Baytril) for a sore on her back. She is eating, drinking a little, but will not leave her back alone. She is not very tame and squeals when I pick her up to give her medicine.

Does anyone have any advice on how to stop her scratching at her back? It is starting to dry out, and trying to scab, but she keeps scratching it!

Any advice would be gratefully received.


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

How has she got the sore. Is it possible she could have scratched it herself because of mites or lice. If this is the case then she would obviously need treating for that to stop the itching


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Is she kept alone or with another guinea pig? If she has a sore it might suggest mites. Does she scratch a lot and seem very itchy? Did the vet say what the sore was? It might need some ivermectin to kill the mites if she has got them.


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## georgefan (Dec 18, 2009)

Jazzy said:


> Is she kept alone or with another guinea pig? If she has a sore it might suggest mites. Does she scratch a lot and seem very itchy? Did the vet say what the sore was? It might need some ivermectin to kill the mites if she has got them.


Hi

She's is kept alone as her friend died in July, and she didn't take very well to the new baby girl piggie I bought for her. She isn't scratching alot, and only at the sore, I presume where it is starting to dry out, it becomes itchy. I have checked her hair and can't see anything in there. What do mites look like and how big are they, and how would she have got them?

She was in a 2 tier hutch, but only used the top level. When I checked on her one morning she was at the bottom, very scared so I think something scared her in the night and she fell down the ramp. This caused a small cut on her back. It was clean and she wouldn't let me pick her up because she was sore. I kept an eye on her and it seemed to heal. The problem is her hair is very long and covered it, so I can't be 100% certain it completely healed. When you open the bed, she is very shy and runs into the other part of the hutch, so the cut may have remained hidden.

I undercovered her on Friday and she was near the top of the ramp, and she stayed there which isn't like her. This is when I noticed the sore. I immediately cleaned her up and swapped her with another piggie, so that she is now in a single tier hutch. She is fine in herself, I just need her to leave her back alone so it can heal. With all the cleaning and medicine giving she has even become a little tamer which is a good thing I suppose.

Just checked her over and her skin is very pink through her hair pretty much all over, plus I found a few other small scabs. I've got her in the vet's for tomorrow. She's so beautiful, it breaks my heart to see her like this:frown:


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

If she has more scabs it could well be lice or mites. They can get them from hay. They can get running lice which you would see if you look very closely. These are very tiny and move. Mites you will see little black bits on a light coloured guinea and little white bits on a dark coloured guinea. Does she have any dandruff? This would indicate a fungal infection. It's good that you're taking her to the vets as they should be able to diagnose the cause. Gorgeous guineas do lots of shampoos for all skin problems and they work brilliantly. Here's a link to them incase you've not heard of them before.

Gorgeous Guineas: Welcome To Gorgeous Guineas HQ!


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

I would get some Xeno and do her with that, it will kill mites and things that might be causing the problem. It's just like putting frontline on a dog, just put it on the back of the neck where it can't be licked. You won't be able to see the mite probably as it lives under the skin although there are other mites that you will be able to see. Hay mite usually comes when the guinea pig gets ill or stressed and doesn't come from hay as people think - well that's what a vet told me anyhow.
This is Xeno 450. Xeno 450 6 Pipettes Ivermectin Spot on - £18.06

It will probably work out cheaper than the vets as vets tend to give injections for mite and you have to go back around 3 times every week or so but this stuff you usually only need one tube so it's quite economical. Baytril is more for respiratory infections than hay mite.

You will have to weigh your piggy to make sure you are giving her the right dose but the instructions are easy to follow.:thumbup:


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## georgefan (Dec 18, 2009)

Thank you all so much for your advice. I will see what the vet says tomorrow, so I can be sure what's wrong. Once she's better, I'll get her some shampoo to make her nice and shiny again.:thumbup:


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

If you do use xeno 450 it is a lot cheaper to buy online than at the vets. Vet uk are the cheapest I have found and they post it very quickly free of charge.


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## georgefan (Dec 18, 2009)

Well, she went to the vet last night and he wasn't sure whether she has Guinea Pig Mange or a skin infection??

Her temperature was a little high, but otherwise he was happy with her. She has been prescribed another weeks course of Baytril and had some medication placed on the back of her neck. Cost £30 yesterday, but £25 is for the consultation. She has to go back next Thursday for another treatment on her neck, which will only cost £2.50.

She's had her medicine this morning and her back looks so sore :frown: I just hope this stuff starts to work soon so she stops itching. On a lighter note, I had trouble picking her up this morning, as she was running around the box I caught her, so she seems to be getting back to her normal timid self. I was hoping to try and tame her a bit more whilst she was poorly, oh well.:thumbup:


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## wind1 (Oct 24, 2010)

If it is mites and the vet has used ivermectin then it should start to work quite quickly and she will not be so itchy. For her sore back you could use sudocrem. I always use it on any sore patches, it's very good for healing and would also help with the itching. You may not want to tell your vet though, a lot of them don't agree with creams like this being used on animals!


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## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

Yes I used sudocrem on my old guinea pig when he went off his legs and his tummy was getting sore and it worked a treat.:thumbup: I use it on my dogs too, it's great stuff.:thumbup:


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## georgefan (Dec 18, 2009)

Update:

After 2 more visits to the vets, tests fugicidal gel, medicine, Xeno and £120 later, we have finally found out she has ring worm!

She is now slowly getting better- bloody nightmare!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Am glad she's on the mend! Well done for being so patient! xx


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