A guinea pig s color has nothing to do with its life, except for if it is getting bald patches or patches of color that werent there before. In this case, these two guinea pigs were taken at 2 different times to a local vet who i shall not name and shame here. Guinea pig ringworm symptoms and treatment for ringworm in. The cage they were in was very small, and crowded, and of course it was a stressful environment for them, with this change, etc. Its lost about 20% of its fur and has been scratching until it would bleed. If your guinea pig is fit and healthy in every other way and not scratching i would not worry too much. Read emergency advice that helped one posters guinea pig make it through the night. Parasites too can cause skin problems, these include lice and mites that live on the. Nov 02, 2007 yes you must spray the cage if the mites are on the guinea pig the will be living on the cage well i also suggest moving you cage 2 a far away patch of grass. The ringworm infection is characterized by bald patches that commonly start at the head. Guinea pigs can quickly overheat during the summer leading to heatstroke, which in severe cases can be fatal.
So basically it sounds as if your guinea pigs are getting bored and trimming each otherstheir own fur. If your guinea pig has bald spots, then this could be due to mange mites or a fungal infection, both of which are easily treatable with a special shampoo. I rang our vet, but our regular guy is off tomorrow, and the locum just hasnt got enough guinea pig knowledge so id end up having to being annie back in a few days, so she wont be seeing the vet until friday. In another case, a combination of unprepared vet and uncooperative guinea pig resulted in a painful patch of fur loss. Hair loss can be a symptom of an assortment of different health conditions. Overnight growth on cheek cutiecavies guinea pig forum. My guinea pig who is 3 years old has been losing hair on her belly recently. I decided to take her to the vet anyways and it turned out she was just scratching her fur and it wasnt anything to be worried about. Your guinea pig may look fine on one day, then have a large abscess the next day. Parasites too can cause skin problems, these include lice and mites that live on the guinea pig s hair. The skin isnt irritated, and his fur isnt falling out in clumps, like some people have noticed about ringworm. Contrary to its name, this infection is not due to a parasitic worm, but to a microsporum species of fungus, typically the trichophyton mentagrophytes fungus, also clinically referred to as. Make sure it is eating and defecating, wash your hands before and after handling, freeze your pets bedding and food before use, and keep it away from drafts.
Sometimes her back legs and tummy are almost completely bald, then the hair grows back only to fall out again. Jul 22, 2010 ringworm infection is a common infection in guinea pigs is. My guinea pig bella just recently died on wednesday 16th september 2015 at 5. An abscess in a guinea pig can give a wide range of symptoms depending on its location. The average weight of a mature guinea pig is right around 2 pounds. A very young child may pull out a guinea pigs hair. Its not really bald, the hairs are just extremely short, and dont seem to be growing back. Fleece is a wonderful bedding medium but needs to be changed every day or every other at the most. I just noticed that my guinea pig has a bald patch right behind his neck. Many many cases of hairless guinea pigs come to the sanctuary where mites and fungal are a problem. That means by the time your guinea pig, or cavy, shows any signs of disease, he might already be very sick. It can also be caused by things in your hamsters environment.
I told my 4 year old that we would have to give patch away, to someone who could care for her a little better. Lumps and abscesses in guinea pigs an abscess in a guinea pig can give a wide range of symptoms depending on its location. Guinea pig hair loss how to identify and treat fungal. Since then ellie has thinned out a bit, but still has a voracious appetite. Any loss of hair in guinea pigs that isnt behind the ears should be investigated. Itchy guinea pig likely has 1 of 3 ailments animal. Your vet will likely prescribe an antifungal agent that will need to be taken orally, such as itraconazole or terbinafine. However, if your gerbil has an inflamed, scabby, bald round patch on its coat, then it could just possibly be ringworm. Richardson reported a case where a guinea pig kept outside was losing hair to a.
How to check your guinea pigs hair guinea pig illnesses. Sebaceous cysts contain oil from the skin glands that produce oil sebaceous glands. Hi, i noticed today that my piggie spike has a huge bald patch on his belly. Usually, if a pig has a fungal infection such as ringworm, by the time you notice one bald patch, there are several others. This may have been a trivial argument over an extralarge sunflower seed. Sebaceous cysts are typically located on a guinea pig s back and near the rump, but can form in other places as well. Common illnesses guinea pig illnesses guinea pigs guide. Jan 20, 2011 hi everyone, my 3 year old female guinea pig, ellie, has two bald patches. If the hair is thin beyond this spot, it is a good idea to have your veterinarian do an examination. In such cases, the pads of the feet wont be pink and healthy, and your guinea pig may be limping. I put it on twice a day, making sure to rub it in really carefully, and within a week i didnt see any fungus symptoms. Here are the most common causes of balding in guinea pigs and treatments.
The vet thinks she has cysts on her ovaries very common in older guineas which would cause hairloss. Your guinea pig may have an intestinal blockage torsion andor a dangerous buildup of gas. We did what orlaith did the whole keeping it open thing. I have noticed 2 tiny bald patches on its back at either side, and the hair sprouting out of it is grey. Barbering, or chewing on the hair, is sometimes seen when rabbits are housed together or with guinea pigs. This is the same guinea pig picture as that seen in photo 5, showing the genitalia of the male guinea pig. The skin underneath the hair loss did look healthy, and after a couple days, so did the skin surrounding the bald patch. Her other rossets although have all the fur but do look quite flakey. A guinea pig of healthy weight should feel firm in the body and weigh about 2 pounds.
My guinea pig has been scratching his back a lot every single day. I think it was a piece of bone and i saw some blood too. A very young child may pull out a guinea pig s hair. Why does my guinea pig have a bald spot on her back. Guinea pigs can get several types of cysts, with the most common being a sebaceous cyst.
We have now started to handle her and have noticed that behind each ear is a bald patch. The two common guinea pig fur mites are trixacarus caviae sarcoptic mange. Yeah, if its fungus, you can get the monistat7 and use that. There is a patch of hair on her side that seems to have been cut, but weve. I have had a guinea pig for many years and about a year ago i saw a bald spot near her rear. Guinea pigs can suffer from foot problems originating from injury, obesity, and disease. Hair loss bald patch appeared all of a sudden guinea pig.
Abscesses can also form in the mouth or jaw of a guinea pig. Eventually, this will kill a guinea pig so it is very serious. Also, with fungal infections, the bald spots still tend to have some fur that clumps together, and the guinea pig will be scratching a lot. A guinea pigs color has nothing to do with its life, except for if it is getting bald patches or patches of color that werent there before. A suggestion would be more toys and an indooroutdoor run as a change of scenery.
The new guinea pig owner, after reading about hair loss and mites, lice and fungus diseases, will. The bald patch is not sore, flaky, red, itchy or anything at all. An exception is that sometimes guinea pigs may have a bald patch on their behind, caused by the substance they use to mark their territory. A healthy animals receiving good nutrition and exercise feels firm in the body. The revolution was a liquid that was dabbed behind the ears on the bald patch. Nov 04, 2014 eventually, this will kill a guinea pig so it is very serious. One of my guinea pigs has a rather large bald spot on the side of its stomach. Guinea pig hair loss how to identify and treat fungal and. If the bald spot is limited to the area hidden when the rabbit tucks her head back toward her shoulders. Jan 03, 2012 yes you must spray the cage if the mites are on the guinea pig the will be living on the cage well i also suggest moving you cage 2 a far away patch of grass. If treating for parasites doesnt resolve your guinea pigs discomfort, there may be other issues at play.
A congested guinea pig is a sad, frightened guinea pig. The two bald patches are in the middle of her abyssinian rossets. Sometimes her back legs and tummy are almost completely bald, then. I also recommend treating the environment every four days by removing and replacing the substrate and spraying with a spray containing the same ingredient as the medication used to treat the guinea pig. The area doesnt seem to bother my guinea pigs, but is a bit dry, and flaky. He is keep on biting his back and his i can see his skin. Nov 28, 2019 identify abscesses in your guinea pigs mouth and jaw. Guinea pig pick up and holding techniques demonstrated duration. Hair loss in guinea pigs can happen for a number of different reasons and it is important to consider the other factors affecting it before trying to decide what the cause might be.
My guinea pig currently has small amounts of discharge in one eye and weve noticed under her chin is almost constantly wet. The infection can clear up on its own as long as your guinea pig is healthy and their environments kept nice and clean. How to deal with common problems in guinea pigs pets4homes. Itchy guinea pig likely has 1 of 3 ailments animal health. The most common reason for hair loss is when a guinea pig is infected with parasites. Hes only a few months old, so it isnt aging or anything like that. Abscesses in these areas can become large very quickly. Some of them have a thin covering of fuzzy hair on their backs as well. Read what forum members have to say about managing chronic bloating. May 24, 2018 if you or your child has caught ringworm from your guinea pig, you will likely see skin lesions appear around the face, neck and arms. Sore noses are one of the most common gerbil health problems. This guinea pig still has her companion and i cant think what can be causing stress but dont know why else her hair is falling out. If you suspect people in your household have contracted ringworm, take them to the doctor for the appropriate treatment. Contrary to its name, this infection is not due to a parasitic worm, but to a microsporum species of fungus, typically the trichophyton mentagrophytes fungus, also clinically referred to as ringworm.
Again the signs to look out for are constant scratching and hair loss. We noticed that our new female rabbit has a bald patch on her tummy slightly to one side that is about a centimetre and a half square. There are some short hairs and some flakey yellow skin when you scratch at it. Our 6 year old piggy wiggle rescue, back bread, was bald when we got her has recently had a second wave of life, she is a happy little thing, though can no longer wheek, its more of a rasp vet checked, and all ok, just old age. Her companion had died shortly before so i think it was stress. Annie has a wet bum guinea pigs cutiecavies guinea pig.
Guinea pig ringworm medication is systematic, not just topical. Ileus is caused when gas builds up in the gastrointestinal tract stomach and intestines. Since cavies are sensitive to many antibiotics, good supportive care might be. When the guinea pig is very cold, a small drop of whisky is an invaluable reviver. The best way to keep your guinea pig healthy is to keep a close watch on your pet. If you take your guinea pig to a vet, the vet will want to do a skin scrape, but 90% of the time it comes up false negative. Even elderly cavies wont lose hair as a result of their old age.
Pregnant females often lose a lot of hair because their hormones are unbalanced and this always grows back, so there is no need to worry if this happens to your. Guinea pigs are highly susceptible to respiratory infections, caused by bacteria, dampness, drafts, and a dirty cage. Often, the infection appears soon after a new guinea pig joins the family. My three year old guinea pig, ollie, has a small patch on the side of his face where it appears that the hair has simply fallen out. Hair loss in guinea pigs guinea lynx a medical and. Guinea pigs can become obese if fed too much of the wrong food. An example of a condition that affects guinea pigs is bumble foot, which is unfortunately something owners need to look out for its an infection that. Fungus can cause bald patches, scaly skin, and hair loss. Unlike humans, guinea pigs cannot sweat so this handy way of cooling down in humans, isnt available for them. The animal will not simply present as going a bit bald, but will scratch frantically, drawing blood from the inflamed skin, and will also be very twitchy and ill at ease. According to the rescue people she had only recently read about 46 weeks been paired with the male we have.
The familys guinea pig, patch, has been looking worse and worse lately. They can be caused by allergy to bedding especially cedar, over enthusiastic burrowing with the nose, or stress. In fact this behaviour is often the very first sign of a mite infestation and it is only when you hold your guinea pig to try and calm it down. The place where the hair is gone doesnt appear to be red, or. Dec 18, 2010 sometimes her back legs and tummy are almost completely bald, then the hair grows back only to fall out again. A few months ago i took her to the vet and the vet said she was healthy. Richardson reported a case where a guinea pig kept outside was losing hair to a robin to provide nesting material.
At the end of may, roughly, i went on holiday and dropped my pigs off at a family members house for a week. Sexing guinea pigs guinea pig gender determination. Like a guinea pig version of eczema or something just because of the fact it looks quite dry. When i spray my guinea pigs i spray them 4 times on the tummy,back,bottom and top of the head with you hand over their eyes nose and mouth good luck. From developing new therapies that treat and prevent disease to helping people in need, we are committed to improving health and wellbeing around the world.
I was very nervous, however i wasnt sure if it was a big enough problem to take her to the vet. This is a common condition in female guinea pigs, leading to swelling of the abdomen, and hair loss along both sides. My guinea pig has a small bald spot with a red raised sore. As prey animals, guinea pigs hide signs of illness.
Unfortunately, sometimes the first hint of illness is a dead cavy in the cage. Apr 16, 2016 guinea pig pick up and holding techniques demonstrated duration. An abscess can be a sign of other underlying health issues, such as a soft tissue mass, bone degeneration or joint problems. These actions will help you prevent the bulk of the most.
The first thing you notice is a bare patch which then develops sores on it. Parasites arent the only cause of dry, itchy skin and hair loss in guinea pigs. Guinea pigs can become obese if fed too much of the wrong. Im quite worried as the guinea pig is only about 6 months old, as it was a baby of 2 of my other guinea pigs. Id noticed the fur thinning down there before but i thought it was due to old age as hes almost 5. Jan 26, 2020 causes of guinea pig hair loss the most common reason for hair loss in guinea pigs is usually mites. Guinea pig ringworm symptoms and treatment for ringworm. But its gradually got bigger and im worried somethings wrong with him. Sometimes, though, a guinea pig will have a bloated belly for other reasons, such as worms or, rarely, a tumor.
These itchy spots get worse as the guinea pig does everything it can to scratch it repeatedly. When you handle your guinea pig, gently open its mouth to see the abscess. Guinea pig hair loss on belly i am going to schedule a vet appointment for my guinea pig but in the mean time i want to post here and see if i can do anything before hand. Ringworm infection is a common infection in guinea pigs is. Up until recently i thought it was just barbering but now im not too sure. When i got them back, josh who was a rescue and always kinda skittish, though is much better now, had a bald patch on his belly. She is by herself our other two passed over the rainbow bridge about 18months and 6months ago respectively and we dont want any more, though to be fair she is by far the chirpiest and most active she has ever been by herself. They do look quite dry flakey on and around the bald patches. If you notice any bald spots or patches of missing hair on your guinea pig, treat it as something serious and investigate as to how it happened. However, you should never forget that ringworm is a very contagious condition that can be transmitted to other pets and to humans so e. The most common reason for hair loss in guinea pigs is usually mites.
When the other guinea pig started to get defensive, my oldest one started plucking himself bald where he could reach on his own body. The only reminder of what weve all been through with him is a bald patch on his rump which should grow over soon. If anyone has any suggestions, they would be much appreciated. When my sisters recently gave me a guinea pig, millie, she had a bald spot on her back but no other bald spots. Naturally occuring bald spots behind the ear of a guinea pig. Her tummy is stained and sticky from the urine shes forced to sit in. Cure guinea pig and cavies skin disease caused by mites. Accidents probably for a suspected fracture the vet will want the guinea pig brought to the surgery rather than make a house call, so ask how to move the guinea pig safely, without aggravating its problem. Cure guinea pig and cavies skin disease caused by mites treatment is safe and inexpensive. Pellets are usually the culprit, so be careful not to overfeed.
I also recommend treating the environment every four days by removing and replacing the substrate and spraying with a spray containing the same ingredient as. Guinea pigs hair loss can also be caused by guinea pigs. The recent warm weather has been perfect for us, but some guinea pigs have suffered. Guinea pig hair loss how to identify and treat fungal and mite.
The skinny pig is an almost hairless breed of guinea pig. Hamsters are supposed to be cute and fluffy so hair loss and bald patches are typically a sign that there is something wrong. A guinea pig s nose is constantly active, sniffing for changes in the environment, nearby pigs, and food. The twoweek interval allows the eggs to hatch and the lice killed before they lay new eggs. There are five very common diseases in guinea pigs. I havent noticed him scratching a lot, although he couldve been without my noticing it. Skinny pigs typically have hair on their muzzles, feet, and legs, but are hairless over the remainder of their bodies. I can see the skin like a v shape and today, i think i felt something hard. This is normal, especially in boars, but if it looks a bit sore then there might be another underlying problem. Your vet will likely also direct you to wash your pig a couple. Many owners assume that guinea pigs lose their hair as they get older, but this isnt true.
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