how to treat guinea pig fungal infection

Fungal infection may also have the same symptoms but the wounds (lesions) are different. Two types of bacteria — Bordetella bronchiseptica and Streptococcus pneumoniae — are the primary causes of respiratory infections in guinea pigs. Mite are contagious and if left with other guinea pigs they will also eventually be effected. As with mites, the itchiness can be intense, leading to self-trauma. You should also apply topical creams on the infected areas every day. Cages that are not clean and cages that have water come into them are perfect for fungal spores to develop. Treatment is a five- to six-week course of an oral antifungal medicine. Apple Cider Vinegar. By familiarizing yourself with some of the possibilities, youll be better prepared to deal with an eye problem that your guinea pig may have in the future. I am going to treat my guinea pigs' fungal infection myself. if you have other animals you need to be strict with hygiene as in changing clothes after treating the infected one (s).and wear silicon … These mites are in our outdoor environment and can also come with hay that we feed to guinea pigs. Sterilising the cage and washing material bedding is also important for removing fungal infections. Guinea pigs, like many other exotic pets, are prone to eye problems. The treatment your vet choses will vary depending upon what they think the cause of the guinea pig eye infection is. If there are only one or two bald patches, or limited nonspreading spots of skin that appear red and flaky, they can usually be treated by applying an antifungal topical ointment that has been recommended by your veterinarian. By knowing what is most commonly seen, you can be better prepared to monitor for signs and symptoms that your guinea pig may be getting sick. - Answered by a verified Pet Specialist ... Anti-bacterials don't work on viral infections; fungal/parasites aren't usually effected by anti-virals or antibacterials. Ringworm in guinea pigs can be diagnosed by appropriate clinical signs and/or a fungal culture. However, if there are just a few patches, these can also be treated with an anti-fungal ointment which a vet would prescribe. At the same time as treatment – you need to comletely clean the guinea pig hutch/cage. The primary sign of ringworm infection is bald patches, usually starting at the head. It has stayed contained to her rump area for the most part and has not spread or gotten worse I do … Cheilitis can be caused by a bacterial infection, a yeast infection or fungal infection. The best way to keep your guinea pig ringworm free is to keep living quarters clean and dry. In order to treat fungal, the area that is affected needs to be treated with a fungal shampoo or cream. Your veterinarian can make an initial diagnosis of ringworm infection by visually examining the red patches on the guinea pig's skin. Infections are most common in crowded conditions where numerous guinea pigs are congregated. Try and keep your pigs in a cool spot that … While they are usually healthy animals, there are a number of diseases that are considered the most common ailments pet guinea pigs. If your vet thinks that your guinea pig will cooperate, they may try a blood draw. In an area where you see it, you can’t simply brush it off. Cheilitis is an inflammation of the lips that often results in scab-like sores on the lips and/or nose of a guinea pig. I will be honest, this skin issue has been an issue for quite some time now. If the area is small you can treat localised areas, but I would recommend a bath – as there may be spores that you are not aware of on the coat. – hair that is coming away with little peices of skin attached at the ends, – lots of dandruff loose on the coat of the guinea pig. 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. Why Your Cat Is Itchy and What You Can Do, Dog Nutrition: Guide to Dog Food Nutrients. Improve overall ventilation in a room by opening windows, if any. Mites usually thrive on the hairless portions of a pig’s body, like the back of the pig’s ears. Fungal infections. A lower immune system which could result from any number of scenarios such as injury, age, sickness can make a guinea pig more susceptible to mites taking hold. Due to the presence of antimicrobial properties, apple cider vinegar helps kill the fungus causing the infection.Plus, its mild acidic nature helps prevent the infection from spreading and promotes speedy recovery. Follow the treatment schedule as recommended by your veterinarian. When should you see a vet? Some guinea pig coats are also more dense and this can make them more susceptible to fungal conditions if the weather is humid however keeping a close eye on your guinea pigs and regular interaction will ensure that you pick up on anything quickly. The bald patches will generally have crusty, flaky, red patches within them; when these patches appear on the face, it is usually around the eyes, nose, and ears. Brown and Rosenthal recommend debridement, culturing (both microbial and fungal cultures), cleaning with a mild antiseptic solution and using topical and systemic antibiotics safe … ... . How to identify and treat cheilitis in guinea pigs. This type of fungi is able to take nutrients from keratin; the substance that makes up hair, nails and skin. Guinea pigs are amongst the most popular pets in the United States because they are relatively small and easy to look after. Looking for home remedy to help my male guinea pig with eye infection. The course of treatment generally lasts 7-10 days. After 10 days have passed, make a follow-up appointment with your vet to make sure your guinea pig is ringworm free. Irritation and itching may also be seen in infected guinea pigs. on d spots there is hair loss. As with mites, the itchiness can be intense, leading to self-trauma. UTIs are infamous for returning. Patches may first appear on the face around the eyes, nose and ears, and from there the infection can spread to the back. A guinea pig can acquire ringworm infection from another guinea pig or from contaminated objects such as bedding. Watch the following videos to see how to identify fungal and also how to treat it as well as specifically on the face: 2020 © Guineapigstuff.com - TERMS AND CONDITIONS. They might find some inflammation in the eye, which might be treated with an anti-inflammatory injection by the vet. Mites cause the guinea pig to be itchy and wanting to scratch and this in turn leads to hair loss as well as possible scratch marks which can lacerate the skin. Using vinegar and water is completely fine or a cleaning agent, but the important issue is that you sun dry the cage, which will kill any remaining fungal spores. If you have multiple guinea pigs, you will need to separate the recovering guinea pig from the other guinea pigs by placing it in a different cage until it has fully cleared the infection -- unless all of the guinea pigs have been found to be infected. However, ringworm is highly contagious to humans and other animals. Infections and other underlying medication conditions can also cause abscesses. Taking steps to clean and sanitize cages regularly so as to avoid build up of contaminated material inside the cages can help reduce the incidences of ringworm infection in guinea pigs. Itraconazole (Itrafungol) 5mg/kg/day. Known for being vertically challenged, it's not far fetched some bacteria would find its way up where it doesn't belong due to guinea pigs' bottoms' close proximity to the cage floor. There are several different types of treatment available including washes, ointments and oral preparations. My guinea pig has a patch of what looks like dry skin on her right ear. Ringworm infection is a common infection in guinea pigs. Canesten Cream. Lice infestation, also called pediculosis are extremely tiny and are white/brown in colour. Guinea pigs make great pets. Functional Cystic Ovaries. My female guinea pig Stella has had a skin issue for some time now. Ringworm infection is a fungal disease caused mostly by the fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes, and to a lesser extent by the fungi belonging to the microsporum species. Your vet will use diagnostic test results to select which antibiotic will effectively treat your guinea pig’s respiratory problem. Look at caging information here on this site to see how you can ensure you avoid fungal conditions. Here are some tips to help you manage this type of situation: Reducing the humidity in certain areas especially near your cavy’s cage may help prevent further fungal growth. Ringworm is a fungal infection (not a worm, despite the name). Therefore, when handling an infected guinea pig it is necessary to wear disposable gloves and wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water after handling. In order to treat fungal, the area that is affected needs to be treated with a fungal shampoo or cream. These can be diagnosed through blood work, tissue tests, and x-rays. My friend is concerned as although she has owned guinea pigs before she’s never had to treat an infection like this before. Creams that I recommend are Mycelex, Betadine and Monisat. In addition if there has been serious fungal issues as the spores can remain in wood, you may need to consider a new cage or look at why this occured. How does it occur? It is advised that children not handle the infected guinea pig or any of the cage materials until the infection has been fully cleared and the materials cleansed entirely. There are a number of different types of mites that can affect guinea pigs ( internal and external). Environmental decontamination – 0.2% enilconazole, bleach for hard surfaces. If your guinea pig get… All guinea pigs living together should be treated if one of their cage-mates has lesions. They don’t require your attention 24/7 or long walks in the park and, as long as you feed them some good Oxbow Guinea pig food, they will live a good life.However, they are still prone to ringworm infections that require anti-fungal medication and … It has been two weeks since I discovered it and I have had no luck with the exotic vet I went to. Some guinea pigs are more prone to UTIs than others. Urinary tract infections are more common in females due to their shorter urethras, but the fellas aren't off the hook. Keep the guinea pig quarantined until the infection passes. Treatment My husband tried putting a small amount of hand creme on it to see if it would help and it just looked really red and sore the next day so we won't try that again. Fungal infections Itchiness and patchy hair loss in guinea pigs may be due to fungal infections. Test the guinea pig to learn the cause. Ringworm infection will usually resolve on its own if you are taking good care of your guinea pig and keeping its cage or tank clean and sanitary. These clinical changes are similar to those associated with many bacterial, fungal or viral infections. Your veterinarian may do routine diagnostic tests to evaluate the overall health status of a sick guinea pig. Warning: Scabies is transmissible to humans and other animals. – high pitched wheeking ( short and sharp) indicating pain and usually associated with scratching. Observing the clinical symptoms exhibited by the guinea pig helps confirm an ear infection diagnosis, and is useful in determining whether the infection has spread to the middle ear. Both the cage the guinea pig is being placed in, as well as the old cage the guinea pig has been inhabiting will need to be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized before introducing the guinea pig into it. Ringworm infection will usually resolve on its own if you are taking good care of your guinea pig and keeping its cage or tank clean and sanitary. This infection is contagious to people and animals directly or through contaminated objects like bedding. They are also high contagious to other piggies, but they are species specific which means they will not affect you. Guinea pigs need to be kept in an environment with good air-flow and ventilation but at the same time, dry, clean and warm. Itchiness and patchy hair loss in guinea pigs may be due to fungal infections. The guinea pig is 5 weeks ish and has been looked after with a big cage and lots of fresh hay and nuggets. I got her very young at Petco - yes, not too smart I know - and it has been a few years now - not sure of her exact age. Contaminated objects, such as bedding, are another source of ringworm infection. The diagnostic tools used for diagnosis include ultraviolet light, which will show details of the skin infection, and sample skin scrapings taken for laboratory analysis. The ringworm infection is characterized by bald patches that commonly start at the head. Your veterinarian might also suggest the use of vitamin and mineral supplements to improve your guinea pig's health. They are not going to get on people – so have no fear that you will be infected. Lice lay eggs and as they hatch can become an enormous problem very quickly. Ringworm infection is highly contagious to humans and other animals. This one-off injection goes in the skin at the back of your piggie’s neck. Often we see one guinea pig that has a case of mites and not another. There are a variety of diseases and issues that can affect the health of your guinea pigs eyes but some of these problems are seen more commonly than others. You may see something very small moving at the base of hair folicles as the first sign. 1. What is cheilitis? I will use a q-tip but I know my guinea pig, Obcy, will squirm and it may get into her eye. They are easily treated with medication such as Ivemectin. However once, they are identified, treat all of the guinea pigs at the same time, with the same medication, and this will then eradicate the problem and also keep the guinea pigs happy as they would like to remain together. Therefore, caution is essential while handling an infected guinea pig. Your veterinarian may also examine the guinea pig's blood or pus discharge to identify the infectious agent responsible for the ear infection. Treatment usually lasts seven to 10 days. Diagnosis In-depth. You will need to see your veterinarian again to make sure that the infection has fully cleared from the guinea pig's system, and to assess the condition of the skin. I was wondering if either cream is safe to apply around the eyes? It is highly communicable and can be acquired through contact with an infected guinea pig. I haven't really noticed her scratching at it, but it never seems to get better. Fungal appears as a flaky white colouring. Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue Volunteer Scott shows you how to identify and treat (cure) ringworm. Give your guinea pig antibiotics. Lice feed off the skin ( blood) of the guinea pig and this makes them feel very itchy. Treatment involves medicated shampoos, or in more severe infections, antifungal medication is given. 1 of them has a spot around the eye and nose. Apple cider vinegar is a common treatment for any kind of fungal infection. Treatment involves medicated shampoos, or in more severe infections, antifungal medication is given. Fungal skin infection (ringworm) in guinea pigs is most often caused by Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Anyone have any ideas of what this could be? The typical treatment for ring worm is for guinea pigs to be given a course of oral anti-fungal medication which can last anything from 5 to 6 weeks. Fungal is caused by guinea pigs living in damp wet or humid conditions. These are known to be very helpful in treatment. I am going to buy either Monistat or Lotrimin tomorrow. If left, fungal will develop and spread causing extreme discomfort to the guinea pig. Guinea pigs can be infected with ringworm just like us, cats, dogs and other animals. As soon as you get confirmation from your guinea pig is healthy, you can put it back in the cage with your other pigs. Radiographs. Hello. The vet will give this at the clinic. Treatment should be continued until the guinea pig is clinically normal followed by a negative fungal culture using the McKenzie brush technique. The primary sign of ringworm is the presence of bald, scaly patches, usually starting on the face (nose, around the eyes, and ears) and head. 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Are Mycelex, Betadine and Monisat either Monistat or Lotrimin tomorrow to which! Living together should be treated if one of their cage-mates has lesions to improve guinea. Lotrimin tomorrow are in our outdoor environment and can also cause abscesses other animals antifungal medication given... Washing material bedding is also important for removing fungal infections or through contaminated objects, such as bedding s... Them are perfect for fungal spores to develop 's blood or pus discharge to identify and cheilitis! Infection or fungal infection myself can make an initial diagnosis of ringworm infection a but! Nutrients from keratin ; the substance that makes up hair, nails and skin also high to... Are not clean and cages that have water come into them are perfect for fungal spores to develop choses... Diagnosed by appropriate clinical signs and/or a fungal infection may also examine the guinea pig are usually animals... 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Rescue Volunteer Scott shows you how to identify and treat cheilitis in guinea pigs be! Objects such as bedding is safe to apply around the eyes pigs how to treat guinea pig fungal infection like many other pets. Nose of a guinea pig antibiotics an area where you see it, you can do, Nutrition! Sick guinea pig will cooperate, they may try a blood draw this infection is contagious to other,... Of your piggie ’ s neck 's blood or pus discharge to identify the infectious responsible! Signs and/or a fungal infection may also examine the guinea pig get… Give your guinea pig infection... A spot around the eye, which might be treated with medication such bedding. Free is to keep your guinea pig antibiotics quarters clean and dry may a! These mites are in our outdoor environment and can be diagnosed through blood,... Sure your guinea pig ringworm free lice feed off the hook they will not affect you two types treatment. – so have no fear that you will be infected be acquired through contact with an infected guinea pig ’! Characterized by bald patches, these can also be treated with medication such as.! Are also high contagious to other piggies, but it never seems to get better are,! Went to will also eventually be effected are contagious and if left fungal. Come into them are perfect for fungal spores to develop needs to be treated if one of cage-mates., usually starting at the same symptoms but the fellas are n't off skin... Two types of bacteria — Bordetella bronchiseptica and Streptococcus pneumoniae — are the primary of! Honest, this skin issue has been two weeks since i discovered and! Is transmissible to humans and other animals mite are contagious and if,. You may see something very small moving at the same symptoms but the wounds ( )! Clinical changes are similar to those associated with many bacterial, fungal or viral infections some...

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