Wow. That's bad.
I'd consider that to be possibly life-threatening. I'm glad you're willing to go all out to get this cleared up.
Personally, if you have a savvy vet, I'd go ahead and get him/her involved in the case as it looks serious.
I prefer Malaseb shampoo over Nizoral for severe cases--it has more active ingredients.
That said, I would definitely second the advice on getting Revolution from Petshed. You want the kitten dose.
Have you seen any seizure activity yet, from the itching and pain?
Essential oils and fungal infection
-
snowflakey
- E's Moriarity
Oh, poor love! She must feel bad. Good luck the treatment; sometimes it takes a while for skin issues to get resolved, and sometimes there are a few things going on at the same time. I think the Lym Dyp is a good idea too.
Thanks again everyone I'm on Wanita's case.
She is good spirits runs up and sits on my feet when I open the fridge door, she likes to growl sometimes at the birds & possum noises (she lives inside). You show them Wanita!
Also growls sometimes when I pat her and play music she doesn't like
Such an attitude for a little piggy but underneath she is a sweetie, I'm looking forward to seeing her popcorn again
K:)
She is good spirits runs up and sits on my feet when I open the fridge door, she likes to growl sometimes at the birds & possum noises (she lives inside). You show them Wanita!
Also growls sometimes when I pat her and play music she doesn't like
Such an attitude for a little piggy but underneath she is a sweetie, I'm looking forward to seeing her popcorn again
K:)
Thanks for your concern, she's appears to be in no obvious pain, doesn't itch or scratch or cry out in any way, eats and drinks like a horse! Has a set of lungs like Pavarotti!
Lynx - I think you asked me if you could add the 2 pics of Wanita to the board this is fine with me
-
Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Thanks for the pics. I cropped them and switched them out with the ones you posted.
Please do keep us updated on progress and add what you feel worked best. I forget, is this pig getting any pain medication? It may help while healing (a pig in pain often does not eat enough).
gl/pain.html
Please do keep us updated on progress and add what you feel worked best. I forget, is this pig getting any pain medication? It may help while healing (a pig in pain often does not eat enough).
gl/pain.html
Her appetite is amazing, how can such a little pig eat so much!
Will keep you posted
Will keep you posted
What a day!
Lucky I'm on holidays!
I disinfected my dining room kitchen and sunroom floors with hospital grade bleach this was necessary because Wanita is a free range pig and she roams these 3 rooms frequently
I threw out her old hutch as this was given to me by a friend/guinea pig owner (who's had a few guineas) it may have been contaminated it contained wood. [/b]Fungal spores are very difficult to remove from wood
Disinfected and washed her bedding
To soften skin, loosen crusting and prepare her skin for the next step, I gave her a full body OLIVE OIL body massage for an hour, she was a good girl and I think it brought relief (It didn't cost her a thing). I had to massage it very well around her face and eye area this was most difficult (but the little cutie even closed her eyes to make it easier for me) Alot of hair came out in this process it was very messy.
She is very pink skinned and looks more like a drowned rat now. All the above was necessary to prepare her for shampooing and removal of hair that I will have to pluck out and then fungal cream. I am dreading this!
I will do this tomorrow and give you more detail
Reshvin - I did buy a fungal cream - Clonea anitfungal skin cream Clotimazole cream 10mg/g with benzyl alcohol as a preservative. I've been told by someone with alot of experience this will be ok, hopefully it will do
I've was so upset this morning but I won't go into details. I am sitting down with a glass of wine, the last 4 days have been all about her. In a funny way I think we've bonded, who would have thought?
Lucky I'm on holidays!
I disinfected my dining room kitchen and sunroom floors with hospital grade bleach this was necessary because Wanita is a free range pig and she roams these 3 rooms frequently
I threw out her old hutch as this was given to me by a friend/guinea pig owner (who's had a few guineas) it may have been contaminated it contained wood. [/b]Fungal spores are very difficult to remove from wood
Disinfected and washed her bedding
To soften skin, loosen crusting and prepare her skin for the next step, I gave her a full body OLIVE OIL body massage for an hour, she was a good girl and I think it brought relief (It didn't cost her a thing). I had to massage it very well around her face and eye area this was most difficult (but the little cutie even closed her eyes to make it easier for me) Alot of hair came out in this process it was very messy.
She is very pink skinned and looks more like a drowned rat now. All the above was necessary to prepare her for shampooing and removal of hair that I will have to pluck out and then fungal cream. I am dreading this!
I will do this tomorrow and give you more detail
Reshvin - I did buy a fungal cream - Clonea anitfungal skin cream Clotimazole cream 10mg/g with benzyl alcohol as a preservative. I've been told by someone with alot of experience this will be ok, hopefully it will do
I've was so upset this morning but I won't go into details. I am sitting down with a glass of wine, the last 4 days have been all about her. In a funny way I think we've bonded, who would have thought?
Where abouts in Australia are you located? I am from Western Australia. That looks nasty. I have Maleseb, it is easily available. I purchased it from the local vet down the road. If you do take Klynnes advice and swap to Maleseb, but cant find it let me know and I can send some to you?
Pigs for life - thanks for your suggestion and kind offer, I live in Melbourne.
I have seen Maleseb (I think it was in a blue bottle) in the local pet shop but hesitated to buy as it said something like strictly for dogs and cats not to be used on rabbits.
I thought maybe there was another (weaker) Maleseb shampoo available in the US that people on this thread have been talking about.
I didn't purchase just to be on the safe side, does your Maleseb shampoo say anything regarding usage on small animals? I know sometimes this can be disregarded
I have an excellent proven regime planned for her, but if you reckon the Maleseb shampoo in Australia is ok then maybe I can go get some
What does anyone think?
Nizoral or Maleseb is it much of a muchness??
I have seen Maleseb (I think it was in a blue bottle) in the local pet shop but hesitated to buy as it said something like strictly for dogs and cats not to be used on rabbits.
I thought maybe there was another (weaker) Maleseb shampoo available in the US that people on this thread have been talking about.
I didn't purchase just to be on the safe side, does your Maleseb shampoo say anything regarding usage on small animals? I know sometimes this can be disregarded
I have an excellent proven regime planned for her, but if you reckon the Maleseb shampoo in Australia is ok then maybe I can go get some
What does anyone think?
Nizoral or Maleseb is it much of a muchness??
-
Mum
- I GAVE, dammit!
Why do you have to pluck out her hair? I can't see that this would be necessary - and it would certainly be painful.All the above was necessary to prepare her for shampooing and removal of hair that I will have to pluck out
I use Malaseb shampoo here and find it very effective. You have to be sure to leave it on the full 10 mins (wrap the pig in a towel) for it to work properly. But mine doesn't come in a blue bottle: my ingredients read 'miconazole nitrate 2% chlorhexadine gluconate 2%. If your is stronger you could dilute it down to it's as ours perhaps.
Clortrimazole can also be effective.
-
Webs
- Cavies 'n Cobwebs
I believe when it's a serious fungal infection, the hair that's been affected by the fungus has to come out as it's damaged anyway and could also reinfect the pig. The idea is to get rid of all possible points of contact that may be harbouring the spores.
The oil kills the fungus, stops it from spreading and keeps the skin from drying out further. Using vegetable based oil is kinder to the skin than essential oils but does the same job and far less harm if licked at. It softens the skin and loosens any dry crusting and the hair comes out easier when the oil has been applied. A really bad case will be treated with pain meds too.
Once the skin is prepared and cleaned, then the fungal creams can be applied, be it clotimazole or miconazole based.
I'll update to correct this if it's not 100%!
The oil kills the fungus, stops it from spreading and keeps the skin from drying out further. Using vegetable based oil is kinder to the skin than essential oils but does the same job and far less harm if licked at. It softens the skin and loosens any dry crusting and the hair comes out easier when the oil has been applied. A really bad case will be treated with pain meds too.
Once the skin is prepared and cleaned, then the fungal creams can be applied, be it clotimazole or miconazole based.
I'll update to correct this if it's not 100%!
-
Webs
- Cavies 'n Cobwebs
To clarify from Thistle Cavies, the fungal infection actually goes right into the hairfollicle and that is where it 'grows' from. The reason it can sometimes take so long to clear is that some people do not pluck and the fungus sits safe in the follicle reinfecting the skin.
The Olive oil is also rich in Vitamin E, not only soothing the skin but also 'clogs' the fungus and stops the spores becoming airbourne. Pain relief is always given before plucking - at least 30 mins before - to give it time to work. A basin with a little cool water in it works wonders at keeping the skin cool too, you just splash it over every now and then.
The Olive oil is also rich in Vitamin E, not only soothing the skin but also 'clogs' the fungus and stops the spores becoming airbourne. Pain relief is always given before plucking - at least 30 mins before - to give it time to work. A basin with a little cool water in it works wonders at keeping the skin cool too, you just splash it over every now and then.
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I forgot I had posted here! I use Maleseb by Dermcare. Hopefully some of the following information I have copied off the bottle will help you:
Active Constituents:
20 g/L Chlorhexidine gluconate
20 g/L Miconazole nitrate
Topical Keratolytic, antibacterial, antifungal and antipuritic shampoo for dogs and cats
Then it goes on to talk about what it treats inlcuding ringworm. And directions on the back including this paragraph:
Dermcare Malaseb Medicated Shampoo is formulated to remove scale, degrease the skin and kill cutaneous micro-organisms which primarily or secondarily cause dermatitis.
So whilst it does say it is for dogs and cats it says nothing about it being harmful to rabbits or any other animal.
I have used it before with Toffee and used a very small amount and followed the instructions on the back of the bottle. It appears now, that Toffee needs one of the GG products which will hopefully help with the thinning of hair on the back of her neck!
Active Constituents:
20 g/L Chlorhexidine gluconate
20 g/L Miconazole nitrate
Topical Keratolytic, antibacterial, antifungal and antipuritic shampoo for dogs and cats
Then it goes on to talk about what it treats inlcuding ringworm. And directions on the back including this paragraph:
Dermcare Malaseb Medicated Shampoo is formulated to remove scale, degrease the skin and kill cutaneous micro-organisms which primarily or secondarily cause dermatitis.
So whilst it does say it is for dogs and cats it says nothing about it being harmful to rabbits or any other animal.
I have used it before with Toffee and used a very small amount and followed the instructions on the back of the bottle. It appears now, that Toffee needs one of the GG products which will hopefully help with the thinning of hair on the back of her neck!
That's the right stuff. It's rare you'll find any product with packaging specifically saying it's ok for guinea pigs. Almost every treatment we use is "off label" for cavies because the pharma companies don't have any incentive to get the medications approved for such a tiny resale market. We have to rely on good judgment, ingredient research, and anecdotal experience to decide what to use and what not to use.