Essential oils and fungal infection

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1921kathryn

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 8:30 am


Hello everyone,

Went to the vet on Friday and she thinks it's very highly unlikely that it's a fungal condition.

She did another 3 skin scrapings and guess what.......?? That's right my piggy loving friends NOTHING! Parasitic infection did not show up under that shiny microscope

NO MORE SKIN SCRAPINGS A WASTE OF TIME AND THEY HURT PIGGIES sorry to shout

She gave me revolution but I will wait 7 days after invermectin treatment is finished

Not a good idea to cross the 2 treatments

I am dosing her with Ivermectin every 7 days (a few months ago I treated her every 10 days)

The good new is I think I'm seeing an improvement she is now mostly bald on the chest, neck and jaw area very pink skinned ready for new hair growth.

The dandruff/crusting looks alot less severe (although I did remove alot of it in the oil massage) her behavior is certainly alot more perky than a week ago

I can't quite remember but I think I was advised by the vet not to wash Wanita whilst using revolution

What do we think?

The vet also suggest Lyme sulphur dip but suggested I come into the practice 3 or 4 times so she can do it (imagine the vet bills). Understandably she thinks that sometimes the emotional attachment means that the job wont be done properly. I'm sure I'll be able to do a good job. I love Wanita but if i have to put her through a bit of stress to cure her than it'll be worth it

That's the next step if the ivermectin or revolution doesn't work

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snowflakey
E's Moriarity

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 10:12 am


I think you can do the lym dyp yourself - just don't wear anything that is really special! It's sulphur yellow! I'm glad your girl is starting to heal; something must be working.

I think you can bathe a day or two after topical applications of Revolution: it sinks into the skin. Alternately, you can bathe right before you put it on.

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Piggster

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:08 am


My Gavin had some hair loss about an inch or so in diameter near his butt that looked like that and we thought was fungal in nature. I bathed him with Nizoril and applied monistat and would get it almost cleared up, and it would come back. Dr N had recommended this based upon a phone consultation.

The third time it came back it was worse and the treatments weren't working so this time so I brought him in. Dr N did a skin scraping, most of which revealed nothing - except one tiny spot that surprisingly revealed mites. If he hadn't looked a second time he said he would have missed it. Dr N also suspected a secondary bacterial infection going on too and prescribed Tresaderm. It worked like magic - Gavins butt was healed up and regrowing hair in a week and a half. All that and after only one Ivermectin treatment too.

Definately ask about the Tresaderm (hope I'm spelling it right) because that looks exactly like what Gavin had - but not nearly as severe.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:21 am


You can order lym dip and do it yourself.

Wear rubber gloves - that stuff stinks!

I'd do a dip or a bath and then treat the next day with Revolution.

Definitely wait a week between Ivermectin and Revolution treatments.

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:29 am


How wonderful that Wanita is looking better!

Whenever someone mentions Lym Dip, it always makes me think of Sugar's picture.

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Mum
I GAVE, dammit!

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:34 am


I should clarify that the couple of times I used that stinky Lym Dip, I did *not* leave the pig to air dry - I used a blowdryer (best done outside also!).

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Sat Apr 05, 2008 11:37 am


This is good to know, Mum! :)

1921kathryn

Post   » Tue Apr 08, 2008 8:09 am


Hello everyone,

Wanita continues to be even more perky since the ivermectin (3rd dose this Thursday) and her 2nd wash with Nizoral. She's very energetic and even popcorns. I will post a pic shortly

However I've also noticed a couple of deepish scratches on her neck (after noticing this I also cut her toe nails). This is a bit worrying!

Question 1

Can anyone recommend an over the counter antiseptic cream (in Australia) as I'd hate for these scratches to become infected

Question 2

How many more dosages of ivermectin do we recommend (2 dosages so far)?

Last time (3 months ago) I gave her 3 dosages at 10 days apart, now dosages are 7 days apart and it seems to be more effective.

I would like to complete the invermectin treatment first and see how that goes before starting the revolution

I'm yet to apply the fungal cream and will order the lym sulfur dip shortly.

Question 3

The fungal cream is called Clonea and contains Clotrimazole cream 10 mg/g with benzyl alcohol as preservative. I've been told this is ok by someone with experience, however the vet is totally against it.

Can anyone confirm that the above ingredients will be safe to use? as I am hesitant to apply it without some more opinions or should I just go for the lym dip instead

Thanking you in advance K

1921kathryn

Post   » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:57 am


Image
above - Wanita approx 10 days later after olive oil rub, 2 washes with Nizoral still has slight crusting around eyes and jaw that I'm having issues with removing as I don't want to get anything is her eyes, if I don't get to it I feel she will just be reinfected :( Maybe fungal cream with a cotton bud?)

Image
above - Fresh scratch cuts (not as bad as it may appear as there is dry blood) but still a little worrying

Image
above - In her temporary cardboard box hotel (after throwing old hutch out) loves timothy hay, and pop corned quite a bit before this shot was taken

Overall she is improving but this has happened before (tho not as severe) hopefully if I treat more aggressively and for longer she will eventually be back to her gorgeous self

I've never seen her with a full body of healthy hair for about 5 months now

Sorry the pics are so big haven't quited figured out how to crop yet

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Apr 08, 2008 11:09 am


Thanks for the update. I fixed your pics up (made them smaller and added them also).

It's possible a body bandage would help prevent her from biting. www.guinealynx.info/.html

Good luck.

1921kathryn

Post   » Tue Apr 08, 2008 9:37 pm


Thank you Lynx

1921kathryn

Post   » Mon May 05, 2008 9:37 am


Hello everyone it's been 4 weeks since I've posted

I've been treating Wanita very aggressively now for severe fungal condition for approx 3 weeks. It has been an utter nightmare, and I am currently lying on the couch run down with a bad flu, I am forced to have a rest from treating her at the moment, I just can't physically do it. The past month has really taken an emotional toll, I have tried my best!

I've been treating her with fungal cream, neem oil, olive oil, coconut oil, nizoral shampoo once a week and giving her daktarin oral gel for internal fungal, vit c boost, washed and changed bedding daily

Her hair is growing back nicely but there is noticeable dandruff especially around her facial area, I just pray to god that this is what is called "scrufing" as the skin heals itself otherwise I feel that nothing I have done has been effective.

Her weight is steady 500g and she eats well but I feel she's rather small for a guinea pig of 9 months

She seemed to be improving a week or so ago more relaxed and longer in the body, but tonight looking at her she seems extremely hunched up almost like she's sitting on her back legs when she's eating

I just don't know what to do anymore guys, my heart has been broken and just thinking about her now brings me to tears

Kath x

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