Hair Loss/Mites/Fungal Issue?

PandorasPiggies

Post   » Wed Jul 18, 2018 11:27 pm


Yay! Hopefully he improves!!!

wheekwheekgang

Post   » Thu Jul 19, 2018 10:13 am


He absolutely hates getting his meds but he's decided he kind of likes the probiotic. He is eating much more normally now and showing interest in his pellets and veg again. His head is still tilted, but definitely does not look as severe.

He was cruising around all over my apartment during floor time last night. Such a happy boy. Does anyone know if his head does go back to no tilt, if there is a learning process again? He couldn't been like this for over a year now if that's how long the issue has been present. I know it might not go back to normal, but if the infection subsides, could he eventually learn to have his head normal?

PandorasPiggies

Post   » Thu Jul 19, 2018 2:16 pm


It's not a matter of him learning it.. it is their perspective.. they tilt the head to make their equilibrium balanced. Depending on the severity of infection will depend on if he has permanent damage and will always have a head tilt

Molly77

Post   » Sat Sep 08, 2018 8:28 am


Hi, I'm new here, but not new to guinea pigs. My daughter caught one in Central Park 7 years ago that had been dumped there and we kept him for 4 years until he died. He was disabled by something that thousands of dollars spent at the Center for Avian and Exotics in NYC couldn't ever figure out. He had seizures and was periodically unable to stand or walk, but he never gave up or lost his feistiness, so we kept him going with Oxbow emergency food during his episodes for a very long time.

Last year my daughter adopted a baby boar while at college. He is sweet and mellow but not with other males. He has now come to live with me, and I had him neutered 2.5 weeks ago (btw it was super easy and he seemed to not be in any distress or pain and he healed perfectly--the Center for Avian and Exotics does a LOT of neutering surgery and they are very pro neutering so have a low cost day once monthly).

So, I started talking with rescues about pairing him with a female when he has passed 4 weeks post op, but I was at Petco buying hay and saw a lonely baby female in an aquarium there so I bought her. (Flame away!)

Here's my question: she is in a cage in my BR not adjacent to his but not far away (my apt is small) and she is absolutely wild to get to him. She chews the bars, screams for his attention, she's super wound up. I've had her for 4 weeks now, and she is scratching a lot and losing some hair in a v-shape on the sides of her back. I'm finding clumps in the cage like she's pulling it out. I can see she's very stressed but don't know how to help, short of putting her with him (I'm NOT having babies!).

I took her to the A&EC and the vet put her on ivermectin about 5 days ago but it's not getting better. My guess is that it could be stress of being near a boar but not with him, or maybe food allergy? She's getting lettuces and greens that I feed him now and I'm sure she got no veg at Petco. I carefully follow recommendations I've found on these forums and don't ever feed high sugar fruits or seeds and that kind of stuff. Can she be allergic to fleece? She was on Carefresh at the Petco.

She's eating Oxbow adult pellets right now because I couldn't find any young pig pellets locally, the vet told me I absolutely have to feed her young cavy food so I've ordered some online and they will be here today. Is there a way to help her distress? Could too little calcium be causing the hair issue? She isn't scabby or raw, the skin looks fine and she got a full checkup at the vet and was pronounced healthy. At first I thought the spots were just where the whorls are (she's Abyssinian) but they are forming into lines of hair loss.

If you were me in this situation what would you try? Any thoughts are welcome.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:20 am


wheekwheekgang, thank you soooo much for rescuing this little (?) guy. That is so unbelievable kind of you!

After so long, the head-tilt may be permanent. Only time will tell.

Molly77, I can't blame (or flame) you since 5 of mine came from pet stores. It is so hard to resist when we know the babies probably won't have a very good, or long, life if we don't. And they are just so darn cute! That may be the point, though. Be prepared for problems down the road, too. I've decided that I just plain can not look at guinea pigs in a store.

Diet: They can have fruits JUST NOT OFTEN. Second, they can have adult pellets, but you have to add some parsley or cilantro to their diet if that's the case. Regardless of what others say, carrots are NOT high in sugar and are just fine to feed daily.

Absolutely NO nuts or seeds (as you probably know),

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sat Sep 08, 2018 10:48 am


Also, something you may already know, weigh weekly. Daily if sick.

wheekwheekgang

Post   » Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:26 am


Sadly Zeus passed away about a month ago. He got a bad infection post op and just couldn't survive. I force fed him like 15 times a day as much as I could and he just would not gain or keep a steady weight. Poor baby got buried with my old dog. My boyfriend and I were devastated but I gave him an amazing month of life. Thanks everyone for your replies. Much love.

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GrannyJu1
Supporter in '21

Post   » Sat Sep 08, 2018 11:29 am


Oh geez! I am so sorry, but like you said, you gave him an wonderful final month.

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Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Sat Sep 08, 2018 1:05 pm


I am so sorry you lost him. It sounds like he was much loved.

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