Possible ringworm? Please help!

Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:14 pm


I am a new Guinea pig owner and new to this thread. I just got him 3-4 weeks ago. He has scratches and hair missing under both eyes, and it looks maybe like ringworm (based on google pics). I took him to the vet two days ago and she just gave us 2 antibiotics, an anti-inflammatory oral medicine and some eye drops. He won't stop scratching the marks though and it was bleeding earlier. What should I do? I can't afford to keep going to the vet it's $56 a visit plus the medicine. I'm really worried about him though and I don't know if I should take him back and request ringworm medicine?
Please help! All advice welcome!

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:22 pm


It's not likely to be ringworm around his eyes. It could be a fungus, of which ringworm is just one, but ringworm has a classic "ring" appearance.

Which antibiotics were you given? What is the strength of each, and the dosage of each? And what are the eye drops?

Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:32 pm


The eye drops are ofloxacin ophthalmic solution USP, 3%. We were told to give them 2 times a day for 7 days.
The oral one is Metacam, 1.5mg/ml and we were told to give 0.15cc every 24 hrs for 5 days. We've been treating him for 2 days now.
Also I will try to add pics of his eyes, I'm new to this! Lol

Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 2:43 pm


I can't seem to figure out how to insert pictures from my phone, but just to add more of a description of what's around his eyes;
the fur is gone I'm assuming from him scratching, there s blood spots since he won't stop itching it, and they're almost scale-y, it's like a dried skin patch. He also has some dried skin inside of one of his ears

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:04 pm


What are the two antibiotics? The ofloxacin will treat a bacterial infection of the eye, but not a fungal infection around the eye. The Metacam is the anti-inflammatory med.

To post a picture, you have to host it somewhere and then link to it. Here's some more info: https://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewt ... =10&t=2475

Was this an exotic vet?

Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:24 pm



Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:28 pm


I was under the impression those two medicines were antibiotics. It was a vet that treats all animals, including exotic pets.
Thanks for the help with the picture. That was taken 2 days ago and it looks basically the same now and is like that on both eyes

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 3:44 pm


The image didn't show up.

Most small animal vets have no experience treating exotic pets. There are plenty of exotic vets in New Jersey. If you go the clinic website and look at the staff biographies, you can find whether any of them have any qualifications for treating exotics.

But if nothing has improved in two days, and it has spread to the other eye, I would assume that it's NOT a bacterial infection and that the eye ointment you were given isn't doing anything to help.

Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 6:15 pm


If you hold down where it says image it'll come up to open it or on a computer right click!
It didn't really spread though, it was just on both sides.
I will definitely look into other vets! We kinda just went to that one because it was late Saturday and they were the only place open, yaknow? I don't want to continue to go anywhere that isn't going to give him the best care with the most knowledge though either.
Is there anything else you would suggest doing?

bpatters
And got the T-shirt

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 7:05 pm


I'd treat it like a fungus. You really need some ophthalmic antifungal ointment, which you can probably only get from a vet. You really don't want to use an antifungal intended for the skin anywhere close to a pig's eye, since they wipe their eyes with their paws when grooming themselves.

Tracis
Let Sleeping Pigs Lie

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 8:58 pm


Here are your photos:

Image

Image

Click for large size

Christina4l

Post   » Mon Nov 27, 2017 9:14 pm


Thank you for your advice! I will be calling the vet tomorrow to try to get that or seeing if we have to go in again. Also thank you for attaching the pictures.
He scratched himself up pretty bad just earlier and was bleeding. I feel so awful for him ): I don't know how to make him stop. It's making it so much worse /:

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