Dara Hairlosss or Rash?

Athena · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:24 am

Having a baby has turned out to be horrible for my pigs. Last I held Dara was about a week ago. I can't believe how fast this must have happened. What is it? When my son first saw it he thought bacterial. Mites? I don't think fungus because there's no flakes. I have the mite medicine here (can't think of the name because my baby is in the other room screaming while I try to post this). I also have Baytril. Can I put cortisone on it to sooth her or is that bad because she will then eat it?

Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:36 am

Get some desitin on it. You probably have some around. May be incontinence.

Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:38 am

It looks very sore. If it is incontinence, that may be caused by a uti or stones. Mites and fungs are your other guesses.

Okay with you if I add the pics to the post?

Athena · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:42 am

Aren't they in my post? I'm confused! They showed up for me. If they aren't showing up then yes, add them.

Athena · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:47 am

I have Balmex, no Desitin. The Balmex says "if swallowed contact a poison hotline right away." I guess I won't use that.

Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:52 am

Oh, I meant copy them to the forum so if you move the pics, they'll still display. People have found Desitin works great on urine scald. Becky posted about it.

[note, I copied them to the forum -- let me know if that's okay -- Lynx]

Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 8:37 am

Ouch! Sure looks like urine scald. I've used Toys R Us brand diaper creme and it works well (I didn't read the label but I would imagine that it would have a warning on it as well as the Balmex). I put on only a tiny amount. If little Gracie is taking time away from your pigs, I'll bet swannie would step into the breach for you and "foster" her while Dara heals up. j/k of course!

Becky · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:38 pm

Desinex says the same thing about swallowing. It's zinc oxide. Check your diaper creme. I'ts probably the same thing.

I have to say, though, it doesn't look at all like Cookie's urine scald. Hers never turned red like that and the skin actually sloughed off. It looks more like a fungus (yeast?) to me.

Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 1:55 pm

Could scald also lead to a yeast infection? Curious if they might go together. If diaper creme doesn't help, anti-fungal might.

leebee · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:43 pm

It looks like urine scald to me. I always use miconazole cream. It works great on the scald, very soothing and moisturizing.

Becky · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:44 pm

I would think the miconazole cream would cover both possibilities, then.

(added...)

The diaper rash cream would help to dry it out more. If it doesn't appear to be too wet, I'd try the miconzole first.

Becky · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:48 pm

Here's a link to Cookie's urine scald. Too graphic to post, IMO.

http://imageevent.com/beckyandbill/pigheaven?p=32&n=25&m=24&c=4&l=0&w=4&s=0&z=2

leebee · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 2:59 pm

Ouch. Poor girl.

Most of the urine scald I've seen has looked more like Dara's than Cookie's. Red and irritated. The hair comes off in clumps, but I've never seen skin sloughing as bad as Cookie's before.

Becky · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 3:13 pm

And Cookie's is the only urine scald I've seen. You're right. It makes sense that it'd be red, just like diaper rash.

Dr. N. said he'd never seen a urine scald quite as severe as Cookies, so it's probably not the best basis for comparison.

Athena · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:17 pm

Snowflakey, anything that opens up the skin provides an avenue for yeast to climb in and settle so I'd think that yes, one could lead to the other.

The hair did come off in clumps. I pulled off what was left in the middle. I've had fungal pigs (both skinny and haired) and it doesn't look so much like fungus to me, and the affected area seems less likely that is fungal, but of course it could be.

Last night I put miconozole on it and gave her some Program and also Ivermectin. This morning I put Balmex on it. The Balmex really made it look better, and fast. It now has none of the redness. It's just bald and white. I looked at the ingredients and the Balmex and Desitin have the same active ingredient, just a slight percentage difference.

I'll take a picture of it later. It has more Balmex on it right now. Yes Lynx, it's fine to add it to the forum.

If it is urine scald then why did this happen? Does it mean there's something else wrong?

Evangeline · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 9:39 pm

I've had urine scald, although not nearly this bad, in two pigs. One had a UTI, another has reproductive organ problems and ended up having pyometra.

swannie · Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:02 pm

Athena, ick! That looks awful. I'm glad the Balmex is working a bit, at least.

snowflakey is right, we would babysit Gracie if you think you need more pig time. Can she fly unaccompanied yet? ;)

Post » Tue Mar 29, 2005 10:13 pm

Like I said in my second post, maybe a uti or stones. They are the most likely to cause incontinence though I'm sure there are a few other causes.

Glad to hear the Desitin type stuff is really helping. It was my understanding it works great (from what people have said here -- like Becky).

Athena · Post » Wed Mar 30, 2005 4:44 am

I started her on Baytril in case it's a UTI. She loves the Baytril, yum yum. I'm hoping it's not due to anything worse than that but if she isn't continuing to improve we'll take her in. She's the pig who recently had x-rays and bloodwork, which showed nothing out of the ordinary. I'm hoping not to have to put her through that again.

Just so Dara wouldn't feel left out Gracie got a diaper rash today and now they are both getting Balmexed.

Dara's is looking much better since last night:

glade · Post » Wed Mar 30, 2005 5:05 am

That looks a lot better this morning!