Help needed...piggie with bloody scabs

GP Lover · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:52 pm

Okay, to make a very long, sordid tale a little shorter -

I have a boar here named Jasper that was left behind in a house with a bird and 3 cats where there was no heat. My dumb acquaintance/friend took off for Asia leaving someone behind to take care of them that booked on day 1 due to no heat. I called animal control and they did nothing...didn't even call me back. A mutual friend was stopping by every 2 days to feed these animals. She called me today to come get the guinea pig.

He has about 6 bloody scabs on his body and has a rough coat of hair. He has thin patches of hair around his body and his skin is very pink. He isn't crying or acting like he's in pain. He's not even scratching himself and he does eat. I have a vet appt. for him tomorrow morning but I'd like to know what this could be. Can I put antibiotic cream on him for overnight?

I feel sorry for him but I cannot keep him. I hate to bring him back to that house and I want to do what I can for him.

salana · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 8:55 pm

No cream, but try flushing/washing the wounds with a diluted chlorhexidine or betadine solution. Ivermectin wouldn't be a bad idea either.

GP Lover · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:00 pm

Thanks Salana. I can wash the wounds with Betadine. Is Ivermectin available as a cream that I can take home?

What do you think it is? Could it be scurvy?

salana · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:02 pm

You can dose either orally or topically, or the vet could give injections. No cream.

Is he walking funny at all? I'd be more likely to think it was mites than scurvy, although you could probably give him some vitamin C.

HollyT · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:03 pm

It's a paste you have to dilute and give orally. Or you can do topical dosing. A feed store would have ivermectin. Is he hopping? Rough coat may point to lack of C. If you have some, I'd dose him 50mg.

GP Lover · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:06 pm

Well, I hope they dose orally. I don't want to keep him here. There is someone going to the house every 2 days. I told him I'd return Jasper on Friday.

He doesn't seem to hop. I gave him the Oxbow 50mg Vitamin C and he took it willingly.

Mum · Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 9:10 pm

The sores sound like mites, but he could easily be deficient in C as well. I would treat for mites with topical ivermectin and be sure he gets extra C every day.

Poor little thing.

Post » Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:41 pm

I wouldn't use a cream on the wounds either but instead clean with a diluted antiseptic solution. The ivermectin sounds like a good idea. You know where to find the info on the site if you need it.

GP Lover · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 9:54 am

The owner just emailed me and told me he will not authorize the vet visit. I am taking him anyway and now I do not want to return him to the house.

Anybody in NJ that can take him? He's very sweet.

GP Lover · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 11:42 am

Back from the vet. Dr. Sedlacek confirmed mites. He gave an Ivermectin shot and loaded up two needles for me to give him every two weeks over the next 4 weeks.

The owner gave me permission to find him a new home. YAY!

swannie · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:05 pm

Ugh. It should be every 7-10 days, not two weeks. First the Tang recommendation, now this?? He gave you the needles with doses to inject, or apply topically? Because you can apply the injectible topically, but I'm not sure if the dose is the same.

GP Lover · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:30 pm

It's every two weeks. Perhaps it's based on the dosage? He gave me needles to inject. I had to let him know the situation and that I MAY have been returning him to the house. I did not want to have to bring him back.

As it turned out I am free to keep him and find him a new home. Also, because I got the needles to do it myself he gave me a 50% discount.

You want him???? O:)

Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:39 pm

I think the interval between dosing isn't based on the dose but on the life cycle of the mite. If you wait too long, a new cycle gets started. The first dose gets adults, the second gets newly-hatched mites, hopefully the third polishes off everything that was alive/has hatched. If you don't catch them in time, the new hatchlings can reproduce.

Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:44 pm

2 weeks would probably work. I like 7 to 10 days better. I use a needled syringe to put droplets behind Snowflake's ears.

You need to get yerself some ivermectin, GP Lover. It would make this a snap -- you'd save money in the long run and it would be very convenient.

I'm glad to hear he'll be getting a new home.

GP Lover · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 12:52 pm

"You need to get yerself some ivermectin, GP Lover."

I have no feed stores around me. Can I order some online???

"I'm glad to hear he'll be getting a new home."

I hope so! I'm trying!!!

Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:05 pm

Yes, you can get it online from vallyvet. It's cheap and has a long shelf life (room temp in the dark).

Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 1:09 pm

Get some syringes with needles while you are online, since you need them to draw the ivermectin out of the sealed bottle. I got some with snap on/off needles, very convenient to clean and store. They have plastic covers for the needle itself. I draw up some ivermectin, then carefully dispense it into 1.0 cc syringes to then dose the pigs (without needle).

GP Lover · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 6:45 pm

OOPS! I made a mistake. I am to give him the injection 7 days apart!!! Sorry about that. I was so upset about this situation I forgot.

A huge filling fell out of my tooth while I was in the vets waiting room. I'm having a bad day.

thanks for the info on the Ivermectin. I wish I had had time but I needed him treated right away. I will purchase some to have on hand for the future.

Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 7:51 pm

It's only a small savings -- it was probably a good idea to have him looked at anyway.

Mum · Post » Wed Nov 23, 2005 10:32 pm

So glad you could save this little guy. Sorry I don't live closer to help you find him a home!