Rescue guineapig now ill

pug_in_a_bed

Phhhhfff, that's a fed up noise. Adopted a new guinea pig a week ago from a local rescue, one I've not used before. Roger is a very furry hairy agouti with quite long hair. I gave him a thorough look over when I collected him, and he had been neutered and seen by their vet.

Anyway, have let him settle in before starting to handle him. Now find he has a large lump on his back which obviously wasn't there when i got him. He also has some kind of skin condition on his lower back. I was brushing him to start some good old bonding and his hair started coming out in small clumps. Closer exam. showed scurfy, dry skin with broken hair shafts. Its probably fungal - I've seen it before, but he must have had this for a while. The bottom layer of hair is away, underneath his top long layer which explains why it wasn't visible to me on adoption.

I feel like a prize eejit. I've never used this rescue before, used another local one for years but they had no suitable pigs for our girl Bella.

I've had pigs with fungal stuff before and it was a complete nightmare to get rid of, over months.

He seems fine in himself, not itching more than usual and eating like a horse! I'm more concerned about the lump, praying its just a cyst.

More of a rant really; god love them the rescue was in a state with a leaking roof but all the animals appeared well kept and cared for. I'm sure it was just an oversight, but just after Christmas I'm looking at a large pig bill, esp. if he has to have the lump removed.

I'm not going to take him back or anything, but wondering if I should contact the rescue to see if they know anything or he has already had any treatment.

krlyr

If the lump has appeared suddenly and quickly, could it be an abcess? Bringing it to a head with a poultice of some kind may help, and manuka honey should help with the healing.
For fungal infections, I've heard good things about the Gorgeous Guinea range of products
http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/fungal.html covers the names of products they recommend.

pug_in_a_bed

I've had pigs with fungal stuff before and it was a complete nightmare to get rid of, over months. I've had no problem with anything like this since Jan this year so I don't think he's picked it up from Bella who has been fine since then.

Started him on baytril on xmas day, just in case, also been using Gorgeous guineas kwench lotion, which I agree do brilliant products, and have bathed him in insecticide shampoo.

He's booked in tomorrow to see the vet - I'm never out of there lately! He has been quite amorous with Bella since they met, and I wonder if she has given him a small nip which might explain the lump, fingers crossed its just an abscess or a small cyst they can drain.

krlyr

I had to deal with ringworm in a couple of my chinchillas so I know it can be a nightmare! I moved them to a smaller cage (in a low-traffic area of the house) with only 'toys' could dispose of daily (mostly cardboard roll tubes, boxes, etc.) and lined it with newspaper which was binned (and burned) daily too. Virkon sprayed on the surrounding areas and cage (when the chinchillas weren't inside) and clothes changed after handling to prevent the spores spreading. Had to use some anti-fungal stuff from the vet (Malaseb, I think?) as the milder stuff wasn't working, but got rid of it eventually! Hope it's not too much of a pain for you to treat

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

I would contact the rescue, as if nothing else, they can then see if there is a problem with any of their other pigs or the housing, which not only saves the pigs discomfort but saves irate calls from other, less tolerant adopters.

calicocat

I have had fungal infections before with rescue piggys , can't remember now what it was but they had an injection from vets that cleared it up pretty quickly.

Did they say why they were re-homing him in particular ? It could be that he didn't get on with another pig in the pen and hopefully the lump could just be an abscess from a nip from another pig literally before you picked him up and nothing serious.

Hope all goes well at the vets.



Edit.......just had time to read posts other than OP and have kind of repeated things already said. Still....hope vets trip successful.