My guinea pig has a bald patch behind his ear. Is it ringworm? What to do?

Hi there! As ringworm is a fungus, they can contract it from other guinea pigs, from humans, or from contaminated objects, such as bedding. Symptoms of ringworm in guinea pigs are usually bald spots around the ears, neck, and face that can spread along the rest of the body. They can also have crusty, flaky lesions in the middle. If you suspect that your guinea pig has ringworm, I strongly suggest taking preventative measures when handling him or her - good handwashing is essential as ringworm can be transmitted to humans. A visit to the vet is also in order - they will likely take a small sample of your GP's hair to culture for the fungus. They may also use a type of black light called a Woods lamp to examine his or her skin as the ringworm fungus usually fluoresces. If your GP does have ringworm, the vet will likely prescribe a topical or oral antifungal, or a combination of the two. There are other skin conditions that can cause bald spots as well, such as mites, that the vet can also check for. Good luck, and I hope that your piggy gets well soon!

I would recommend bringing him in for a skin scraping to identify if this is a mite or ringworm. If you personally develop circular lesions then it is more likely that it is ringworm, and not a mite. Selamectin is a great treatment for common mites and parasites.

Mites can cause this sort of appearance in guinea pigs. The best medication to use to combat mites in rodents is Revolution, a drug marketed for kittens. It requires veterinary prescription to obtain, so you will need to take Reese to see the doctor before obtaining any. Hope this makes sense.

Fungal infections can take weeks to months to resolve. Ideally, Obey should be physically examined by your veterinarian for a definitive diagnosis. An e-collar (cone) should be placed on him to prevent scratching.

A small amount of dryness on the ears of guinea pigs can be normal. If Lily is not scratching at her ears and there are no other lesions present on her skin, then I would recommend you just monitor the condition for now. If however she seems itchy, lethargic, or her coat and/or skin is abnormal in other spots, I would recommend taking her in to your vet to be examined. It is true that guinea pigs frequently get ringworm infections but they can also get bacterial infections and mite infestations as well. A thorough exam by your vet will be able to determine which is causing the problem. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Most likely this crusty, dry appearance to the ear is due to ringworm. I suggest you get Sebastian to your vet for an exam so they can confirm and make sure you have the correct medication for treatment. Here is a link to an article about this: ( https://www.petmd.com/exotic/conditions/skin/c_ex_gp_ringworm_infection ) While you are waiting to get him to a vet you can start using a topical antifungal cream like this one: ( https://www.1800petmeds.com/Clotrimazole+Cream-prod10589.html ) Ringworm is contagious to people so please be sure that anyone who handles him washes their hands very well.

Hello, Thanks for sending good pictures! I have a couple of suspicions about what is going on with Reeses' skin. Ringworm, which is a type of skin fungus, is very common in guinea pigs. Testing for this involves taking a hair sample from the area for something called a DTM culture test. This infection can spread very quickly over the entire pig's body and also spread to people. Mites are a type of skin parasite that can also affect guinea pigs and cause hair loss. They cause severe itchiness that can sometimes lead to seizures. This is generally tested for with looking at a scrape of the skin under the microscope. Both of these ailments generally require a course of topical and/or oral medications, along with regular cleaning of his environment during the treatment period to prevent re-infection. I would recommend taking Reeses into a veterinarian that's familiar with guinea pigs and having the area examined to determine the best course of diagnostics and treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I hope this is helpful!