Why does my guinea pig have a dry patch of short hair on its rump?

Thank you for your question, and thank you for the photos - they are very helpful. The area in the photo is a normal structure, and it is a nipple on your guinea pig's belly. There should be one on the other side if you part the hair. These will be present on both sexes of guinea pigs (males and females), and there should be two of them. In the photo that you provided, the nipple and surrounding area do not look inflammed or irritated, and the skin appears very comfortable. I saw that you mentioned that your guinea pig had been itching - mites and lice are very common in guinea pigs, and these could be potential sources of the itchiness that you are seeing. If the itching continues, I would recommend seeking out a veterinarian to evaluate for parasites. If they find them, s/he can prescribe an anti-parasitic medication to treat your guinea pigs. Please do not give your guinea pigs any human medications at home, as many of them can be harmful to our furry friends. I hope that helps, and thank you again for including photos!

Thanks for reaching out about Fin and Blackie. This is probably on the rump and is a normal gland on guinea pigs. But the lesions can get infected, or can change with higher fat diets. If guinea pigs are overweight, they sometime have difficulty turning around and self cleaning the gland. A warm wet washcloth with a mild detergent such as Dawn dish soap can be used to clean the glands. If you continue to have problems, seek an examination with a veterinarian. Good luck.

Hi, thanks for using PetCoach. There are several reasons a guinea pig may lose fur. The primary differentials for hair loss are parasites or fungal infection/ringworm. Vitamin C deficiency or scurvy can also cause hair loss. I recommend a visit with a veterinarian that treats small mammals to help find out why Pumpkin has a bald spot. A bit more info. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/guinea-pigs-problems http://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html

Thanks for your question about Atom. I didn't see how old Atom is, but many times with our middle aged to older guinea pigs (2.5-7 yrs old) that are not castrated, they will have excessive production of material from the gland around their rear end. This is called the caudal gland, and it produces scent in male guinea pigs. When this gland material becomes excessive in amount, it can get stuck to the hair and make it fall out. If this sounds like it may be the case with Atom, the treatment is to wash gently with a pet safe shampoo, and you can clean the material off. After that, it would just be waiting for the hair to grow. If this does not sound like what Atom has, there are other reasons for hair loss in guinea pigs. The most common are fungal infections (ringworm), parasites (such as mite and lice), and bacterial infections. These would require a veterinary visit for diagnosis, and to get treatment. The testing for these issues is very straightforward and require a sample of hair and scrapes/samples of the skin. Please do not give Atom any human medications at home, as many of them are harmful for our furry friends. I hope this gives you a place to start, and that Atom feels better soon.

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!

Thanks for reaching out about Snuggle. Dried crust around the nostrils is often an indication of the upper respiratory/sinus infection. Could also be inflammatory, dental problems and others. Bald spots behind the ears are usually normal as long as the skin is not crusty. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Just because one has a runny nose and the other fine, does not mean not a concern. Good luck.

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.