Why is my guinea pig's ear peeling and bloody after a bath?

I am sorry to hear about your guinea pig! I would recommend having him examined by a veterinarian. If some of his skin is torn or hanging, it could be painful and a source of infection. I would also want to examine inside his ear and the skin around his ear to see if tehre is a reason why he might have been itching at the ear. I would also recommend check the cage/bowls/etc. for areas that could be sharp/could cause injury.

Even though a picture would help to understand better the underlying cause, generally speaking this presentation could be due to a trauma or recurrence of the localized skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Bleeding must be stopped as soon as possible with gentle pressure. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

I am so sorry for the delay in answering your question. Mites are very common in guinea pigs and may be the cause. Take her to your vet so they can determine if this is indeed the problem, and can advise you on how best to treat it. In the meantime, change the bedding daily and monitor her food and water intake--if she is lethargic, or is not eating or drinking, take her to the vet right away. Thanks for asking Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, and again I apologize for the delay!

Thanks for reahcing out about Gordo and including photos. Could there be aggression from another animal? External parasites (mites) can lead to itching, and the scratching to cause the lesions. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Cleaning with a warm, moistened wash cloth might help but avoid soaps or topical antibiotics, as guinea pigs are meticulous groomers and will ingest. Good luck.

Hi and thanks for posting on Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear about Hamtaro's ear- from the pictures you sent, it looks very red and inflamed. Ear mites may be a cause as well as fungal infections. A veterinarian can rule out ear mites with an ear cytology sample (basically a swab or sample of material from the ear) and a fungal culture of the hair near or around the ear. Treatment will depend on the underlying cause. I would try and keep the area clean for now. Mild cleansing cloth or 3% hydrogen peroxide to the affected area may help until a diagnosis can be made with your veterinarian. I hope this helps and best of luck to you!

thanks for reaching out about Ms. Piggy. Do not place topical antibiotics such as neosporin on it as this can be toxic if ingested. Flour or baking soda can be used topically to help form a clot. Materials such as Quik Stop, used for bleeding toe nails is also caustic and will hurt/burn. If there is a mass there, a veterinary visit is needed as cysts or tumors are not uncommon on the ears. Good luck.

This is probably due to an allergy, although it could also be infection or mites. First of all, in order to rule out skin parasites, you will need to treat with a high quality flea treatment, then ask the vet to perform a skin scrape - this might reveal an infection or a mite infestation. If all of those came back negative, the next step is to treat the allergy symptomatically and try to discover the cause of the allergy. Three main type of allergies are usually affecting pets: food allergies, flea and parasite related ones and environmental type (allergens coming from trees, pollens, dust etc etc). Some medications can be given by the vet in order to repair any possible skin lesions (like steroids and antibiotics). Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.