What causes my guinea pig's ears to be flaky, crusty, and dry?

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.

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.

In my experience the huge majority of skin issues in guinea pigs falls into two categories: mites and fungal. It's uncommon to see flaking skin and hair loss without it being one of these disorders. Ringworm would be a concern and is very common in guinea pigs. Instead of being a worm, it's actually a skin fungus, and doesn't always have the classic "ring" shape. The only way to diagnose ringworm in guinea pigs is doing a fungal culture where you collect hairs and put them on a culture medium. It can take 10-14 days to get a result, though most positives show up within the first week. If you don't want to do the testing then what you can do is treat those scabs with an over the counter anti fungal cream like clotrimazole. It is basically jock itch cream. Apply a thin layer 2 times a day. It won't hurt anything if it is not ringworm but if it is ringworm, it will help. If you are going to shampoo him I would use a medicated shampoo like this one: https://www.1800petmeds.com/Malaseb+Shampoo-prod10667.html Lather it on, let it sit for 5-10 minutes and then rinse. The contact time of the shampoo is very important! This shampoo has an antifungal agent in it as well as an antimicrobial agent. If you try the ringworm cream and shampoo and it doesn't help at all within 7-10 days then I would recommend you get a second opinion from another vet and find a vet that specializes in treating exotic pets as he may have skin mites. Skin mites in these pets will always cause itching, sometimes severe enough to lead to seizures. If he is itchy then skin mites are very likely. Skin mites need to be treated with Ivermectin injections spaced 10-14 days apart and need to be done by a vet. Usually 2-3 injections are needed to clear the mites. If your vet doesn't specialize in treating exotic mammals/pocket pets then I would suggest you find one that does. I found this vet in your area based on your zip code: http://www.acsevh.com/ I hope this helps. Best wishes!

Thank you for your question about Oreo. Dry skin on the ears of guinea pigs is very common, and you may also see flaking of brown debris from within their ears as well. This flaking is their normal cerumen (ear wax) and it just tends to be brown to black in color, depending on the color of your guinea pig. For the dryness, I am not sure why you are seeing it only on one ear - sometimes if one ear is black (or dark in color) and one is white (or light in color) that it is easier to see the dry skin on one versus the other. To help with the dryness, you can rub a small amount of Aquaphor ointment on the ear. This medication is used for eczema in humans and can help hold in moisture. Apply it very sparingly, and if Oreo is bothered by it at all, I would recommend discontinuing it. Less commonly, guinea pigs can get skin infections of their ears. If you see that the flaky skin becomes crusty, red, swollen, has a smell, or if Oreo is bothered by the ear, I would recommend taking him to a veterinarian. They would be able to evaluate the ear and may take samples of the skin surface to look at under the microscope. If they determine it is an infection, they can prescribe treatments such as antibiotics and pain medications. I hope that gives you a place to start, and good luck with your new pet!

Poor Ginger, I see what you mean in the picture. This could be due to mites or it could be an ear infection. Without seeing her in person, I can't say for certain. I can say she does need to see a vet to have it diagnosed and treated, and I would take her into the vet in the morning to get this done. I hope this helps.

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!

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!