How to Treat Ringworm in Guinea Pigs

Ringworm on guinea pigs

Ringworm is a pretty frequent fungus-caused disease in guinea pigs. It may be an unpleasant condition for your pet, and it has the potential to transmit to people. Fortunately, ringworm is frequently treatable with medicine. If you believe your guinea pig has ringworm, obtain an official diagnosis from a veterinarian as soon as possible. Following that, adhere to a care program to nurse your guinea pig back to health.

Seeking Veterinary Assistance

1. Recognize the signs. The earliest and most noticeable indication of ringworm is bald patches. The fungus weakens the hair follicle, causing the fur to fall out. Bald patches will gradually acquire a crusty look and will be accompanied by red patches around the eyes, ears, and nose.

2. Locate a guinea pig-friendly veterinarian. Because guinea pigs are frequently considered unusual species, not all veterinarians treat them. If you don’t already have a veterinarian, seek online or in the phone book for one who has treated guinea pigs.
Ask other guinea pig owners for recommendations if you know any.

3. Allow your veterinarian to diagnose the problem. A physical examination is usually used to diagnose ringworm, followed by the collection of a skin sample for analysis. While test results may take a few days, if your veterinarian is certain that the bald spots are caused by ringworm, treatment may typically begin straight soon.

4. Consult your veterinarian about a treatment strategy. Antifungal medicine is used to treat ringworm. It is given over a period of five to six weeks. Make sure you go through the prescribed doses with your veterinarian. If your guinea pig has a lot of bald spots, your vet may also recommend topically applied treatments.

5. Payment should be discussed. Vet costs may be expensive at times, so be sure you understand how much treatment will cost. Inquire if you must pay in whole or whether you may pay in installments. Some veterinarians are willing to accept payments in installments.

Managing Ringworm at Home

1. You should medicate your guinea pig. Give your guinea pig any antifungal medicine that your vet has given in the exact amounts and timings. Medications are often taken orally. Syringes are often used to administer liquid drugs. You carefully lift the guinea pig’s head, place the syringe tip just below its front teeth, and squeeze out the medicine.
When it comes to pills, it’s best to smash them up and incorporate them into a piece of food you know your guinea pig would consume. Just make sure your guinea pig consumes all of the meal containing its medicines.

2. Increase the vitamin C intake of your guinea pig. Vitamin C may boost your guinea pig’s immune system and aid in the battle against ringworm. The easiest approach to give your guinea pig vitamin C is to add it to its water or feed it vitamin C-rich veggies like kale, mustard greens, and spinach.
While you may feed your guinea pigs vitamin C-enriched pellets, they may lose their potency fast once the package is opened.

3. Treat bald spots. Bald patches may cause severe skin discomfort in guinea pigs. Your veterinarian may advise you to apply an antifungal ointment to your guinea pig’s skin.

• Consult your veterinarian about how much ointment to use and how to apply it correctly.
• Never use an antifungal cream unless your veterinarian has recommended it.

4. Divide diseased guinea pigs. If you have more than one guinea pig, keep your diseased pig in a separate cage. The illness of ringworm is very infectious, and you do not want it to spread.

• After removing your guinea pig from the other pigs, clean the cage.
• To help prevent infection, keep your guinea pig’s present cage clean. Ringworm thrives in a damp environment, so clean up any spills and urine as soon as possible.

5. Defend yourself against ringworm. Because ringworm may spread to people, it is important to take care to protect yourself. When touching anything in your guinea pig’s cage, use gloves. After handling your guinea pig, wash your hands. Do not kiss or hold your guinea pig too near to your lips.

Preventing a Reoccurrence

1. Regularly clean the cage. Because ringworms are caused by fungus, keeping your guinea pig’s cage clean will keep ringworms at bay. Do a thorough cleaning of your guinea pig’s cage once a week. Wash the cage inside, as well as any washable toys and dishes, using biodegradable soap and water, and replace items like as bedding and chips.

2. Maintain a dry atmosphere. Maintain a dry atmosphere by routinely tidying up each day, in addition to a complete weekly cleaning. Ringworms like damp settings to grow. Every day, remove any damp spots of chips or bedding and keep an eye out for patches of pee and water spills.

3. Toys and equipment should be sanitized. After cleaning your guinea pig’s cage, spray it and any surfaces with an equal parts water and vinegar solution. This organically sanitizes the cage, reducing ringworm exposure. After applying the solution, thoroughly rinse it.

4. Keep the guinea pig isolated until the infection has cleared up. Typically, treatment lasts seven to ten days. Make a follow-up visit with your vet after 10 days to ensure your guinea pig is ringworm-free. You may return your guinea pig to the cage with your other pigs as soon as you have proof that it is healthy.