My guinea pig has a crusted head scratch. How do I clean and treat it?

As long as he isn't shaking his head or scratching at the ear excessively, you can use a cotton swab dipped in mineral oil to gently clean the outer ear. Never insert anything down into the ear canal. Check and clean the ears once weekly. If he begins to scratch or shake, have him examined by your vet to diagnose and treat possible ear infection.

Poor Jasper. I would gently clean the wound with warm water and antiseptic soap. Keep the wound clean and dry, and monitor it for signs of infection. If you see redness, swelling, warmth to the touch, or pus, then it is infected and he will need to see the vet for antibiotics to treat it.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or fungal or mites). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics or antifungal meds (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can be possibly started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths (pay extra care when you do it as the eye is very close). 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.

My best guess is that this could be ringworm however it is impossible to tell just by looking at a photo. I suggest you get this spray and apply it 2-3 times daily on the affected area. ( https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/vetericyn-plus-antimicrobial-wound-and-skin-hydrogel-for-pets ) If after a week to 10 days it still is not resolving then you need to take her to a vet for an exam. Wash your hands thoroughly after touching her as ringworm, if it is that, is contagious to people.

Thanks for using PetCoach. There are several possibilities for Pietje's crusty eyes. The first is to make sure that he has adequate Vitamin C supplement. This needs to be in the form of fresh fruits and veggies as well as fresh food, and Vit C supplement (not in the water). A bit more on feeding https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/guinea-pigs-feeding The other differentials include mites or ringworm. A vet visit can help diagnose either of these conditions. The vet may recommend a fungal culture or skin scraping to make a diagnosis. https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/guinea-pigs-problems I hope this helps.

Poor Betty this looks sore! I would say this is due to an infection of some sort. It could be bacterial even coming up from the resp tract but the flouroquinilone should have helped. Otherwise it may be a parasite or fungus such as ringworm. I would get a skin scrape checked and have a hair brushing sent off for ringworm. I know you have tried antifungal cream, sometimes canestan works but at times they need stringer treatment from the vet. You could also try an antiparasite treatment such as xeno.

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!