Ringworm is one of the common infections experienced by guinea pigs. Unlike its name, ringworm infection has nothing to do with a parasitic worm. Instead it is caused by a fungus, named Trichophyton mentagrophytes, which is also clinically referred as ringworm.
This ringworm infection is typically characterized by bald patches starting from the head. Patches might also appear around the nose, ears and eyes, and spread to the back. This is a contagious infection and can be spread from an infected guinea pig to another.
As this is
a common infection, it does not mean that you can take it easy. As a guinea pig
parents, you need to know and be familiar with the causes, symptoms and
treatment of ringworm. Being familiar with this infection will prevent your
guinea pig from worsen conditions.
So, let’s
get to know more about ringworms in guinea pigs.
Causes of Ringworm in Guinea Psig
As mentioned before, ringworm in guinea pig is caused by a family of fungus. This infection can be communicable between guinea pigs, through the contact with the infected ones.
The spread is commonly done by touching the contaminated objects, such as the bedding or the objects in the cage. Surprisingly, this infection can also be transmitted to humans, so pay extra attention and care while handling an infected guinea pig.
Find the great ideas for your guinea piggy bedding, including the materials to choose and the do’s and don’ts.
Signs of Ringworm in Guinea Pigs
The major
sign of ringworm in guinea pigs is bald patches on their body. The bald patches
usually starts from the head, then they might also spread to the area of the
nose, ears, around the eyes and to the back of the body. The patches are
usually red and flaky.
Another symptom might be itching and scratching. The bald patches may be the result of the guinea pigs keep scratching because of feeling itchy. Regarding to skin, you may also want to find out the best shampoos for guinea pig. Some shampoos might cause irritation, so choosing the best shampoo for your guinea pig is also important.
Once you
notice these symptoms, call your vet for some advice or for some health check,
especially when you notice that your guinea pig starts scratching excessively.
Treatment of Ringworm in Guinea Pigs
After you
see the symptoms, then you may want to seek for the ways to treat ringworm in
guinea pig. Here are the steps you can do as the treatment of ringworm in
guinea pigs:
- Seek a veterinarian. You might think that all vets are able to handle guinea pigs, but most of them don’t. Not all vets treat guinea pigs, as guinea pigs are classified as exotic pets. So, instead of going to general vet, you can start finding exotic vet, which specializes on treating wider range of animals, including guinea pigs. If it is hard to find one, you can ask other guinea pig owners for recommendation.
- It’s time for medications. After going home for the checkup with the vet, your vet surely gives you some medications for your guinea pigs. The medications may include liquid medication which is typically given through a syringe. If you want to give this type of medication, you need to gently hold up the guinea pig’s head, insert the tip of the syringe and squeeze the medication. Then, there’s another type of medication, which is pill. To feed this medication, you just simply crush the pill and mix it into the portion of food your guinea pig likes to eat. Make sure, it eats all the food that contains pill in it.
- Increase the intake of vitamin C. Feed some vegetables that are high in vitamin C, such as mustard green, kale and spinach. You can also consider giving these best veggies to maintain guinea pig nutrition. Vitamin C will strengthen your guinea pig’s immune system and fight off the ringworm.
- Treat the bald patches. The vet may prescribe some antifungal ointments for treating the bald patches on your guinea pig’s body. You can simply apply or rub it to the infected area following the instructions from your vet. Do not ever use an antifungal cream unless it is prescribed by your vet.
- Quarantine the infected guinea pig. As stated before that ringworm is contagious through the contaminated objects. So, you must quarantine or isolate the infected guinea pig from the others by separating the cage.
While handling the infected guinea pigs, make sure you equip yourself with some protection. Ringworm from guinea pigs might be transmitted to humans.
Wear gloves while handling anything in the cage. Wash hands after holding your guinea pigs. Do not ever hold your guinea pig close to your mouth.
Handling a guinea pig is fun and challenging. You might want to find some advice about guinea pig, such as the tips on getting rid of fleas on guinea pigs and guinea pig bath: how to clean them properly.