16Dec/102
Treating guinea pig baldspots?
I just got my guinea pig from a pet store and realized she has bald spots and the skin is very flaky in those two spots. Is there a reason for her bald spots? Would Vitamin C help? I also noticed her ears are a bit chewed up. Anything will help.
December 16th, 2010 - 15:44
She may have the bald spots from other piggies nipping at her and fighting with her if she was cadges with others. Piggies often gang up on one and chase them and nip at their hind quarters. Also if the cadge she was in at one time was not cleaned enough (maybe not the pet stores, but the person who bred her) then this causes skin irritation and scratching.
Also if she has allergies to her bedding (especially the red cedar wood chips) this will cause them to scratch and pull out tufts of hair.
I would give her a bath in your sink. Use very mildly warm watter and slowly let watter run over the areas. Then wrap her up in a dry clean towel and hold her for a little while so she dries off some. Then give her some treats of fresh veggies like carrots or lettuce. If the bald spots have scabbing, it’s probably from being cadges with other piggies who nipped at her. If there’s not a lot of scabbing, it’s probably from a messy cadge at one time or allergies to bedding she had. After the bath you will find she should start to grow her hair back and look better in about a week. She may have even pulled out hair at one time if she was very highly stressed.
Definitely giving your piggy foods with vitamin C is a good idea. Guinea pigs do not make their own and can die quickly from lack of it. Especially females who are pregnant, as their systems need much more then usual.
I have had guinea pigs for over 20 years and love them to death. My first piggy was one I picked up at a pet store when I was 6 years old. When we brought him home we found a huge bald patch on his hind end that was a result of being chased by 2 other piggies. My 4th piggy I had also had these same bald patches from being nipped at. When we took him to the vet, they said there was nothing they could do and recommended returning to the store. I thought he was crazy. How could anyone give a piggy a home who had been nipped at and then send him back to the store to get chased again.
The bald spots will heal. Just give her some time and keep her bedding very clean right now. Giving her a bath will help wash off anything that might be on her fur that could be causing her to scratch at it or pull out tufts. She may be a little nervous a not want you to touch that area right now, as it is uncomfortable.
December 16th, 2010 - 15:44
You should take her to the vet. It could be anything from a simple skin condition to mites. My pig had the exact symptoms you are describing, and it was a skin condition that they treated with Lymdip, a prescription bath that cleared things up quickly. Guinea pigs always need Vitamin C, although that may or may not be the cause of this. Your vet can tell you more.