Ringworm is all too Common in Petco / Petsmart Purchased Guinea Pigs

I see this all the time, young guinea pigs purchased from the Petco / Petsmart chains with ringworm infections. The little lady was lucky because her owner committed to getting her better.
Petco and Petsmart as well as small local shops sell guinea pigs that come from huge breeding facilities, just like puppy mills.
Many of these poor pigs are sick when purchased. We have heard and seen horror stories about sick and dying babies. We have also have seen way too many guinea pigs fresh from the pet store come through our door with horrible upper respiratory infections and ringworm, lice and mite infections.
​You are not rescuing by buying the animal from a store. Adopt from a local rescue, whenever possible and do not contribute to the misery these guinea pig mills inflict. If you have a similar experience with a pet store please share.

What is ringworm?
Ringworm is fairly common in guinea pigs so don’t freak out!
It is a fungus that often presents on the outside and inside of the ears, around the eyes and on the nose. Though it can appear anywhere on their body it is most often discovered in those areas. It is the same as Athlete’s Foot in humans. Ringworm most often does not require veterinary assistance and simple over the counter creams and shampoo can clear it up.
It is highly contagious however, so wash your hands after touching the guinea pig and wear an apron of some sort to prevent spores clinging to your clothing.

Where do they get it from?
They can get it from another infected guinea pig but it can also develop in a guinea pig that has not had any recent interactions with other animals at all.
They simply carry the spores with them and in times of stress or a diminished immune system the fungus can get the overhand.
This sometimes happens in a cage with two animals living together. Only one will get the fungus and the other animal remains totally unaffected. (The same goes for lice and mites)

How do you treat it?
1) Any anti dandruff shampoo like Head and Shoulders. Though if the infestation is bad we recommend buying this shampoo “Davis Miconazole” , you can get it at Amazon.
2) Over the counter medicated athlete’s foot cream

SHAMPOO - First of all wash the guinea pig the medicated anti dandruff shampoo
Put a small towel in the sink to prevent slipping and use lukewarm water, lather them up real good and let the shampoo sit for 2 minutes and then rinse.
You must wash the face and ears also. Make sure to pay special attention to the affected areas and rub the shampoo into the skin.
Most guinea pigs do not like to be bathed but this is something that needs to be done. After you towel dry the animal really well you must blow dry them. Never put a wet or damp guinea pig back in its cage.
It will take a long time before they dry by themselves. They will get catch a cold and get sick. Do this for once weekly for three weeks.

CREAM - Apply the cream directly on the affected area and make sure you really press the cream into the skin where the fungus is located. Do this twice daily for three weeks.

I have other guinea pigs do I treat them too?
Yes and no. If they are not showing signs of the fungus then there are obviously no spots to put a cream. However, you do want to shampoo them with the anti dandruff medicated shampoo to make sure they stay healthy.
You should only do that once or twice in the three weeks it takes to treat an infected guinea pig.

Do I need to disinfect the cage?
I have found that treatment of the individual animal(s) is enough. Though it never hurts to disinfect a cage. Use part water and part bleach. Let it soak for a few minutes and rinse off really well.
https://www.laguineapigrescue.com/supply-items.html
Fun piggie leggings here, all the models are actual rescued guinea pigs. https://amzn.to/2PKTlvB
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Видео Ringworm is all too Common in Petco / Petsmart Purchased Guinea Pigs канала Saskia from Los Angeles Guinea Pig Rescue