How To Treat Ringworm In Guinea Pigs? In 2 Easy Ways!
Do you have any idea on how to treat ringworm in guinea pigs? Ringworms are harmful creatures that bring only diverse effects on the health of your cavies.
The most effective cure is giving your pet a five to six weeks duration of oral antifungal medicine.
If the veterinarian saw that the patches are only one or two, then an antifungal topical ointment can suffice the treatment process.
In this article, we will let you learn more about ringworms and how it affects your cavies.
By the end of this post, I am sure that you will be familiar with the possible symptoms that can help you identify the ringworms in guinea pigs. If you are ready, keep scrolling!
What Are Ringworms?
The ringworms, also known as dermatophytosis, are significantly studied by experts.
Why? Because these creatures create a danger to your fuzzy critters and can be one of the reasons your guinea pig died.
Effects of these ringworms are usually found in the head, and the noticeable sign is hair loss.
This scenario is often accompanied by scaling and crusting which can be severe if neglected.
I will tell you a story about Ginger, my cavy, and how he had ringworms.
When I first brought Ginger home, it was just less than three months when she had ringworms in her body.
I know that I should not be shocked about this matter since new animals are usually the ones that bring infectious diseases.
I brought Ginger to the veterinarian for a thorough examination. I was advised that before I bring a new pet at home, I should make sure that it is healthy if I do not want other pets to be infected.
Even though healthy-looking pets may let you assume that they are non-carriers of diseases, it won’t hurt if you are only cautious.
The vet prescribed Ginger the necessary medicine, and after a while, she recovered from ringworms.
You must understand that it is not only about the bald patches on the head that you should look for as a sign of ringworms. These harmful creatures can also leave tracks on the neck and arms in the form of flaky patches.
Steps In Treating Ringworm In Guinea Pigs
As you can see, ringworms have been a common problem for pet owners. It is primarily caused by fungus and can make your guinea pig feel tremendous pain.
The pain caused by ringworms can be one of the reasons why guinea pigs cry.
You also have to be careful since this infection can be passed on to humans by touching the infected individual or by coming in contact with the things that have been exposed to the fungus.
Elderly people, children, and people with compromised immune systems are more likely to get affected.
Here are the specific steps that you should take in treating ringworms in guinea pigs:
Step #1. Treatment by veterinarian
#1.1 Recognize symptoms
You must be familiar with the symptoms of ringworm in your cavy. The obvious one is the bald patches that can be seen usually on the head of your guinea pig.
Why is this happening?
The fungus causes the hair follicles of your cavy to weaken, and due to that, the hair will fall.
It is not only bald patches, but it will also have a crusty appearance and become severe if not treated immediately.
#1.2. Find a veterinarian
You can have the option of treating your guinea pig at home, but I think it would be best to seek a veterinarian’s help.
It is an excellent move since the vet can prescribe the necessary medicine that will treat your cavy.
If you do not have any trusted vet around your area, you can ask other guinea pig owners because I am sure that they have the slightest idea of the best vet in town.
#1.3. Follow the prescription
After that you have had the medicine for the ringworm, make sure to follow the right instructions that the vet gave you.
Why? Because you surely want to cure your pet immediately so if you are not doing the right thing, you will undoubtedly delay the recovery of your beloved pet.
Step #2. Home treatment for ringworms
#2.1. Give your guinea pig lots of vitamin C
For you to strengthen the immune system of your pet, you must give enough vitamin C to your piggy.
The best way for you to do this is to serve your cavy with veggies that are high with this mineral.
For example, guinea pigs can have kale as it provides lots of vitamin C. Increasing the serving can make your cavy’s health robust enough.
Other vegetables that can help include spinach and mustard green for guinea pigs.
#2.2. Treat the bald patches
Skin irritation due to the fungus is what makes your guinea pig feel pain.
Antifungal ointment that is prescribed by your vet can be used and rubbed around the area which is infected.
Make sure that you are putting only the right amount so that it will be useful. Please do follow the instructions to attain the proper application of the ointment.
#2.3. Separate the infected cavies
It would be best if you separate the guinea pigs which are infected by ringworms to decrease the chances of other healthy cavies getting infected as well.
Ringworms can be very contagious, so you must consider taking away the infected ones.
After you have separated the cavies, make sure that you clean the cage well. Urine and other factors can be the leading cause of the spreading, so you have to stop the breeds of these harmful ringworms.
Can I Easily Get Ringworm From Guinea Pigs?
A particular family of fungus is what causes the occurrence of ringworm in cavies. This infection can infect most animals through direct contact, so it would be highly dangerous for you to touch your guinea pig regularly.
If you notice that your cavy has a sign of ringworm, seek the vet’s help fast to prevent further issues.
Your pet might be in pain, so you must consider what it feels if your beloved piggy has ringworm. As a pet owner, you have to know how to treat ringworm in guinea pigs.
How Long Do Ringworms Remain Contagious?
You must know that ringworm infection remains contagious even after 48 hours of treatment and can still be very active when it comes to humans.
For pets like guinea pigs, it is about three weeks from the start of their aggressive treatment.
If you leave your cavy unattended and you are not treating the ringworm infection, expect that the spread of the disease will take much longer.
Conclusion
So, how to treat ringworm in guinea pigs?
In conclusion, you should understand that ringworms are a genuinely bothersome infection to guinea pigs and its owner.
Humans are not excluded from being infected, so immediate action should be taken for the occurrence of ringworms.
It is not only that your pet will be safe from pain, but also you and your family will be secured.
During the early stages, find a vet so that an antifungal medicine can be prescribed to treat your beloved cavy.
Vegetables that are rich in vitamin C can offer a significant role in making the health of guinea pigs robust to fight infections.
I hope now you know how to treat ringworm in guinea pigs, and thank you very much for reading!
