Zyrtec's skin problem
- skinnypigs1
- Supporter in '12
With my skinny pigs I found the more stuff you put on them, the more it will itch. I had one boy who anything I put on him only made things worse except for coconut oil. Anything else made him go beat red and the condition got worse and wouldn't go away. Just coconut oil sparingly has always worked the best for my skinny pigs.
My one skinny pig had a chronic eye issue and turned out to be entropion (eye lashes curled inwards). He had surgery to correct it. He still has a watery eye at times (tear duct issues) and it takes daily maintenance of cleaning with a warm cotton pad and applying eye lubricant to keep him happy but a huge difference was made after his surgery.
My one skinny pig had a chronic eye issue and turned out to be entropion (eye lashes curled inwards). He had surgery to correct it. He still has a watery eye at times (tear duct issues) and it takes daily maintenance of cleaning with a warm cotton pad and applying eye lubricant to keep him happy but a huge difference was made after his surgery.
Thank you so much for your tips Skinnypigs1. I started out with only coconut oil for everything from cleaning to moisturising and it never really changed anything :( That was the only reason why I started "experimenting". I now stopped all kinds of moisturising as he is getting irritated from everything touching his skin.
I have some good news. We have visited the ophthalmologist twice now and Zyrtec is to get Hyabak artificial tears 2x a day indefinitely. This vet also suggested I give Benadryl some drops now and then to rinse out dirt or hay (I don't know what this little bastard is doing but he gets pieces of hay in his eye constantly). There has been zero eye problems since I started giving Zyrtec Hyabak.
As for the skin: He is still cycling, and 2 weeks ago it was rather bad (no breaking of skin though). My new (and now permanent vet for skin issues) sent sample from nose fur and skin to external lab for testing. There was no sign of fungus/bugs and we are going today for a visit to evaluate the skin for a steroid treatment regime. She suspects that he has a mite allergy. I will let you guys know how it goes!
I have some good news. We have visited the ophthalmologist twice now and Zyrtec is to get Hyabak artificial tears 2x a day indefinitely. This vet also suggested I give Benadryl some drops now and then to rinse out dirt or hay (I don't know what this little bastard is doing but he gets pieces of hay in his eye constantly). There has been zero eye problems since I started giving Zyrtec Hyabak.
As for the skin: He is still cycling, and 2 weeks ago it was rather bad (no breaking of skin though). My new (and now permanent vet for skin issues) sent sample from nose fur and skin to external lab for testing. There was no sign of fungus/bugs and we are going today for a visit to evaluate the skin for a steroid treatment regime. She suspects that he has a mite allergy. I will let you guys know how it goes!
The vet wanted to start with stronghold for both of them just to rule out any resistant mites. If no effect he will get antihistamins and I was recommended to get a spray for removal of allergens (Animedica Flee) that is safe for animals. IF antihistamins doesn't work then we will consider steroids. They are now both in a close to "bare" towel cage for allergy investigation purposes :)
He got better after the stronghold treatment so we are holding off with the antihistamins for now.
On a side note, due to severe allergies (my own allergies this time) I have been forced to switch my hay to oxbow orchard grass and I feel that it is very dusty and the boys require eye cleaning at least twice a week. I got a 4kg bag. Could this be a batch thing, or is it usually extremely dusty?
On a side note, due to severe allergies (my own allergies this time) I have been forced to switch my hay to oxbow orchard grass and I feel that it is very dusty and the boys require eye cleaning at least twice a week. I got a 4kg bag. Could this be a batch thing, or is it usually extremely dusty?
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
By the way, some people will soak they hay in water, shake it off, put it on a plate, and give it to their guinea pigs. It generally is not left out too long because wet hay can get moldy but I'm sure an hour would be okay. This would take care of the dust for you.
p.s. sometimes dust is actually due to tiny bugs eating the hay (it gets broken up).
p.s. sometimes dust is actually due to tiny bugs eating the hay (it gets broken up).
@Lynx Great advice! I will try to give them that, at least as a treat :) I have more coming in today so hoping it will be bit better.
@bpatters I am getting it from amazon as it is unavailable here in Poland.
Zyrtec was less itchy after stronghold but it didn't disappear fully so he is now on antihistamins. It helps him a lot, but yesterday he started getting a patch of scratched off fur. He does that sometimes and it grows back quickly without any special actions. I guess we will visit vet again soon
@bpatters I am getting it from amazon as it is unavailable here in Poland.
Zyrtec was less itchy after stronghold but it didn't disappear fully so he is now on antihistamins. It helps him a lot, but yesterday he started getting a patch of scratched off fur. He does that sometimes and it grows back quickly without any special actions. I guess we will visit vet again soon
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Some severe cases of mites can take multiple treatments of a product like Stronghold (selamectin). So I would do another course of it. Antihistamins alone will not cure him. If you can get ivermectin, you can use that once a week for several weeks too.
www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin.html
www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin.html
Yes I am leaning more towards that direction too. Ivermectin doesn't seem to help him much, but selamectin did. Weirdly enough he got much better after dose 1, but not second dose. He got second dose selamectin 10 days after the first and less than a week after that he was worse again, it just doesn't add up. Only thing I can think of is that the dose was too small. I got ca 60ul and, although I am unsure of the concentration, it adds up to the recommended treatment for a 700g pig using 120mg/cc.
I do have ivermectin spot treatment at home from UK that I could try to do more frequent treatments in case it wasn't a resistance problem, but rather a length of treatment period problem.
I do have ivermectin spot treatment at home from UK that I could try to do more frequent treatments in case it wasn't a resistance problem, but rather a length of treatment period problem.