[Gpdd] Health: skin problems

[Michelle Paschall]

Laura, 

It may possibly be a fungal infection since the hair is coming out so
easily.  When my piggie had this his test was also negative but the
fungal cream the vet prescribed worked.  It took a while though. He was
also tested for mites and this was negative.  Maybe you could treat for
a fungal infection and see if it improves. I would not think it was
mites since the ivermecin is not working.  
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Before Christmas, Phoebe began to lose hair on her sides.  From other
postings, this seemed to be related to ovarian cysts rather than an
actual skin problem.  It didn't seem to affect her in any way, so I let
it be for the time being.  A month later she began to lose hair
elsewhere and it was obvious that she was scratching (her cagemates were
unaffected).  I took her to the vet, where they ran all kinds of tests
(ovarian cysts, fungal, ringworm, mites), everything was negative. 
However, we chose to do oral doses of ivermectin - because it was
obvious something was going on - and it's how all of my pigs have been
treated with a skin problem.

Phoebe has had 6 doses of ivermectin, it hasn't helped.  As a matter of
fact she continues to get worse.  Molly & Abby (her cagemates) are now
starting to lose hair as well (Phoebe was quarrantined from them while
taking the treatments).  I've tried the Neem Oil treatment on Peter
Gurney's website, but it has made the situation worse.  I can run my
hands through these pigs hair and it comes off in my hands.

All three pigs act fine, they eat well, play and such.....they're just
going bald.  I plan on calling the vet again, but I wanted to see if
anyone has any suggestions before I do that.  I didn't know if the
ivermectin in shot form would be a better choice or not.