[Gpdd] HEALTH: Rocky - Crusty Nose/Lips

[Suzy Dünser]

Hi Debbie, Sarah, Maren, Penny and everyone,

I think it is likely that Rocky has Cheilitis. When we went out to  
feed him this morning, he had broken off most of the scabs himself,  
but before that his nose looked similar to the bottom photo on the  
guinealynx website. He doesn't get a lot of acidic food, just a chunk  
of tomato (about the size of 2 cherry tomatoes), and no apples or  
pears or citrus, but he does have pretty rough hay, and guinealynx  
indicated it can start from an irritation or cut.

I went to the chemist to try to get gentian violet, and although the  
didn't have it in stock they ordered it for me, so I should have it by  
Friday (it's Wednesday evening here now). In the meantime I got  
hydrogen peroxide, which Penny said she's also used, so as soon as my  
human masters (whoops, I mean, children) are in bed I will get the  
piggie and try to convince him it's a great idea for me to pick his  
nose and then wipe stuff on it. I'm glad he got some of it off  
himself, because it looks like it came off reasonably easily, and that  
makes me less scared about doing it to him.

Anyway thanks for all of your advice, and I will keep you posted!

As for how I found the GPDD... after I got Rocky and Cocoa I went on  
an information search and stumbled across it. But I did have a similar  
educational experience - I had put the piggies in with our two  
minilops, thinking it wouldn't be any more "infrastructure" to have  
guinea pigs (never trust anyone not on the gpdd), and found myself two  
days later constructing a 2-level enclosed* C&C cage (*we also have  
cats, plus the cage is outside in the summer), to my husband's great  
amusement... But the moment of groaning at the realisation of the  
extra work of maintaining another cage has been far outweighed by the  
benefit of the advice and support and friendship of the people on the  
digest!

Cheers and wheeks from Suzy and Rocky
and Cocoa in our hearts