[Gpdd] Gpdd [Health] (flakey skin on piggie nose)

[Cazza177]

Dear Ellen

I am worried this could actually be an upper respiratory infection (URI) and
fear your vet is not doing all that he/she should be. The discharge not
being clear is a very worrying sign and you are right to be treating any
piggies of yours that are coming into contact with Sammie. Please make sure
you wash your hands between handling your piggies, to help reduce the
chances of transmitting germs.

I looked for Sulfamethoxazole on Guinea Lynx and the closest I could see to
this was sulfamethoxazole trimethoprim, but I have no idea if they are the
same or not -- perhaps you can check the packaging or check with your vet
for more info. Here's a link from Guinea lYnx that may help:
http://www.guinealynx.info/antibiotics.html

If Sulfamethoxazole is not an antibiotic and if Sammie and Li'l Red do have
URI's, you MUST get them back to the vets asap and get them on antibiotics,
as they will die without them. PLEASE make sure your vet gives you an
antibiotic that is definitely safe for gp's, as some are not and are fatal.

To find out more about URI's and to see if you feel the symptoms your Sammie
and Li'l Red have could be this, please see:
http://www.guinealynx.info/uri.html   You may also want to get your vet to
do an x-ray of Sammie and Li'l Red to be certain there is no fluid on their
lungs (as can happen with URI's), and if there is, make sure they give you a
diuretic such as Lasix (also known as Fruisimide) to move this fluid out.
You will need the diuretic as well as the antibiotics -- do not let your vet
fob you off with the idea that antibiotics alone will cure a URI, they will
NOT.

Do not be afraid to be insistant with your vet that your piggies NOT be put
under general anaesthetic for any x-ray. Although it sounds crude, using a
small box such as a shoe box, and gently bandaging them to that, keeps them
still enough for the vet to get images, and they do know of this type of
method, so be insistant on it. Your piggies should not be put out when they
are having breathing difficulties anyway, so your vet will know that general
aneasthetic is not advisable in such a situation.

With regard to the rough skin on the nose, is there also any signs of this
problem in the corners of Sammie's mouth or on his lips? It might be
Cheilitis. See http://www.guinealynx.info/cheilitis.html

Other fungal problems can cause the fur to disappear from the nose. See this
link (with very helpful pics) to help you decide if this could be the
problem: http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus

Hope the above will be of help, Ellen and that Sammie and Lil Red are ok.
Please keep an eye that your other piggies do not develop the same symptoms,
as URI's are serious and contageous in gp's.

C xx