Ringworm...

[_MizElz_]

My OH's mum texted me earlier to say that one of her guinea pigs has got ringworm. She's taken him to the vets, who have said that apparently it is very hard to treat in piggies and can make them very poorly. They are currently trying to work out how he may have got it.

She thinks the source is some hay that she has been using, which they bought from a lady with horses. The guinea pigs do not have contact with any other animals, and OH's parents live in a town, so they do not have contact with any farm animals or horses.

I have never heard of ringworm being transmitted through hay, only ever through skin to skin contact or through fencing/trees. Has anyone else ever heard of this?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

I can't see how ringworm could be transmitted from horses via the hay. They would have had to have been physically rubbing on the hay (this is how it can be spread on trees). Was the vet absolutely certain?

 

[dozzie]

Is it possible it has been lieing dormant for some years in the wood of the hutch?

If it is a wooden hutch then I would disinfect the whole thing, plus any other wood the guinea pig coiuld come into contact with.

Of course that could be an old wives tale which is now disproven but it was the advice i was given by my vet when my pony had ringworm. Had to disinfect everything.

 

[Doormouse]

Funny thing ringworm, can lie dormant for years I gather so could have been in their area and the warm weather may have woken them up. Wouldn't be that surprised if hay could transmit it because it is so infectious and seems to be able to survive almost anything. Hope the G-pigs are ok

 

[rhino]

We used to have problems with ringworm in GPs - 'city' farm set up with about 70 of them! Were kept in an old dairy building so reckon they caught it from there, it lies dormant for a long time! Haven't heard about transmission through hay but I suppose it could be possible.

The treatment the vets used didn't work all that well, repeated baths in an imaverol emulsion, and so we ended up using a human 'thrush' cream which cleared it up really well! Also treated the whole area with diluted imaverol in a backpack sprayer.