Does my guinea pig have a cold sore?
QOne of my guinea pigs has what looks like cold sores at the edge of his mouth. It doesn’t seem to worry him and the other guinea is fine. Should I go to the vet? A
Yes – there are several possibilities that may require treatment. Your guinea pig most likely has cheilitis, which simply means inflammation of the lips.
Over time this may spread along the lips and up the nose. Bacteria, fungi and viruses are possible causes, but there are nearly always underlying factors to consider too – hence my advice to check with your vet.
Underlying causes could include trauma from rough pieces of hay or sharp edges on pellets.
I am sure your vet will ask about diet as vitamin C deficiency is not uncommon in guinea pigs.
It can occur if pellets are old, or they’re not getting enough fresh vegetables.
The two most common secondary infections are from bacteria, such as staphylococcus or fungi, with trichophyton the usual suspect.
Some authorities have suggested poxviruses may be involved, although this seems to be rare in my experience.
Your vet may take samples for microscopic examination to identify the bacterial or fungal infection, and this may involve an external laboratory.
Depending on the results most cases can be treated topically with antibacterial or antifungal products.
Q
We have a two- year- old crossbreed dog and a cat. We live in a rural area and both our pets have access to the outdoors. My pet- owning friends have warned about grass mites being around now. Any advice?
AAt this time of year the most common mites in the environment are harvest mites. As the name suggests these are prevalent in autumn.
They favour chalky soil, grassland, heathland and scrubby woodland, therefore occurring almost anywhere.
They attack animals – including people – when they are in their larval stage. When I first started seeing these mites and learning all about them, they were truly autumnal.
Now, as another feature of climate change, there are reports of them right up to Christmas and beyond during mild winters.
Problems only occur if affected animals develop an allergy to the bites.
However, allergy is very common, with the main symptom in dogs being itchiness, particularly of the paws and abdomen. Cats can have a more generalised rash, and they soothe the itching by excessive licking.
With allergy, the mites are much more difficult to find – but a good place to search is the pocket of the ear pinna. The mites look like small orange dots, a few millimetres in size.
Your vet will be able to offer treatment to control things and your friends may be able to tell you areas to avoid too.