crusty nose?

[wendyngd]

Hi- I need some help here. Snuggles, who is marvelously healthy in every other way, has appeared 2 separate times this week with a little crustiness on the vertical line just below his nose. I wasn't sure if he needed a vet visit as he has no other signs of any respiratory probs. The only thing he's doing is scratching a little bit, or biting/nibbling places on his fur where he seems to be itching...

I got a soft piece of paper towel and rinsed it in warm water and dabbed at the sore gently with Snuggles in my lap. It seemed to have come off and been pretty much okay ever since--maybe just a tiny bit of crustiness this few days later...

Anything else I can do?

Thanks.-Wendy

[eppingstrider]

Funnily enough, Fred seems to have something similar.

His split lip seemed to be not meeting properly and looking like he had a dark line down it. I bathed it with a little warm salt water and cotton wool, and then gently scratched off the crustiness. I got some bits off that looked like it was cardboard, which could be because he chews his chubes vigorously! I put some vaseline on it (which he didnt like - he enjoyed the salt water and was trying to suck the cotton wool!).

I'm planning to do that again this afternoon and so on until it looks ok, but it looks much better already and is meeting properly.

Question - can you put canestan cream on lips? I suppose if you put it anywhere they might lick it off, so not much worse there than anywhere else...

[PigPog]

Firstly, it could be food stuck between his lips. Secondly, it could be a little bit of chelitis which is a fungal infection (my Weedy is currently recovering from a severe form). Chelitis is usually a minor problem and can take the form of a small scabby stitch above the nose or some crust between the top lips. I wouldn't put Canesten near the mouth (as I haven't heard my vet recommend it), and dabbing it with warm water should hopefully do the trick if it's relatively minor. If it becomes scabby around the mouth then you need to see the vet for antibiotics and start treating it with something like hibiscrub. My third suggestion is if Snuggles is itching and having a good nibble, then he might be collecting skin and other lovely debris between his lips and you might want to have him checked for mites or lice. Lastly, if there is discharge from the nostrils then he might have a little respiratory problem that needs the vet to confirm and treat.

[Hugs-Cavies (Doris)]

If its the stitch on the nose then it is chelitis, use boots own athletes foot cream twice a day, it should clear up.

This does not always work on severe cases (so we have now found but on a minor case like this one it should do the trick.

[wendyngd]

Thank you all for your suggestions! Now, all I have to do is translate these British products into American equivalents.

I have been using warm water on a napkin -- dabbing the crustiness off. Only thing was Tonight I heard him doing what sounded like a couple of sneezes--boy that scared me. It now seems to be an isolated incident, thank goodness. And frankly, it just go COLD here this week so maybe we have to turn up the heat in our bedroom where Snuggles livess.....

(Funny that Fred has been having the same symptoms)

[PigPog]

Canesten is thrush cream and since it's anti-fungal it's good for popping up piggy bottoms to ease yeasty infections.

Hibiscrub is a bright pink soapy liquid vets use to scrub up before operations and between consultations.

And althetes foot cream is, well.... athletes foot cream!

[Hugs-Cavies (Doris)]

Ok, the chemical name for Boots own athletes foot cream is Benzalkonium Chloride Tolnaftate.

So glad I don't have to say it to you!!

[lisa]

Hibi Scrub is called Chlorhexidine Gluconate and is used by nurses etc in hospitals too, we can purchase it from the pharmacy here so you may be able to over your way, it is a tad expensive but I must admit I don't use a huge amount and it has to be watered down anyway

[wendyngd]

Thanks for all the great info!!I do believe it's probably Chelitis from your descriptions and from pix I've seen online. It looks like it's spread and gotten a little worse.

I made the earliest appt. with Snuggles's vet that I could manage--less than a week away-- today's Sat. Hope this is okay.

Snuggles really seems okay and rather oblivious to his sore little nose. He's eating and playing as much as usual. He has been scratching more often so I'm sure it will be helpful to have him checked out.

Meanwhile I do have an oral vet antibiotic left over from a few months ago when he first went to the vet after he joined us and was thinking of maybe giving him a drop each day till his appointment (and seeing if my husband has any antibacterial foot cream). I don't have the bottle in front of me but I know it worked very quickly on clearing up whatever was ailing Snuggs when he first came to live with us.

I 'm reluctant to administer meds without doctor's actual direction, but seeing how he reacted well to this, I might just try a few drops.

Thanks. -Wendy

[PigPog]

Nov 22, 2008 18:04:50 GMT wendyngd said:

I made the earliest appt. with Snuggles's vet that I could manage--less than a week away-- today's Sat. Hope this is okay.

Yeah, sounds reasonable to me. He doesn't seem to be in desperate need of medical attention at the moment so next week should be fine. Well done, have a carrot.

[Bob - Hugs Cavies]

Any news from the vets appointment?

[wendyngd]

Yes! How sweet of you to write!

Our vet thinks it's an infection caused by, get this, food stuck between his upper teeth!! She tried to clean it out--said it's unusual for a piggy to have a space like that. She suggested I continue the antibiotic daily that she had given to me previously and see how he's feeling. She also thinks that his scratching periodically--not on his nose--may be related to the nose infection!! Interesting, eh? (My husband said it sounds like he needs to floss!!)

I did mention the illness you guys mentioned (clemitis?) but she didn't think so.

As for Snuggles, he was such a great piggy!! Everyone fell in love with him. He was really good with the doctor--except he wasn't thrilled when she cleaned his teeth--but otherwise stayed in my arms on my chest or on the table.

Doc said he's really healthy. He's gained 1.9 pounds since he was there as a baby in June weighing only 1 pound--now 2.9 lbs..And his teeth are growing fine--no maocculsion (sp?)--as I was concerned there might be 'cause I can never get him to show me his teeth. But he gets lots of good things to chew on!

As a thank you, at the end of the exam, Snuggles left the doc a little present on the table--of his little poops. (He has proper manners-never goes visiting without bringing a hostess gift!)

But we returned bonded and both took little naps later in the day after our big adventure.

Thanks for the love and support. Hope all are well.

-Wendy

[eppingstrider]

That's really useful to know what your vet said, Wendy. I think Fred's is also due to food stuck - when I first scratched it off it looked like the cardboard he gnaws off his chube. I've been bathing and scratching off the dried muck which seemed to be solving the problem, but not looking as good again this morning.

I can see Fred is going to have to have his front teeth cleaned.... fortunately my dentist has given me plenty of the appropriate tools for the job! He's going to love this