hairloss

Question
hi i have an about 8 month yr old piggy and i have noticed small sort of sore hairless patches on his belly, lip, chin and a sore patch on his foot what could it be i am planning to book a vets appointment but i would like to know what is going on with him. thank you. and if u have an idea of what it could be is it contagious think you.

Answer
Hi Stef,
I'm sorry it took me this long to get back to you, I've been the only expert not on vacation, and I've had many questions to answer.
It sounds like your guinea pig has a fungal infection, and possibly bumblefoot.
It definitely needs to be examined by a vet, so you're doing the right thing by making an appointment.
Fungal infections(this is most likely the reason your guinea pig has hairless patches, although it's possible it's due to mites, which need a vet examination and treament also) are contagious, so all of your guinea pigs will need to be treated.
The sore you described on his foot sounds to me like bumblefoot. Make sure the guinea pigs are not in cages with metal bottoms, these are what cause this most of the time. Metal and wire cages are not good to keep guinea pigs in.
It's good that you are interested in the diagnoses, and that you want to help your guinea pig as much as you can until the vet can see it. You can go to http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html for more information on fungal infections, and http://www.guinealynx.info/pododermatitis.html for information on the bumblefoot(your guinea pigs feet may not look nearly as bad as the pictures on the website, that's good!).
Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!
                                                        A.Jones