I'm pretty sure one of my pigs has mites. It started as a couple spots she kept scratching, it looked like a fungal infection and I treated it as such. Initially it seemed like it was under control and going away. In the last week and a half she has lost a lost of hair on her hind legs and the skin is dry. None of the other 3 pigs are showing any symptoms but I know if one has mites they all do.
There is only one vet around her experienced with guinea pigs and the earliest appointment I could get is on Sunday. What should I do to ensure she is ok until then? At times she won't move much, but from all observations she is eating and drinking regularly. If she has lost any weight it does not appear to be a noticeable amount. I thought about giving her a bath, but decided against it
Thanks for any help.
Hi and welcome! Please weigh her daily at the same time in the feeding cycle, ideally always either before or after dinner to keep an eye on her food intake. Cheap supermarket kitchen scales are adequate to judge whether a guinea pig is losing weight or not from one day to another. If there is continuing weight loss over 50g/2 oz, please step in with topping her up with syringe feed.
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
There is nothing you can do at home for now, as anything your do now means that your vet won't be able to treat straight away. As you have already treated on spec, any diagnosis is going to be a lot more difficult for him. Skin problems can often be quite difficult to diagnose and treat; by far not all are textbook. Obviously, the sooner you can have her seen, the better.
Mange mites treatment involves a good quality ivermectin product at the correct dosage for the respective weight; either by injection, orally or topically. This needs to be repeated at least twice at the product specific interval (typically 1-2 weeks apart) to catch any emerging eggs and prevent an re-occurrence. Shop brands are too low dosed and only serve to build up resistence, but they cannot get on top of an acute infection. I would not recommend to bathe during that time, especially not within 48 hours afterwards if the treatment is topical (i.e. applied to the skin). In severe cases, bathing can trigger fits.
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