Dandruff/dry skin

[Rye]

Hi there, I am hoping someone can give me any advice or shared an experience please. My white long haired guinea pig has dandruff and is itchy -
I took her to my exotic vets and she couldn't see any lice etc and prescribed malaseb to be bathed in the last 2 weekends gone incase it was fungal (she doesn't have any sores or hair loss) the dandruff and itching seems to of improved slightly but can long haired guinea pigs just be prone to dandruff/itchy skin? We have indoor piggies and room temp is 18-20 degrees, I use fleece bedding. I give them bell peppers and oxbow vitamin c supplements daily so I don't think it's a vitamin c deficiency. I also use ivermectin monthly. Does anyone have any advice or experience please? Thank you

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

If there is definitely no lice or mites (Lice of course are the only type of parasite which is visible to the human eye. Mites being invisible); and fungal is ruled out (I note she is on a treatment), then yes some piggies (regardless of hair length) can have dry skin and dandruff.

We do not recommend the use of ivermectin monthly. These products which are ‘recommended’ to be done monthly tend to be low dosed pet shop products which are not recommended anyway. Ivermectin should really only be used in a vet grade product when there is a diagnosed active infestation of mites. Using it routinely when there isn’t a need can actually lead to resistance forming meaning you find it harder to treat an actual case should one occur. Unfortunately we are seeing posts regarding resistant cases of mites occurring.

Do also note that piggies with a good diet should get all their vit c needs from the diet and not need vitamin c supplementation (although I’m not sure how much vit c is in the oxbow products). Over supplementation beyond dietary needs means excess vit C is simply excreted in the urine. So at best it is a waste of money as the extra is just coming straight out. At worst, long term supplementation can mean their bodies get used to unnecessarily high amounts of vit c so if that level then drops from what their body has become used to, they can respond with scurvy even though there is not strictly anything wrong with their vit C levels. Any piggies who have been long term supplemented would need to be weaned off any additional vit c slowly over the course of two weeks so as to not cause deficiency

 

[Rye]

Hi thank you for your reply. I really appreciate your help. That's really great advice especially about the ivermectin and the vitamin c info! I only became a guinea pig owner in April so still got lots to learn, my guineas are rescued so I don't know any previous history about them unfortunately but just wanting to give them the best care possible. Thank you for your help.

 

[Piggies&buns]

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