dandruff

[poppylovesguineas]

Hi everyone hope you had a nice christmas.
one of my piggies is a sheltie with long hair down his back and rump. Is dandruff normal on pigs or could it be a sign of lice or mites? iv checked his hair thoroughly and there is only bits of skin loose in his hair which is down his rump. My other guinea is short hair and has clear hair. Is there any way to clear it? they have lice n easy shampoo and another guinea pig one.

Thanks xxxxxxx

 

[Briony_S]

It could be mites, dandruff is often a sign of mites. Is he scratching more than normal? maybe give him a bath as he could just be irrated and keep an eye on him!

 

[poppylovesguineas]

thanks. he doesnt seem to be scratching. If he had mites wouldnt that mean he would have some sort of hair loss?

 

[Briony_S]

Guineas with mites usually scratch and hair loss does occur when it gets more severe. I would just keep an eye on him for now and if you notice exessive scratching then get him to the vets. What do you bed them on could the "dandruff" be bits of bedding or hay dust possibly?

 

[KingBoris&HisFollowers]

When my piggies get fungal infections the first sign is flakey/dry skin on there rump so look into that too xx

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Some guineas do have naturally dry skin. Regular baths - once every 2-3 months - can help improve the health of the skin, although there may always be a light degree of dryness.

Flaky skin does also occur with parasitic and fungal problems, so it is important to rule these out before assuming it is simply dry skin. Lice are visible parasites so you would be able to see them on examining the hair.

Has your guinea been treated with Ivermectin (for mites) before?
Does his hair slide out easily if gently tugged, coming out in small clumps with flakes of skin attached?

 

[poppylovesguineas]

it does come out if i pull it gently but not in clumps. i dont know what to do really, can i give him a spot on treatment?

 

[charlie23]

hi 2 of my gps have this theyve been checked by the vet and it is just dry skin. I would just get your gp checked for peace of mind though hope this helps

 

[Laura-CCC4]

If the hair is coming out easily, it could be a slight fungal infection. A good wash in an anti-fungal shampoo is probably worthwhile in any case; Nizoral from the chemist (shampoo sold for humans with dandruff), or Gorgeous Guineas Manuka and Neem shampoo are both good choices. Both work most effectively if the pig is shampooed and rinsed normally first, and then the second shampoo is allowed to soak in for five minutes before rinsing.