Dandruff?

[Anita]

Hi, I wonder if you could help me.* I have a 3 month old pig named Pip and over the last 4-5 days*days I have been noticing that she always has a dusty looking face despite being on Profleece vetbed.* I just put it down to her rummaging through the hay but this weekend she has suddently developed a greasy coat and on closer inspection it looks like she has dandruff.* I have parted her hair and looked closely and throughly and there is no sign of any bald patches or cuts or redness or lice.* I did notice however that when I brushed her cage out this morning there was a lot of hair flying around but I haven't noticed any balding or even thinning of her hair.* She seems happy (popcorning) and is*eating and drinking well.
*
Does this sound familiar to anyone?

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

Hi Anita

I haven't experianced this (as yet!) but if you have a look on http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/index.html there is an identification page which might help you.

 

[Anita]

Hi, thanks for replying. I have e-mailed Gorgeous Guineas in the hope that it sounds familiar and they have just the product. I already have the Lice 'n' Easy Shampoo but I can't see any lice.

You think you are doing everything right for them but still something goes wrong! She has already had lice (which she had when I got her) but her cagemate has always been fine.

Oh well ... fingers crossed this is easily sorted.

Thanks.

 

[KimberleysWheekers]

Fingers crossed! Hope you get it sorted x

 

[Laura-CCC4]

Hi Anita, welcome to the forum.

I'm sure Chrissie from Gorgeous Guineas will be able to recommend one of her products for you. I would wonder about a fungal problem, as the hair can seem greasy in some cases, and will slide out from the skin easily, often with flakes of skin attached to the base of small clumps of hair.

I think bathing in an anti-fungal shampoo would be beneficial to cleanse the skin and coat and deal with any fungal problems that may be starting there. Gorgeous Guineas sell anti-fungal treatments, but Nizoral shampoo can also be used safely.

 

[Wiebke]

It probably won't hurt thinking about mites treatment at the same time; just cover all angles.

 

[redfrock]

glad you have posted this Anita as I was going to post something similar myself. My 4 sows scratch - but I suspect this could be to do with the amount of time they are rummaging through their hay boxes. I am convinced Africa had mites when I brought her home - she had dandruff, was scratching and her fur didn't feel rex like. I visited the vet and treated all 4 with 3 doses of oral ivormec, a week apart. Willow had a flakiness to her ears as well. The dandruff and flaky ears have pretty much cleared and the fur now feels rex-like. Africa is 5/6 months, the other 3 are 3/4 months. The thing is Africa's fur seems to have thinned out. Almost like a moult. And it is is shorter and lighter. She still has some longer darker patches, in 'clumps'. There is no baldness and no runners. The skin looks a healthy colour.

I've tried the identification route on the gorgeous guineas page and one minute I think mites, then fungal, then mites and so on! So do you think she is just moulting now it is warming up after a very cold winter? (they are indoors but in a lightly heated conservatory (don't panic, we have expensive shade stuff on the roof and window blinds, and they will be outside in the outside malarkey when it gets warmer). Or do you think it could be something to be concerned about?

 

[Anita]

Yes I was thinking mites as well and thought I should treat them just to be on the safe side.

Redfrock, I had the same dilema as you when trying to figure out what she had using the gorgeous guineas page ... mites ... fungal ... mites ... fungal? Hopefully Chrissie will be able to recommend something and I can sort Pip out.

Sorry I can't help you with your problem but I am so new to guinea pigs that its all a learning curve with me at the moment. I hope Africa is alright.