Guinea Pig Mange Breakout please help!

[catasintiger]

We have 5 piggies, Poppy, Pippa, Pika, Pretzel and Petal who we've had less that a year.

A week ago we noticed Poppy was getting really frustrated and scratching her back a lot and on closer inspection it was sore and looked like mange. We rushed her straight to the vet who confirmed it and he gave her an injection and asked us to break her back in two weeks for another which will break the life cycle of the mites.

However, today (one week 4 days since Poppy's 1st injection) we have noticed Pippa has a similar patch on her. we have called the vets who has advised us to bring Pippa and the other untreated Pigs down to the surgery tomorrow to get the injection too.

I've read various suggestions about shampooing them to self treating to people loosing guineas to mange and I just don't know what to do for the best. Should I get all 4 other piggies the treatment? Will this irradicate the mites for good? Should I shampoo them all as well as cleaning the cage?

Any advice would be really helpful :-) We just want to do what's is best for our girls and get rid of these horrible mites! :0

 

[ZaraPiggie6]

ask for some xeno spot on for each one!

One of my pigs had that injection (6 of them) and it didnt work! however the xeno did.

Xeno 450 is designed as a topical spot on for use on rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and birds over 800g.

The active ingredient of Xeno450 is Ivermectin (ivomec), a substance known as an endectocide because it kills parasites that cause infestation inside the body (endoparasites) as well as those living outside the body, on the skin (ectoparasites). Ivermectin is used in many species for the control of mites, roundworms and lice.

Rabbits: Fur Mites (Cheyletiella and leporacus), Ear Mites (Psoroptes cuniculi), Mange Mites (Sarcoptes scabiei or Notodres cati).

Ferrets: Ear Mites (Otodectes cyanotis), Mange Mites (Sarcoptes scabiei), Heartworm (Dirofilaria immitis).

Guinea Pigs: Mange Mites (Chrodiscoides caviae, Trixacarus caviae, Demodex caviae, Myocoptes musculinus and Sarcoptes scabiei), Lice (Gyropus ovalis and Gliricola porcelli), Ear Mites (Psoroptes cuniculi).

 

[catasintiger]

Treat as a preventative measure?

Fantastic thanks :-) to be honest I'm not sure it's working on Poppy as she is still clearly very irritated by the patch on her back. I'll definitely try the xeno 450, would this be ok to give to Poppy aswell even though she is still in the middle of the other treatment? I've seen that i can buy online - would you advise this or do you always get direct from a vet?

 

[ZaraPiggie6]

Ivermectin can be overdosed so i wouldnt advise both at the same time. I always get mine direct from the vet when i have an appointment. At least that way you can ask any questions you may have. There are alternative spot on treatments but ive found xeno is by far the best.

if your anxious to do something pronto without the risk of hurting your piggies i swear by neem oil, its a nice cure all(Peter gurney recomended). I bath them with a mild shampoo and water down the oil and rub it into the fur/skin, leave for a few days then wash off with a neem oil shampoo. usually does the trick. sometimes a second go is needed. i get it from an oriential type shop in town. be warned tho it leaves piggies smelling like chinease takeaway!

 

[Wiebke]

If in any doubt what you are about, I would recommend to have them seen and treated by a vet. Please be aware that all piggies in a group need to be treated and that you need at least 3-4 rounds of treatment spaced 10-14 days in order to catch any eggs in the skin. Do not bathe a piggy within 48 hours of spot on treatment, and preferably not until the end of the treatment. Mange mites can cause painful skin and bathing can make things worse. Additional bathing is only recommended in those cases where piggies are suffering from fungal complaints at the same time. Do not use different treatments at once.

Here is more info about mites: http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html