Guinea Pigs Have Bald Patches

[Rachel1112]

Me and my Mum took my two Guinea pigs to the vets about 7 weeks ago because one of them had black bits in her fur and the vets said they both have mites. The vets put Xeno 450 on them both then told us to come back every two weeks so they could apply it. My Mum noticed a bald patch behind one of the pigs ear one vet said she had alepsha and the other said the hair would start growing back which it didn't. Me and My Mum are getting bites. The last and final vet consultation they said the Guinea pigs were fine. But we said how we can still see bits on them they said they couldn't. My mom asked if it could be ringworm she said no it would be scaly. Today I was holding my Guinea pigs and I noticed my other pig had a big pink bald patch on her, I noticed the patch a week ago but it's got bigger. And she had black bits in her fur. What's wrong with my animals?

 

[DM030819]

The patches behind their ears are normal. All pigs have them. They're surprisingly big aren't they?! Are the bald patches anywhere else, or just behind their ears?

Here's a random Google photo:
https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=52229&d=1373865216

How many times were they treated for mites?

 

[Wiebke]

Me and my Mum took my two Guinea pigs to the vets about 7 weeks ago because one of them had black bits in her fur and the vets said they both have mites. The vets put Xeno 450 on them both then told us to come back every two weeks so they could apply it. My Mum noticed a bald patch behind one of the pigs ear one vet said she had alepsha and the other said the hair would start growing back which it didn't. Me and My Mum are getting bites. The last and final vet consultation they said the Guinea pigs were fine. But we said how we can still see bits on them they said they couldn't. My mom asked if it could be ringworm she said no it would be scaly. Today I was holding my Guinea pigs and I noticed my other pig had a big pink bald patch on her, I noticed the patch a week ago but it's got bigger. And she had black bits in her fur. What's wrong with my animals?

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Hi and welcome!

Guinea pigs have naturally a bald patch behind each ear. It should look the same on both sides. You only need to worry when the patches are not symmetrical; just look at the one behind the other ear and see whether the shape is the same. The shape of them looks normal to me. Alopecia means hair loss.
Guinea pig body quirks

- Mange mites (which are causing bald patches, but are not visible to the naked eye). They burrow their eggs in the skin, which becomes very itchy, sore and inflamed during an acute outbreak.
- Fur or hay mites, which are also called static lice, are near invisible, but attach visible and touchable egg cases to the hairs at the bum end. They are much more harmless and do not cause loss of hair.
- Lice are pale moving little critters.
Are you sure that it is not just debris or small skin flakes you see in the hair?
The other thing that can cause bald skin patches is a fungal infection, but there is no sign that hose ear patches have any sign of crusty/white exudations building up on the skin according to your photos. The skin looks perfectly normal and health to me.

 

[VickiA]

The hairless patches behind the ears are perfectly normal. They help piggies regulate their temperature and are lovely for us humans to snuggle a kiss into!