Haymites help!

[Demi]

Hello,

I have just been shampooing my guinea pigs with lice n easy by gorgeous Guineas. However, after first wash there is still some black specks, is this what is expected? Do the remaining fall out on the second lot of treatment in a week?

Thank you!
Demi

 

[Betsy]

Have you taken your piggies to the vet for treatment too?

 

[Wiebke]

Hello,

I have just been shampooing my guinea pigs with lice n easy by gorgeous Guineas. However, after first wash there is still some black specks, is this what is expected? Do the remaining fall out on the second lot of treatment in a week?

Thank you!
Demi

Hi!

Please be aware that lice shampoo only is often not successful against hay mites; it will not remove or penetrate the egg cases that are fixed to the hairs and from which new mites will emerge.

Please see a vet for more effective treatment to use alone or with your vet's consent in combination with a good quality spot-on. You will however have to compute for a 48 hours gap between any application to the skin between each treatment to allow the active substances to be fully absorbed into the body.
Only once you have seen the vet (who won't thank you for removing any evidence for a diagnosis) can you cut off any affected hairs. It may be a bit drastic, but it is the most effective and permanent method of removing egg cases and minimising the number of emerging hay mites you have to then treat. Even in short-haired piggies cut off hairs will grow back without problems.

Here is more information on hay mites: What to check and look out for in new guinea pigs (vet checks, sexing, parasites&illness)