Help Fleas!

[Squeak Dreams]

Hi I have 5 girl guinea pigs 2 are about nearly 2months on the seventh and three are nearly 5 months on the tenth and I have noticed them scratching and itching themselves a lot I checked them and saw some black near their bottom area I thought it was dirt from the hay since I wash my pigs once a month with pets at home aloe Vera shampoo and I use the Johnson's fly strike spray but I haven't been using that before I saw the fleas my friend said she uses advantage or something any advice should I get a brush help

 

[piggyfan]

It is unlikely to be fleas unless they have been in contact with another animal with fleas. It sounds like mites. This could be mange mites, running lice or hay mites. As they are scratching I would take them to a vet for a diagnosis and to start treatment.

 

[Squeak Dreams]

It is unlikely to be fleas unless they have been in contact with another animal with fleas. It sounds like mites. This could be mange mites, running lice or hay mites. As they are scratching I would take them to a vet for a diagnosis and to start treatment.

Ok thank you will book and appointment for the weekend should I bring all five pigs

 

[piggyfan]

Yes as they are all likely to have it and may need jabs. Good luck.

 

[helen105281]

I agree with Gigi, it is best to get a proper diagnosis from a vet. Treatment is with Ivermectin. For mange mites I always opt for the injections. For hay mites or running lice then shampooing can be effective. I tend to recommend Lyclear Creme rinse which is a human headlice shampoo but you must always patch test for 48 hours behind the ear first.

 

[Squeak Dreams]

Okay so my friend who has pigs all her life who is 17 she told me to get this

 

[helen105281]

I know some people on here do use that (I don't myself as I don't use Spot on). I think you need a vet to diagnose first though before treating.

 

[Squeak Dreams]

I know some people on here do use that (I don't myself as I don't use Spot on). I think you need a vet to diagnose first though before treating.

Okay thanks

 

[Wiebke]

Okay so my friend who has pigs all her life who is 17 she told me to get this View attachment 15756

Easimec is fine to treat companion piggies of mange mite piggies with in order to prevent them from coming down with mange mites themselves, but you want several rounds of a stronger product for the actually affected piggies to properly clear them).

However, it would be better if you got a proper diagnosis from a vet which kind of skin parasite you are exactly dealing with, as they need different treatment. By treating on spec you can easily make things worse if you treat for the wrong thing.

Mange mites, for instance, are too small to see by eye, whereas running lice are usually light coloured moving little things and fur/hay mites (which are also called static lice) are brown to dark little dots sitting typically at the bum of piggies; they appear typically at this time of the year. Some piggies can on short term pick up parasites from other species of pets living in the same household, however, as those cannot survive on a different species, they are generally no more than a passing nuisance.

I would be wary about using advantage on guinea pigs, by the way.

 

[The Furry Godmother]

Easimec is fine to treat companion piggies to mange mite piggies with to prevent them from coming down with mange mites themselves (but you want several rounds of a stronger product for the actually affected piggies to properly clear them), but it would be better if you got a proper diagnosis from a vet which kind of skin parasite you are exactly dealing with, as they need different treatment. By treating on spec you can easily make things worse if you treat for the wrong thing.

Mange mites, for instance, are too small to see by eye, whereas running lice are usually light coloured moving little things and fur/hay mites (which are also called static lice) are brown to dark little dots sitting typically at the bum of piggies; they appear typically at this time of the year. Some piggies can on short term pick up parasites from other species of pets living in the same household, however, as those cannot survive on a different species, they are generally no more than a passing nuisance.

I would be wary about using advantage on guinea pigs, by the way.

Sorry to defer as such, Franks mite issue is annoying me and I think it's the hay/fur mite things as yesterday after bathing him with GG's live shampoo I found black/brown patches on his bum and some stuck on the fur kinda thing.

So far one vet gave him the Xeno, two weeks later (last saturday) they gave him the injection instead, then told me to go back in two weeks, is this going to work?

Anything I can do to make things better?