Help for a Guinea Pig Holiday Sitter, Please!

[Lammy]

Hello

I am 'guinea-pig' sitter for my family whilst they are on holiday.

I obviously don't want to worry them but one piggie (long haired white) is scratching from time to time (but not constantly). I checked her ears and one is pink but the other black.
Her companion (short-haired black piggie) is not scratching at all.

I would be grateful if you could please advise if:
a) I really need to seek a vet (and would any vet do?)
b) Do you think this could be mange? I have read of Xeno 450 for treating mange (the drug Ivermectin). I presume I could buy this from a pet shop(?).
c) Do you think this could be a fungal infection and if so, what would be the best product to use?

I hope this is enough information for advice (I am unable to download a photograph, apologies).

Many thanks in advance

 

[pig in the city]

Hello

I am 'guinea-pig' sitter for my family whilst they are on holiday.

I obviously don't want to worry them but one piggie (long haired white) is scratching from time to time (but not constantly). I checked her ears and one is pink but the other black.
Her companion (short-haired black piggie) is not scratching at all.

I would be grateful if you could please advise if:
a) I really need to seek a vet (and would any vet do?)
b) Do you think this could be mange? I have read of Xeno 450 for treating mange (the drug Ivermectin). I presume I could buy this from a pet shop(?).
c) Do you think this could be a fungal infection and if so, what would be the best product to use?

I hope this is enough information for advice (I am unable to download a photograph, apologies).

Many thanks in advance

Don't worry. Piggies do scratch occasionally. As long as there are no sores on the skin or bald patches just leave alone. You could groom the long haired piggy and that might help.
If you are concerned that it's getting worse take the piggy to the vet, don't treat without a vet diagnosis, it's a recipe for disaster!

 

[Betsy]

Welcome to the Forum. You have come to the right place for all things piggy!

It is quite common to have different colouring on guinea pigs so that is nothing to worry about. If the underlying skin on one ear is black the fur will be black and if the underlying skin on the other ear is pink the fur will be white. I have a piggy with 3 black feet and the 3 of the toes on one foot are white and one is black!

As @pig in the city has already said guinea pigs do scratch sometimes they get itches just like us. If concerned take her to the vet.

 

[Wiebke]

Hello

I am 'guinea-pig' sitter for my family whilst they are on holiday.

I obviously don't want to worry them but one piggie (long haired white) is scratching from time to time (but not constantly). I checked her ears and one is pink but the other black.
Her companion (short-haired black piggie) is not scratching at all.

I would be grateful if you could please advise if:
a) I really need to seek a vet (and would any vet do?)
b) Do you think this could be mange? I have read of Xeno 450 for treating mange (the drug Ivermectin). I presume I could buy this from a pet shop(?).
c) Do you think this could be a fungal infection and if so, what would be the best product to use?

I hope this is enough information for advice (I am unable to download a photograph, apologies).

Many thanks in advance

Hi!

Please keep an eye on it; the stress of a change of home/care can lower the immune system and allow opportunistic issues to come to the fore. If the itching is increasing in frequency and intensity and especially if you notice bare patches especially on the back or the face or tiny beads on the bum hairs, please see a vet for a diagnosis. Don't home treat on spec, but make sure that both piggies are treated correctly with the proper stuff when they need to. Unfortunately not everything is quite nicely textbook. In the very early stages (which you may be in), all these issues can look much more similar than pictures will let you suggest, hence our warning to not treat - potentially wrongly - on spec.

You are very observant pig sitter and your piggies are obviously in good hands with you.


You may find this link here helpful: New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites