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How do I know if this itch is too much itch?

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MommaPiggy

MommaPiggy

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I let my boys outside the other day.
It was a nice Sunday, very warm and sunny. My boys haven't been outside for a few months, due to the weather and lack of a run.

Since monday, though...I've noticed that they're both scratching alot. An awful lot.
They're fur is all messed up sometimes, due to the scratching.

I was watching them this morning for about an hour and a half and they stopped to scratch every couple of minutes.

I checked them out yesterday. Pulled their fur about a bit, couldn't see anything. Not even any dandruff...Which is odd since they used to get that alot, too x.x

Should I give them a bath with flea/mite shampoo, just in case?
Or maybe buy some of that "spot on" and just try it to see if it stops the scratching.

I go on Holiday this saturday. For 2 whole weeks. And I don't want to hand my Guinea over to my brother if they have anything.
He has Guineas of his own...So it might cause problems for him, too.
I'm in a bit of a panic.
 
Best take them to your vet and have them treated for mites - they do not always show immediately apart from the itching, especially with longhaired piggies; you can ask your vet for a second dose to be given orally after 10-14 days, which you can hand over to your brother. I did that once when I was away at the time of the second dose being due. It looks like it is still early days, so it should be easy to stay on top of the mites!

If you want, you can give them a bath with a normal shampoo before taking them to the vets, or "lice'n'easy" shampoo, if you really want to be on the safe side.
 
Mites are microscopic so you wouldn't be able to see them with the naked eye - just the effects of them i.e itching and scratching, broken shafts of hair or hair-loss / scabbing.

It's best not to bath within 48 hours of giving a mite treatment such as Ivomec - if you take them to the vets they might look under a microscope to see if it's mites then give you Xeno spot-on or an injection. Both are usually repeated with a second dose.

Lice n Easy is great if it's lice - you can see lice with the naked eye, either running lice which are like tiny grains of rice and they run away when you part the hair, or static lice which looks like dirt.

But from the sounds of all the itching and scratching, it is likely to be mites rather than lice.

Sophie
x
 
Thanks guys.

I'll call my vets right away then and they should be able to squeeze me in tomorrow.

I thought I'd ask here first. I don't want to go taking up a vets appointment if I don't need to you, you know.
There might be someone with a really sick pet who misses out because I'm being paranoid.

But they are scratching so much x.x
 
You can still give them a bath with a normal shampoo today; I find that it eases the itching somewhat until the ivomectin kicks in and doesn't interfere with any treatment of the vets that way.
 
I have been through the exact same thing. Caused by the same thing - putting the pigs outside. It stands to reason they get itchy. I get itchy too.

I took my pigs to the vets and they were given either injections or solution. At the moment I am currently using Beaphar Spot on now. I also have a box of xeno 450 in my cupboard, as someone advised me on here.

But it might also be worth considering that sweating makes them itchy too.

Hope they get better
xx
 
So how do they regulate there body temperatures?
 
I have an appointment tomorrow morning now.

thanks guys :)

I'll let you know how it goes.
 
They got the all clear.

Luckily, Ralph is a softy and was quite happy for the vet to ruffle his fur...But poor Arnold wimpered and quivered all the way through his turn.

The vet said that it might be the heat, or they could have been bitten by some ants while they were outside.
He said that if symptoms get worse in the next week, I should bring them back because it could be mites, it just might be too early to catch them.

Otherwise he said they're absolutely fine. And even commented on how beautiful their coats were :(|)


He didn't want to give them anything if there was no need to.
 
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