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Interesting info regarding mites from a guinea pig specialist (Rabbits as well!)

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youthnovels

youthnovels

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Some of you may be aware of this, others (like me) may not.

Sadly, Betty and Elsie have got mites and it has now been confirmed by a guinea pig specialist.

On talking to the vet he advised me that mites AREN'T contagious and that I wouldn't need to treat the whole heard. He said in fact, they are related to their immune system and that if they are run down, not given the correct diet etc then that is how they come down with it. He said the misconception that they are contagious comes down to the fact that all guinea pigs in a heard tend to get mites as they are all not being cared for properly.

He also advised me that generally speaking you do not need three injections to resolve the issue and that it tends to be resolved within seven days by the first jab. Obviously, if it doesn't go then more injections would be required.

He's an absolutely brilliant vet and is highly recommended by loads of people on a rabbit forum I post on so I don't doubt a thing that he was saying.

I took four rabbits and two guineas and we were in there for over an hour as he fully checked them over, weighed etc. Absolutely brilliant attention to detail in my opinion.

He also advised that the myxi and VHD jab can be given together. Apparently the reasoning behind the two week gap is that both drugs are made by different companies and there has never been any official tests done on combining the two. So, to cover themselves they introduced the regulation that they should be administered with a gap inbetween. He advised that in all the years he has been injecting he has never seen a reaction from giving both jabs together and infact he feels it is better for the rabbit as it results in less vet trips.

Just thought it would be worth posting it on here as I've read varying advice on here/the internet in general when it comes to mites!
 
Oh god =[ my girl Poppet had what looked distinctly like fungal, but turned out to be mites and both my girls are due there 3rd injection today, even though Nuggit has shown no signs of skin irritation.

I'm not ruining there immune system in having them injected am i? :{
 
kirst10 said:
Oh god =[ my girl Poppet had what looked distinctly like fungal, but turned out to be mites and both my girls are due there 3rd injection today, even though Nuggit has shown no signs of skin irritation.

I'm not ruining there immune system in having them injected am i? :{
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I doubt you'd be runing their immunse system and I guess sometimes it's best to go on the side of caution. Obviously I don't want to tell you what to do with your animals but I am just going off what I was personally told yesterday night.

I took three of my heard in, Betty, Elsie and baby. He checked baby over, no sign of irritation so he said she wouldn't need anything. Then Betty and Elsie both have very sparse hair so he has given them both an injection. He's told me it should go within seven days. If it doesn't start to clear up (especially the raw patch on Elsie back) then we need to call back to discuss the next stage but from his experience one jab tends to do the trick.
 
youthnovels said:
I doubt you'd be runing their immunse system and I guess sometimes it's best to go on the side of caution. Obviously I don't want to tell you what to do with your animals but I am just going off what I was personally told yesterday night.

I took three of my heard in, Betty, Elsie and baby. He checked baby over, no sign of irritation so he said she wouldn't need anything. Then Betty and Elsie both have very sparse hair so he has given them both an injection. He's told me it should go within seven days. If it doesn't start to clear up (especially the raw patch on Elsie back) then we need to call back to discuss the next stage but from his experience one jab tends to do the trick.
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Eeek - see, Poppet lost a patch of fur the size of a 10 pence piece, and they both had eggs on there ears, but only Poppet showed signs of hair loss, skin irritation/weeping. I think i'll mention what you've said on here about this to the vet tonight and see what her reaction is. They're barely over 2 months old which is why I'm fretting so much lol.
 
That's very interesting, one o my piggies the old one has mites and I was worried my other 3 and the rabbit were going to get them as well. I discarded my hay and been checking them like mad but I could see no hay mites / lice on them and I took them the vets and he couldn't see any so maybe this is why. Phew can breathe a sigh of relief that they won't all get infested.
 
not that I want to contradict what sounds like a brilliant vet, I agree that the mites that cause mange are brought to light when a piggy is 'run down' for whatever reason (old age, ill health, neglect etc). But the more common fur mites -that are a less serious problem and are not blood sucking- are contagious from other animals/hay etc and need to be treated by regular shampooing etc.
thanks for the comment about the rabbit vaccines- thats very interesting
 
Good info dear.

To add, the mite he is talking about i would assume is dermodex, which is a burrowing mite in the skin which lives dorment until the animal is immunosuppressed (immune system compromised) or they are stressed. These mites are different from the ones that run on the fur/skin (usually caught through infested hay/other pets/the environment).

These fur mites (most commonly the canine biting louse or cheyletiella) are contagious. So until you have a proper diagnoses from the vet you shouldnt assume they arent.

Ivermectin can solve mites in one injection or spot on, but in bad infestations no it does not. Dermodex however i assume is treated differently.

Yes myxi and VHD can be given together providing you understand the risk. Its on the vets head if your bun gets unwell. The two vaccines have not been tested together, and although your vet has not ever seen a problem, it doesnt mean he will not. And I'm sure ive read somewhere hes not actually allowed to do this. But thats up to him. To be honest i it was me i would take them twice. I wouldnt care if i had to take my pets backwards and forwards to the vets all the time. Its not that stressful and its in the interests of the animals health. So it doesnt worry me taking them.

Sorry, I'm not saying your vet is wrong at all. Just making sure you understand what he is saying.

x.
 
That is very interesting about the Myxi and VHD being given together. All my boarding rabbits are given them 2 weeks apart according to their record certs. Obviously the vets around our area are not prepared to mix them.

Mites are not always caused by "not being cared for properly" or "neglected" :(
 
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