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Itchy Pig; Negative Results

CherryMuse

CherryMuse

Junior Guinea Pig
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Ive had my guinea Sapphire for a little over a month now and about three weeks or so after having her pups I noticed they all seemed to be scratching a bit more than seemed normal at the time.

I've already taken her to the vet and had both a skin scrape and ringworm test done. The scrape showed nothing under the microscope and the test came back negative, but she is still itching and seems uncomfortable. She had even started biting her side and paws more; something the vet had noticed checking her out last visit but only said it 'seemed a little irritated' which was why she recommended the test.

I may take her back this week but I was wondering if I should run another test? Or if maybe a bath would alleviate the irritation? I've seen no signs of mites but a patch of fur towards her back seems dry compared to the rest of her fur and she just seems to not be comfortable..
 
CherryMuse said:
Ive had my guinea Sapphire for a little over a month now and about three weeks or so after having her pups I noticed they all seemed to be scratching a bit more than seemed normal at the time.

I've already taken her to the vet and had both a skin scrape and ringworm test done. The scrape showed nothing under the microscope and the test came back negative, but she is still itching and seems uncomfortable. She had even started biting her side and paws more; something the vet had noticed checking her out last visit but only said it 'seemed a little irritated' which was why she recommended the test.

I may take her back this week but I was wondering if I should run another test? Or if maybe a bath would alleviate the irritation? I've seen no signs of mites but a patch of fur towards her back seems dry compared to the rest of her fur and she just seems to not be comfortable..
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I would recommend a precautionary ivermectin treatment as soon as the babies are weaned. Mites can still happen even with a negative test. We have seen that often enough on this forum!
 
Wiebke said:
I would recommend a precautionary ivermectin treatment as soon as the babies are weaned. Mites can still happen even with a negative test. We have seen that often enough on this forum!
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Okay then, I will ask my vet about starting ivermectin treatment, as the pups have already been weaned and separated :0. Hopefully this helps, thanks!
 
CherryMuse said:
Okay then, I will ask my vet about starting ivermectin treatment, as the pups have already been weaned and separated :0. Hopefully this helps, thanks!
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Then your piggies (even your babies) are safe for it, even if it is just a precautionary measure while both mother's and babies' immune systems are not yet up to full speed.
 
Update, at vet now and they are doing another skin scrape, though she says they may prescrive a topical just in case. She also says that if they find anything they will also give it to the pups housed with her as a precautionary measure.
 
CherryMuse said:
Update, at vet now and they are doing another skin scrape, though she says they may prescrive a topical just in case. She also says that if they find anything they will also give it to the pups housed with her as a precautionary measure.
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Edit: scratch that, they applied a topical and are sending me home with an oral to give her, as they noticed a small raw spot on her head that seemed to have lost some fur. It isn't scaly but it did seem like an ill ndent of fur gone.....hoping this isn't early signs of mange or anything D:

The oral they gave me is enrofloxacin susp., which I didnt see come up as dangerous when looking it up so I think it'll be okay..
 
I just wanted to add that Eddi (our boar) seemed quite itchy, so we took him to the vet and ran a series of tests.
Various skin scrapes and microscopic exams revealed absolutely nothing.
I did multiple microscopic exams at home (science nerd with high power microscope who misses the lab) and still nothing.
We put him on ivermectin anyway (3 doses 8 days apart), and he improved dramatically, and has never had a problem since.
Sometimes they do have mites and they just don't show up, so hopefully the treatment will help.
 
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