Ivermectin Usage Questions

[Dilly's Piggies]

My pigs were diagnosed with mites and prescribed topical ivermectin, they went through 4 treatments 7 days apart as advised by the vet. I was told to give 2 drops per piggy on the back of the neck. However upon reading most people say to put 1 drop behind each ear since the fur is so thick, I did notice most of the solution stuck to the hair rather than on the skin, and also I've seen you should wait 10 days not 7, and it's 1 drop per 500g of piggy, I have a few piggies that are heavier and would technically require 3 drops not 2. After doing my research I feel like I've done it wrong and I need to do it again, my pigs are still scratching so what I did before 100% didn't work.

Can someone give me the correct advice to give my pigs the best chance of getting rid of these nasty mites?

 

[pig in the city]

My pigs were diagnosed with mites and prescribed topical ivermectin, they went through 4 treatments 7 days apart as advised by the vet. I was told to give 2 drops per piggy on the back of the neck. However upon reading most people say to put 1 drop behind each ear since the fur is so thick, I did notice most of the solution stuck to the hair rather than on the skin, and also I've seen you should wait 10 days not 7, and it's 1 drop per 500g of piggy, I have a few piggies that are heavier and would technically require 3 drops not 2. After doing my research I feel like I've done it wrong and I need to do it again, my pigs are still scratching so what I did before 100% didn't work.

Can someone give me the correct advice to give my pigs the best chance of getting rid of these nasty mites?

Is it just fur mites they have or are they mange mites?
If mange mites they are best treated by injection of ivermectin x3 doses, 7 to 10 days apart.
If fur mites the topical ivermectin should work, it can be used 7 to 10 days apart, you are correct about the dosage, but if they have had 4 doses 7 days apart it should work. Putting it on the hair is fine, but l tend to part the hair. The fur mites don't suck the blood so the ivermectin doesn't have to be absorbed through the skin. Hope that helps!

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

Is it just fur mites they have or are they mange mites?
If mange mites they are best treated by injection of ivermectin x3 doses, 7 to 10 days apart.
If fur mites the topical ivermectin should work, it can be used 7 to 10 days apart, you are correct about the dosage, but if they have had 4 doses 7 days apart it should work. Putting it on the hair is fine, but l tend to part the hair. The fur mites don't suck the blood so the ivermectin doesn't have to be absorbed through the skin. Hope that helps!

I don't remember the technical name for the mite but the vet said "It's not the horrible mite", so I assume fur mites, but my pigs have had hair loss and balding/scabbing from it and I don't think fur mites cause that? If what I did was right then I don't know why they are still having a skin problem

 

[Swissgreys]

I had a similar thing with Eddi - itchy with sores and he was treated with Ivermectin.
The Ivermectin did help, but he was still itchy and scabby so we went back to the vet and he was treated for fungal.
That seemed to do the trick, and whilst I have no idea how (or why) he got both in quick succession, he did, and after a full topical treatment for fungal, we haven't had any further problems.
Maybe do a skin test for fungal?

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

I had a similar thing with Eddi - itchy with sores and he was treated with Ivermectin.
The Ivermectin did help, but he was still itchy and scabby so we went back to the vet and he was treated for fungal.
That seemed to do the trick, and whilst I have no idea how (or why) he got both in quick succession, he did, and after a full topical treatment for fungal, we haven't had any further problems.
Maybe do a skin test for fungal?

I did have them tested for yeast and it came back negative, I'm not sure I believe it however, fungal has been my suspicion ever since this started, can the test give a false negative? I've had pigs with mites before and ivermectin was all that was needed, it's not straightforward this time

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

I had a similar thing with Eddi - itchy with sores and he was treated with Ivermectin.
The Ivermectin did help, but he was still itchy and scabby so we went back to the vet and he was treated for fungal.
That seemed to do the trick, and whilst I have no idea how (or why) he got both in quick succession, he did, and after a full topical treatment for fungal, we haven't had any further problems.
Maybe do a skin test for fungal?

I'm also concerned about systemic fungal, two of my 8 girls in particular have had digestive issues and weight problems, one sow has lost 50g despite having a great appetite and the other is a young piggy, she's 10 months old and hasn't gained any weight in 2 months, she's staying around 920g whereas her sister is about to reach 1000g, probably just a coincidence but these 2 girls are the only ones that had scabbing and baldness, maybe it is affecting them more than the others? Just seems fishy to me but I've asked my vet about fungal and because the test came back negative they are reluctant to prescribe anything for them, I really want them tested again to be honest but I feel like my vets are sick of me with the amount of times I take my piggies lol!

 

[Stayc1989]

I can remember one of your other posts about this issue and I said it sounds like the same thing my pigs have and I have visited 3 different vets about this issue and we must have been 6 times and the vets said it was the heating in my house. Well I have taken them to an experienced guinea pig vet and have had it checked and mine have some sort of mites which the vet is treating with 3 ivermectin injections.
I'm not at all saying yours definitely have mites or am I saying our piggies definitely have the same thing but if I was you I would take them to a different vets for a second opinion. Like you, I have always known there was something wrong with them and mine have all been treated several times with spot on ivermectin 2 drops per piggy and it didn't do a thing for them, they were still scratching and losing fur. Can I ask a random question, if you rub your guinea pigs on the centre of their back do they start like shaking and biting stuff?

 

[Dilly's Piggies]

I can remember one of your other posts about this issue and I said it sounds like the same thing my pigs have and I have visited 3 different vets about this issue and we must have been 6 times and the vets said it was the heating in my house. Well I have taken them to an experienced guinea pig vet and have had it checked and mine have some sort of mites which the vet is treating with 3 ivermectin injections.
I'm not at all saying yours definitely have mites or am I saying our piggies definitely have the same thing but if I was you I would take them to a different vets for a second opinion. Like you, I have always known there was something wrong with them and mine have all been treated several times with spot on ivermectin 2 drops per piggy and it didn't do a thing for them, they were still scratching and losing fur. Can I ask a random question, if you rub your guinea pigs on the centre of their back do they start like shaking and biting stuff?

Yes they do, if I even lightly touch on their back/hip area they turn around and start furiously biting at it, they can keep biting at it for a good 5 minutes after I've stopped touching, sometimes they fall over trying to bite it. They're all sensitive to touch and don't like being held, I can only assume because of the skin problem, one piggy even squeals and yelps in pain and won't let me handle her at all, I can't trim her hair or clip her nails without a fighting and squealing match, it's terrible. Can you tell me how much the ivermectin injections cost? I'm scared to know since I have 10 pigs that need treating, oh dear!

 

[Stayc1989]

To be honest it does sound like my piggies because that's exactly what they do but I'm no vet so cannot say for sure. Although I know it is mites of some sort with mine because the vet showed me on the microscope. It was £28 for both of my male piggies see the vet and have the first injection, but they have to back 2 more times and then if it has worked and there is no more scratching I have to take my 4 girls to have it done. But I'm waiting to see if it works first before I take the girls.
It's very stressful trying to tell the vets what's going on because they have always said they are fine and I know they weren't. And have wasted so much money on spot on treatments and vets trips. Once I went to a small vets and it cost me £90 for 2 guinea pigs to have a spot on treatment that didn't work I almost died when I handed my bank card over so not taking any chances this time I'm checking it's worked before taking them all.