Ivermectin

[Butterfluf]

Hi guys,

I have been giving Pharmq Ivermectin drops to my piggies for 3 weeks to help with their lice (Chirodiscoides Caviae).

It seems to have mostly worked but I'd say they may need another dose or two to fully clear them as they are still itching and I still see some black specs in their fur.

The leaflet recommends doing 2 drops per 1kg for 3 weeks (once a week) which I have done. Is it safe to do another course of this for another week or 2 or is it dangerous for the piggies because I feel they are so close to being rid of them and if I don't continue now they'll just come back.

I will attach pics below of the medicine and instructions thanks for your help!

 

[Siikibam]

Did you diagnose the lice? And was the medicine from a vet or you bought over the counter.

Unfortunately over the counter medicines are usually not strong enough. You’re best off getting them to a vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

PS black specs aren’t an indicator of lice.

 

[Butterfluf]

Did you diagnose the lice? And was the medicine from a vet or you bought over the counter.

Unfortunately over the counter medicines are usually not strong enough. You’re best off getting them to a vet for a proper diagnosis and treatment.

PS black specs aren’t an indicator of lice.

The diagnosis is from the vet they confirmed lice and said that Chirodiscoides Caviae was the variety. They tried injections which didn't work and the xeno stuff they didn't give me enough of and it was extremely expensive. This brand was recommended to me by another user on a different group and was expensive at 30 euro for the bottle. The vets just want to try injections again which wrre not good for the pigs and didn't even work unfortunately

 

[VickiA]

How many rounds of treatment did you get from the vet?

 

[Butterfluf]

How many rounds of treatment did you get from the vet?

The spot on was ages ago from a different vet than I'm seeing now but I paid 80 euro for like 6 tubes which was basically only one dose if that makes sense (I have 8 pigs).

The new vet was saying the same stuff but they would need 2 tubes per pig because they are all 1kg or above which they said is 10 euro per tube, then that would need to be done for 3 weeks which is 6 tubes each.

I don't want to spend that much on something that didn't work previously when there are other options.

This treatment that I got online is certainly working but I am just wondering if I can, do another week of it because on the leaflet it says to treat for 3 weeks and I need to treat at least once more I think to clear it up but just don't know if it's safe to.

 

[Siikibam]

Chirodiscoides Caviae is (from looking it up) hay/fur mites and not life. It needs to be treated every week for three weeks if I remember correctly. Did you throw the hay away and thoroughly clean out their cages when it was discovered? @VickiA @PigglePuggle @Piggies&buns are better placed to tell you about treatment.
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites

 

[VickiA]

I appreciate that seeing a vet is expensive, but a vet will do a hands on examination to ensure the correct diagnosis, then will prescribe the correct treatment at the correct strength for the piggy’s weight and then the treatment period. You need a 3 full rounds of treatment at the correct dosage and strength. That is why the vet’s treatment is not cheap. I’m afraid we really don’t advise home treatment with medication bought online.

 

[Butterfluf]

I appreciate that seeing a vet is expensive, but a vet will do a hands on examination to ensure the correct diagnosis, then will prescribe the correct treatment at the correct strength for the piggy’s weight and then the treatment period. You need a 3 full rounds of treatment at the correct dosage and strength. That is why the vet’s treatment is not cheap. I’m afraid we really don’t advise home treatment with medication bought online.

But the reason I'm doing home treatment now is because I went to the vet at least 5 or 6 times to discuss lice/mites. They did the injections that didn't work and said that they can do the injections again but that isn't good for my pigs they were traumatised after that course and it cost a lot for nothing. I have thoroughly cleaned the cages and used F10 on the houses etc which is supposed to kill most things but be safe for the pigs according to the vet. I've washed the fleece on high temperatures too to kill anythign on them. The vets took fur samples and told me that they were Chirodiscoides Caviae.

When I got antibiotics off of the vet they made me weigh them and figure out the dosages myself and when I went back to them to double check they were only giving me rough estimates. They also didn't weigh them before giving the injections.

They're the only vet I have though and they aren't exotic. They only exotic in the country is a 6 hour round trip away from me. I did go there before with all 8,pigs and that cost a lot of money but with covid and the fact that it also isn't good for the piggies to be couped up in carry cases for that long it isn't the best option.

So I'm pretty stuck seeing as the current vet is the most experienced that I can get although I would know more myself in some areas to do with pigs than they would.

So from my experience I don't mind going to the vet I've spent thousands on taking them, but they aren't actually proving to be a better option than the home treatments unfortunately

But thank you i do understand what you're saying

 

[Butterfluf]

Chirodiscoides Caviae is (from looking it up) hay/fur mites and not life. It needs to be treated every week for three weeks if I remember correctly. Did you throw the hay away and thoroughly clean out their cages when it was discovered? @VickiA @PigglePuggle @Piggies&buns are better placed to tell you about treatment.
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites

I did thoroughly clean with and have been cleaning with F10 which according the vets kills most things and is safe for the pigs. When the vet did the injections (months ago now) they did do it for 3 weeks per pig but insisted on it being staggered (which now I assume was for them to make more money and not actually get rid of the mites why else would they do that) I'm not doing that again because it was very stressful for the pigs.

This treatment that I've been doing has been for 3 weeks I just thought that I still saw a few mites. Could've been my imagination seeing as youve stated the specs dont indicate them. So maybe it actually worked and I don't need to give them it anymore it's hard to tell

 

[Piggylove82]

I did thoroughly clean with and have been cleaning with F10 which according the vets kills most things and is safe for the pigs. When the vet did the injections (months ago now) they did do it for 3 weeks per pig but insisted on it being staggered (which now I assume was for them to make more money and not actually get rid of the mites why else would they do that) I'm not doing that again because it was very stressful for the pigs.

This treatment that I've been doing has been for 3 weeks I just thought that I still saw a few mites. Could've been my imagination seeing as youve stated the specs dont indicate them. So maybe it actually worked and I don't need to give them it anymore it's hard to tell

Is it mites or lice. You're mentioning mites now. But started the post about lice

 

[Butterfluf]

Is it mites or lice. You're mentioning mites now. But started the post about lice

Someone said to on this thread that Chirodiscoides Caviae are mites not lice. I don't really know the difference just that they're both annoying to get rid of but, I'm, going with mites now based on what another user on this thread has said.

 

[Piggylove82]

With parasites, the life cycle of the parasite is what's important. Well, also the medicine and strength/dosage matters too!

I believe ivermectin only works on lice themselves not the eggs. So first treatment should kill any lice that are hatched and you can see, then any eggs will hatch after 3 to 14 days. Hence a second treatment (at whatever interval the vet advised) to kill any lice that hatched since that treatment. And then a third treatment to kill any that hatch after the second treatment. You're basically doing repeated treatments to catch any lice that hadn't hatched when you applied the ivermectin each time.

 

[Piggylove82]

Someone said to on this thread that Chirodiscoides Caviae are mites not lice. I don't really know the difference just that they're both annoying to get rid of but, I'm, going with mites now based on what another user on this thread has said.

Oh. Sorry. My piglets have, at separate times, had mites and lice. Lice, you can see but the hair doesn't seem dirty and there was no hair loss. Mites made my pigs slightly dandruffy with some hair loss but not bald patches.

I hope you get the issue sorted

 

[Siikibam]

How far apart were the injections? As for mites, they’re too small to see by naked eye. What you’re likely seeing is the casings.

 

[Siikibam]

Could you ask for the vet near you to ring and speak to the experienced one? And perhaps recommend treatment etc?

 

[VickiA]

Could you send photos to the exotics vet and ask for a telephone consult?

 

[Butterfluf]

With parasites, the life cycle of the parasite is what's important. Well, also the medicine and strength/dosage matters too!

I believe ivermectin only works on lice themselves not the eggs. So first treatment should kill any lice that are hatched and you can see, then any eggs will hatch after 3 to 14 days. Hence a second treatment (at whatever interval the vet advised) to kill any lice that hatched since that treatment. And then a third treatment to kill any that hatch after the second treatment. You're basically doing repeated treatments to catch any lice that hadn't hatched when you applied the ivermectin each time.

I get you thank you so in theory they should all be gone now that I've completed the third and this is the fourth week and I'm just checking them out

 

[Butterfluf]

Oh. Sorry. My piglets have, at separate times, had mites and lice. Lice, you can see but the hair doesn't seem dirty and there was no hair loss. Mites made my pigs slightly dandruffy with some hair loss but not bald patches.

I hope you get the issue sorted

Well when I pulled at their hair I can see very tiny tiny white specs moving on my finger (this would have been a few weeks ago not since the treatment) But they do also have a little case of dandruff (still slight dandruff in spots) with some hair loss. Their fur certainly seem shiner and fluffier since the treatments though so that must be a good sign!

 

[Butterfluf]

How far apart were the injections? As for mites, they’re too small to see by naked eye. What you’re likely seeing is the casings.

They did them every week for 3 weeks but asked me to break them into groups so to bring some of the girls and boys for the first 3 weeks and then for the rest to do them after tht for their 3 weeks if that makes sense. And I said to the vet that they most likely all have lice so wouldn't it make sense to do them all at the same time because they will just reinfect but the vet thought otherwise...

 

[Siikibam]

Mites. As said, perhaps email the exotic vet and have a consultation with him and the local veg. There isn’t anything mire we can suggest as we don’t advise home treatments.