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Lice - treatment and prevention?

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Jerrybelly

Jerrybelly

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Frankie has lice...again! This is now the third time in just over a year. I assume it is lice - they are tiny, white things that are attached to his fur. They are visible, but barely. If I look with a magnifying glass then I can see them moving. He has black fur, and I can see the white spots, which are mainly in his crest. He has had them just like this before. I took him to the vets on the previous two occasions. They prescribed Xeno 450, which I had to put on him three times. That seemed to do the trick.

His last bout of them was August. Is it normal for pigs to get them this frequently? We also treated Marley for them previously on both occasions as a precaution, but the vet was unable to say for certain whether he had them too. Frankie seems to be particularly prone to them. Can anyone suggest why this might be? Where do the lice come from and is there any way I can try to prevent them?

I wondered about treating them myself this time. Has anyone tried Gorgeous Guineas 'Lice n Easy' shampoo? I had a trial size bottle in which I bought a few months ago. I decided to give this a go first. I bathed Frankie and Marley in it last night, and will do so again next week, as per the instructions. I've heard positive reviews of it, but I would be interested to hear people's opinions? If this doesn't work I thought I could buy Xeno 450 and treat them both myself with it. Would it be OK to treat Marley with this too, even though I can't be positive that he has them? Would I do the three applications for him, just as I would if he did definitely have lice.

I'm so annoyed that Frankie's got them again!
 
*TOUCH WOOD* I've only ever had pigs with lice ONCE and this was about ten years ago.
If you've had lice three times in a year have you changed anything such as bedding or hay? Do you get your hay or bedding from a farm or anything as that can be the cause.
I haven't tried Gorgeous Guineas Lice & Easy before but I have heard good reviews.
Treat any piggies in close contact with the effected piggy as well as disinfecting all toys, bowls etc as well as the cage / hutch.
 
My other pair of boys never had lice (and were treated exactly the same as my current piggies) I'm completely baffled why Frankie keeps getting them!

During the previous two occasions that were bedded on woodshavings. I bought new bags of bedding and disinfected everything when they were treated.

Now they are on vetbed. I use a specific pet bedding detergent which kills absolutely everything, so I hope that will be enough. Their current vetbed went straight in the wash last night and they went down on new bedding after they were bathed in lice n' easy. I also disinfected their cage and their wooden house.

I buy excel hay, and not hay from a farm. The excel hay is also a relatively new addition. I don't think they were having it during the previous two occasions.
 
I had a look at Frankie this morning, and the 'white dots' seem to have almost disappeared from his crest. I didn't have a good look at his fur, but I am hoping that this is a good sign. The shampoo needs another application on Sunday so I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it'll work!
 
Hope you can get Frankie lice free soon. Miss Moo has mites at the moment it's a nightmare and not shifting.... Got one more application of Xeno to go. Cuddles to all piggies x
 
Is Frankie your lone boar? Does he have any wooden houses or anything in his cage? Wooden cage furniture/wooden hutches can harbour lice.you can just buy Xeno, its a non prescription product. You'll get it much cheaper online than from your vet!
 
Amanda1801 said:
Is Frankie your lone boar? Does he have any wooden houses or anything in his cage? Wooden cage furniture/wooden hutches can harbour lice.you can just buy Xeno, its a non prescription product. You'll get it much cheaper online than from your vet!
Click to expand...

Frankie lives with Marley, who is also getting treated as a precaution. I did have a wooden bridge in their cage, but after each bout of lice it has been thrown out and replaced with a new one. I'm sticking with plastic ones from now on - they're much cheaper!
 
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