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Looking after someone elses pig

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jess_2745

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Someone has asked me to look after their pig while theyre on holiday.

I've had a good look at her today and I'm really upset.

Shes absolutely infested with lice, all her underneath is covered with eggs.
Her hairs falling out.
Her nipples are crusty and sore.
Her nails are way too long.
I think shes got bumblefoot as one of the front feet is swollen with a scab starting to form.
Shes got cataracts and you can feel her spine.

I don't know what to do, she's 8 years old and is basically like a frail old lady :(
 
Shes in spain at the minute and i dont really know her its my sister boss so its awkward. I don't know why shes like this as they feed her veggies, the correct food and she has a clean hutch.

I'm going to give her nail a trim as i think its the way shes walking thats making her foot sore. I've got some gg foot cream so will put that on and see if it helps.

Got some gg lice treatment as well which should get rid of the lice. I'm really worried about whether to bath her or not as she is so old and has probably never been bathed and she lives outside.
 
How awful for you, and so awkward. :( I've no knowledge about whether it's safe to bathe the piggy at that age/state of ill health, but hopefully someone else will have treated something similar.
 
Thank God for you!! Ok if i were you i would endevour to put right the wrongs and have a chat with the owner when she gets back!
At least with treated the lice and lets face it probably mites and clipping her naiuls and getting her clean fresh bedding after scrubbing her hutch she will be more comfy..... i wouldnt bathe her if she frail.
I'm sure some of the other regs will have some ace advice... awwwwwww poor little piggy, So glad she has * to care for her x
 
Thats the thing i really dont want to bath her but I'm not sure what else i could use to treat her.

I think i will do as much as i can and then say something when she gets back, plus i dont want any of mine getting lice either.
 
You can get lice / mites spray (Johnson's) for about £3.99. I would usually recommend bathing as the best option but at her age she might have a heart-attack, poor girl. You can also use an essential oils mix and a nit comb!

I hope she's ok

Sophie
x
 
You can be spot on at the vets (Invermectin) and just a spot to the back of the neck is fine and I think that you should do so. The hair falling out is probably because of her itching due to the mites.
 
i would go ahead and treat her and take her to the vest but i would also report the owner no matter how upset they get no animal should ever be in this state,i hope the piggy is ok and weldone for helpingxxxx
 
To be honest, I think tactful treatment is called for here (ie explanations about the state of the pig etc, without recriminations), as this is the OP's sister's boss!
 
The animal comes first, in the sense that it is treated for its problems - I'm certainly not suggesting the problem is left. I very much doubt that the RSPCA would do anything in this case, as the pig was left with food and water in the care of a responsible person. I would assume that the owner would say that they weren't aware of any problems, and therefore that they were not intentionally withholding medical treatment.
 
pelicano said:
The animal comes first, in the sense that it is treated for its problems - I'm certainly not suggesting the problem is left. I very much doubt that the RSPCA would do anything in this case, as the pig was left with food and water in the care of a responsible person. I would assume that the owner would say that they weren't aware of any problems, and therefore that they were not intentionally withholding medical treatment.
Click to expand...

good point,i wish authoritys cared more:(
 
Yeah, I think it will probably fall into one of those grey areas where the RSPCA would do nothing, although they might have a word with the owner. But, the point I was trying to make (probably badly!) was that a tactful word might be all that's needed anyway. Hopefully the sheer embarrassment of it all will make the owner realise that they really need to start taking better care of the piggy.
 
Hi Pelicano, I do feel sorry for you and the piggie! I think you are right that a tactful word might be in order.

Maybe you could gently say that you had to put her piggie in quaranteen as she was infested and needed urgent treatment, and that you did that and you also did a little maintenance (trimming nails, foot cream) but maybe you can add on at the end that if she brings the piggie to you every now and again you could do a healthcheck to 'nip these problems in the bud' so to speak and if she ever needs advice you could help. If any vetinary treatment has been carried out then I would show her a receipt and ask her how and when she would like to pay for the necessary treatment of her guinea pig.

I do hope it all gets sorted out when the owner returns. Please let us all know what happens. In the meantime I'm glad that the piggie is in good hands! x
 
Does that lice spray actually work? I was told it has bad chemicals in it and doesnt work.

She is so cute, i think she might be a bit deaf as well! Went to check on her and she didnt move when i opened the door and was on her side. She still didnt move when i said her name so by now I'm thinking oh no! but once i touched her she jumped up so must have been having a snooze.
 
I just checked the Invermectin bottle that I have, and it says exactly this:

Controls and treats mites in large cage birds (e.g. parrots and homing pigeons), and for fur, ear and mange mites and lice in rabbits, guinea pigs, ferrets and other small domestic animals e.g. hamsters and rats.

:):)
 
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