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Mites help please.

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piggypig

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I think one of my girls may have mites :( I have a group of 6 girls who live in my house together. I bonded my single girl recently with mom and her 4 baby girls so when I noticed a few scabs and hair pulls on the once single girl I thought mommy pig was picking on her even though Id seen no evidence, so Ive spilt them into 2 groups for the time being. However looking on the internet and various sites it seems very possible its mites. She has a sort of line from the middle of her back to her bum with very little or no hair which has slight bleeding and seems like it has dandruff. The hair also falls out very easy. Needless to say she will be making a trip to the vet asap. I was just after a bit of advice until then. If she has mites will the other 5 be likely to as well? And does it sound more like mites or some other skin infection as oppose to bullying? Does mites normally spread so quick as it seems to have gone from a small area to a good size in a matter of days. My poor baby girl :(.
 
I would take them all in as they have all had contact. All guineas have mites all the time but when they get stressed or ill or just under the weather (like us humans) the mites multiply and it causes a problem for the guineas. If other gunieas have been in contact then the mites can transfer across (like head lice) so it is better to treat all who have been in contact or at least quarintine (sorry can't spell it) them!
 
Sounds like mites I'm afraid. Have a look at the photographs on www.gorgeousguineas.com
Mine are being treated for it at the moment. The vet pescribed Xeno 450 (Ivermectin)which is a spot on treatment which you put on their skin every two weeks. I also got some Manuka and Neem shampoo from gorgeous guineas and the Aloe Vera Gel for the areas where Spike had made his skin sore by pulling his hair out. The instructions with the shampoo are very good, you must wait for 48 hours before shampooing after using the spot on treatment and all of them will need to be treated. I'm not sure how old the babies are but it can't be used on guineas under 12 weeks old.
Happy bathing!
 
Thank for your help I did manage to have a quick read before the vets. It turns out she does have mange mites :( She has had one treatment and will need to go back in 10 days for a second and to see if shes getting better. The vet recommended leaving her seperate until the mites clear and keep a very close on on the rest of the group. The babies are only 3 months so I'm happy to leave them without treament just as a precaution as they are still so young and only want to treat them if they need it. What are the chances they they manage to stay clear when being in contact with a guinea pig in the early stages of mange mites. Their fur is still in brilliant condition and they have no signs at the minuite? Also I have ordered some shampoo from the hay experts (gorgeous giuineas directed me there) Manuka and Neem. Shall I use it on all the pigs or just the infected one? Its not here yet btw and I'm aware of the 48hr period that I need to wait.
 
Wouldn't do any harm to use it on all, but I must warn I had a case of bullying, which I thought was mites as I didn't see any signs, turns out it was the other pig. If she is on her own you will be able to observe her much better :)...

Hope it clears up soon!
 
JoanneG111 said:
Wouldn't do any harm to use it on all, but I must warn I had a case of bullying, which I thought was mites as I didn't see any signs, turns out it was the other pig. If she is on her own you will be able to observe her much better :)...

Hope it clears up soon!
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Thanks. Ive been sat watching her since finding it and have noticed her scratching quite a lot. Seems to be less now shes had treatment though. I just feel so sorry for her on her own but she seems fine with it and is still eating like a pig! :))
 
piggypig said:
Thanks. Ive been sat watching her since finding it and have noticed her scratching quite a lot. Seems to be less now shes had treatment though. I just feel so sorry for her on her own but she seems fine with it and is still eating like a pig! :))
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Thats good, hopefully she will clear up quickly and be back with her piggy herd!
 
Personally, I would not bathe young guinea pigs, especially the antifungal baths, for the same reasons as the mites treatment - do it only if absolutely necessary and in a small, diluted dosis.

However, there is a form of low dose ivermectin which can be given to younger guinea pigs and guinea pig under 800g. It's called xeno50. Keep an good eye on your youngsters, but do not despair if they come down with mites.
 
Wiebke said:
Personally, I would not bathe young guinea pigs, especially the antifungal baths, for the same reasons as the mites treatment - do it only if absolutely necessary and in a small, diluted dosis.

However, there is a form of low dose ivermectin which can be given to younger guinea pigs and guinea pig under 800g. It's called xeno50. Keep an good eye on your youngsters, but do not despair if they come down with mites.
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Okay thanks for the heads up. Just a waiting game now I guess.
 
No, it's not never easy...

If it is of any consolation to you - I have got mites doing the rounds in my tribe right now as well!
 
The way to check for mites is , hold the pig carefully on a piece of white paper, then firmly stroke the hair on its back against the grain so to speak - not in the direction that it lies. If its mites you will see little black dust dots on the paper. These are not the mites - you cant see those with the naked eye. but are the dead rubbish from the mites.Most pigs will get mites during their lifetimes from the hay . Ivomec two drops ten to 14 days apart will sort it.DEF. NOT FOR THE BABIES.
 
Polly said:
The way to check for mites is , hold the pig carefully on a piece of white paper, then firmly stroke the hair on its back against the grain so to speak - not in the direction that it lies. If its mites you will see little black dust dots on the paper. These are not the mites - you cant see those with the naked eye. but are the dead rubbish from the mites.Most pigs will get mites during their lifetimes from the hay . Ivomec two drops ten to 14 days apart will sort it.DEF. NOT FOR THE BABIES.
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Thank you for this Pollie, I found this very informative. I shall remember for future :)
 
Polly, are the black specks still that colour whatever the pigs skin/coat colour?
 
Erm... do you know I'm not sure, I think they are usually black or at least v. dark otherwise on a white pig you'd never be able to diagnose them.Perhaps you could ask Vedra. Actually I'm not even convinced that mites are what the pig on this thread has anyway, "grey powdery" flecks sound more like fungal trouble to me.
 
QR

Our pigs had tiny, pale. stick-like things dashing about in their fur (going back some years) and were scratching like mad. We did the Ivomec drops behind each ear and they went. They don't sound like anything on this thread, and I really thought they were mites. I used a needle on a syringe to measure out the drop size. Looks like I got that wrong, too. Oh heck...
 
That sounds like running lice to me. But it doesn't matter what you did as it cleared up - bonus :)
 
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