Mites - What do I do?

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rainbowstarsx

rainbowstarsx

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The boys have been itching like mad lately, and today I thought I'd give them a check over and I'm pretty sure they have mites.
Damon has really irritated skin, there's a bit that is a little open and has been bleeding? In his fur I saw very very small white things moving?

I've never had this before, and they both live indoors?
What exactly should I do?

Thanks.
 
Hi i have recently had the same problem took them to vet and have been given xeno 450 spot on think they will need 3 doses 2 weeks apart but it seems to be working i also switched from sawdust to fleece which has helped them if i put them in sawdust they start itching like mad again
 
As said above, they need a vet visit. :) However if you can physically see them its lice not mites. (not all that different, both need to see a vet to confirm diagnosis)
 
You can treat them with beapar however one dose will not be sufficient (which isnt what it says on the packet) One dose may help untill you can see a qualified vet. The shampoo wont really help mites, and it shouldnt be used untill 2 days after using the beapar. :) It may be a temporary fix but nothing should supliment vet care.
 
If you're going to get one of those I would use the bephar spot on it contains ivermectin which is the same as in xeno 450 but at a lower concentration. The shampoo contains pyrethrin which will work on lice but is less effective in the long term. When you go to see your vet make sure to mention what you've used just to make sure they don't get overdosed. I'm assuming your piggies are living with you in your uni house - can you not find a local vet there?

Edit: Not meaning to bombard you, just posted at the same time as the person above!
 
Hermes said:
If you're going to get one of those I would use the bephar spot on it contains ivermectin which is the same as in xeno 450 but at a lower concentration. The shampoo contains pyrethrin which will work on lice but is less effective in the long term. When you go to see your vet make sure to mention what you've used just to make sure they don't get overdosed. I'm assuming your piggies are living with you in your uni house - can you not find a local vet there?

Edit: Not meaning to bombard you, just posted at the same time as the person above!
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Yes my piggies are living with me in my house. I'm not exactly sure how they would have gotten lice?! Is it a common thing?
I am hoping to get home sometime this week so I'll have them sorted as soon as I can. Such a pain with all my work.
They seem just fine though, I just gave them a check because Damon had a bite on his back and both guineas get on brilliantly so was surprised!
 
Hi i got the bephar spot on from pets at home used it twice but it didn't help at all you can order xeno 450 online i got some so that i could treat both my guinea pigs from ebay it arrived within 2 days
 
If one piggie was bitten by the other, and has drawn blood its likely they need seperating. Could this wound be caused by exessive scratching from the lice/mites?
 
Idealy you should not be buying anything. If one piggie has an open wound they need medical attention NOW! OR at the very least some time tomorrow.
 
Connie said:
Idealy you should not be buying anything. If one piggie has an open wound they need medical attention NOW! OR at the very least some time tomorrow.
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I have to say - and it doesn't just happen on this forum - but I really dislike reading posts where someone *shouts* in capital letters.

I think it's really rude, and whilst it may be meant in the right way it certainly doesn't come across that way.

Would you shout NOW at someone in real life?
 
Honestly, in real life i would most likely should the whole thing. I'm a rather loud person. However when typing i tend to use capitals only for emphasis on seriously important points. Which this is. I would not do that in a thead about something less important.

(to add, in reall life i definatly would stress the word now) - perhaps in furture i will put it in bold instead. :)
 
If you have open sores, I would strongly recommend that you see a vet for proper treatment and diagnosis. If you treat wrongly, you cannot only make things much worse, but it will cost you a lot more in the end.

Are the sores on or near the head or on the back? If they are on the head, then you are more likely dealing with ringworm, which is a fungal complaint.

Please be aware that xeno450 can only be given to guinea pigs over 800g; you need a different product for smaller guinea pigs (xeno50). Beapar is pretty worthless. Any mites treatment needs to be given for the whole course of 3-4 treatments in 10-14 day intervals to kill any emerging eggs from the skin and prevent a resurgence. It does not treat lice or fungal problems.

Mites, as well as lice, can come in hay.

http://www.guinealynx.info/parasites.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html
http://www.gorgeousguineas.com/photogallery.html
 
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Thanks. I'm going to take them to a vets tomorrow hopefully and get them properly seen to.
I was going to take them to the vets anyway but I just needed a treatment in the meantime.
It certainly isn't one attacking the other, they get on perfectly and the wound is on the back, no other symptoms other than scaly looking skin, a slight hair loss and these white moving things in the fur?
 
Thanks. I'm going to take them to a vets tomorrow hopefully and get them properly seen to.
I was going to take them to the vets anyway but I just needed a treatment in the meantime.
It certainly isn't one attacking the other, they get on perfectly and the wound is on the back, no other symptoms other than scaly looking skin, a slight hair loss and these white moving things in the fur?
 
White moving things in the fur is lice. Mites you can't see from naked eye.

Great that you are taking them to the vet! If I were you, I would throw out your current hay bag and start a fresh one.
 
I think you have to watch the weight of your guinea pig so you know the correct dose . The babies I rehomed came with lice and the vet had to order in suitable lice "stuff" as the regular stuff would be too strong for their wee bodies .It took 6 weeks ( a dose every 2 weeks ) to make sure it had gone . Good luck !
 
My guinea pigs had lice and I took them to the vet, the vet gave them needles to get rid of the lice but it didn't work we had to keep on going every two weeks they had 4 injections altogether every two weeks but these lice didn't wanna go so they tried the spot on instead (Xeno) after 4 weeks of treatment the lice had gone!
But I suppose it depends on the guinea pig!
 
xRachaelx said:
My guinea pigs had lice and I took them to the vet, the vet gave them needles to get rid of the lice but it didn't work we had to keep on going every two weeks they had 4 injections altogether every two weeks but these lice didn't wanna go so they tried the spot on instead (Xeno) after 4 weeks of treatment the lice had gone!
But I suppose it depends on the guinea pig!
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It also depends upon the parasite!

Lice, which CAN be seen with the naked eye; are surface parasites that feed on skin not blood, so will not be killed by ivermectin injections but can be killed by ivermectin topical (ie"spot-on treatements)

Sarcoptic mange mites burrow into the skin, can't be seen with the naked eye, are the most serious (and deadly) of infections and are best killed by ivermectin injections

Hay mites can;t be seen with the naked eye (or look a bit like walking dandruff) and require either injections or topical treatment

Fungal needs a completely different treatment altogether.

Beaphar is NOT a good mite treatment as it is weak and ineffective compared to vet meds. Also piggies need any medication, whatever the symptoms, to be dosed by weight according to specific guidelines in the National Pet formulary, and for small pigs, again you need to be very careful what you use.

There is NO point in trying to give a treatment prior to an imminent vets visit as all it will do is interfere with what the vet can give them in terms of the correct treatment for a properly diagnosed condition

HTH
x
 
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