Mites

[Midge&Panda]

I picked up 2 piggies last week and have just noticed that one is scratching. The was a small red scratch mark on her back last night that has now become slightly bigger and sore. I'm thinking mites so in a while I'm off to the vets to pick up a xeno for them. Until I can get her to the vets on Monday is there any cream that I can use just to soothe the area.? I have sudocrem or bepantham at home or is there anything better. Thanks.

 

[Wiebke]

I would leave the area be and make sure that you get the right diagnosis (against fungal).

 

[Midge&Panda]

Thanks Wiebke, I was concerned about leaving it over the weekend as the area has got bigger since last night. I was going to treat her as "just in case" for mites with a visit to the vet on Monday. Or just give her some piriton to help the itching till then.

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks Wiebke, I was concerned about leaving it over the weekend as the area has got bigger since last night. I was going to treat her as "just in case" for mites with a visit to the vet on Monday. Or just give her some piriton to help the itching till then.

The itchiness is caused by painful mite eggs buried in the skin, not by an allergy or an insect bite. Please do not use human medications on guinea pigs!

 

[Pebble]

Please do not use the topical spot-on this weekend because
a) it doesn;t work on mange mite infection - it works only on lice and hay mites (static lice)
b) if you do, the vet won;t be able to give an ivermectin injection on monday and will have to wait at least a week (possibly two) until they can.
This does sound like mange mites from your description of the wound area and the fact she is continuing to enlarge it.She will need 3 injections 7-14 days apart - either if ivermectin or preferably doramectin (better penetrating power in the tissues - this is what my vets use as routine)
A short-acting dose of steroid given together with the mite treatment may also help
You may want to ask for some buprecare painkiller (we found this helped relieve the pain associated with scratching - metacam was useless)

For the existing wound - bathe or spray with dilute F10 disinfectant to keep it clean and keep secondary fungal at bay

BOTH PIGS NEED TO BE TREATED....and it will get worse before it gets better. You also need to follow good hygiene practice

You have caught it right at the early stages so it shouldn;t be a problem to clear up. There is lots of information/tips on how I have been treating some very serious cases of mange can in the thread below
https://www.theguineapigforum.co.uk/threads/2-more-dying-piggies.122408/

x

 

[Wiebke]

Please do not treat on spec; that means that you will be unable to hit the piggies with the appropriate product straight away on Monday, having to wait at least 1-2 more weeks until your current application has worn off and in effect prolonging the suffering. I know how hard it is to sit by and wait, having been there myself, but it is really much better than anything you can do right now.