Moulting guinea pigs

[Claire W]

Is it possible for my guinea pigs to be moulting? I have noticed that they are losing quite a few strains of hair. It isn't noticable on their bodies i.e. the fur isn't thinning but I am noticing quite a lot of hair on the fleece and carpets where they have been.

They are also a bit dandruffy but they had dandruff a few weeks back and the vet said that they didn't have mites and it is more likely to be dry skin. Their skin in also nice and clear.

 

[Wiebke]

It can be moulting now that the weather is warmer.

However, as Erin has been with Ffion and Briallen, and they have come down with mites, I would not exclude it.

Can you rub gently over skin that is a bit flaky; if a piggy suddenly squirms, it's a sign of mites (tip I got from one of the vets and so far, it has panned out for me).

 

[Claire W]

Erin doesn't squirm but Eliza does. However, Eliza is very squirmy and she always has been :{ Eleanor seems fine as well but I shall check them all again in the morning

 

[nutmeg]

Can you rub gently over skin that is a bit flaky; if a piggy suddenly squirms, it's a sign of mites (tip I got from one of the vets and so far, it has panned out for me).

That sounds like a bit of a funny do Wiebke. |) xx

 

[Dindypig]

Hi, Dindy had dandruff/flakey skin on her rump and was shedding hair. The hairs had flakes of skin on the root end, sometimes there were clumps of 3 or 4 hairs with a flake of skin on them.
Her skin looked clear, not like mine when I get dadruff.
She defininatley did not like her rump being touched and squirmed uncomfortably.
I tried her with Ivomec first, thinking that it was mites but after much reading on this very helpfull site and also Peter Guney's site, it turned out to be a mild fungal desease
I used Nizoral shampoo and it worked a treat.

 

[mart]

all of mine are moulting too- i think its like they are shedding their winter fur- i'm not sure if piggies do that but my cats do and they are moulting too!

One of my girls moulted and i checked for mites couldn't see anything- couple of days later absolutely covered. I will bath all mine over the next few days while they are moulting and treat them with mite stuff just incase but they all seem fine to be honest.

hope this helps x

 

[Pebble]

My pigs seem to be doing this in succession over the last two weeks..i.e. more hair being shed than normal - with associated scurf - and multiple hairs to skin flake....so I am hesitant to view this as fungal atm...really does seem like spring moult in view of the sudden raised temps down here.

Seems to last one or two weeks thne back to normal

Have started syringe feeding extra Vit C (50mg per pig - most of mine are Abyssinian - I think this makes a difference compared to smooth haired as my SH are OK but my Abys' periodically need exta Vit C to keep their coats in A1 condition) - if no change within a week or so then off to vets

HTH

x

 

[devonbelle]

I noticed some dandruff type flakes on Bill 2 weeks ago so off we went to the vet. Apparently he has mites. We started the spot-on treatment but decided to hold off treating Ben as they live singly. However, during lap time last week I noticed his hair coming out by the clump. So we are now treating both piggies. They both squirm and squeak if I touch their rumps so know what Wiebke means. I guess it might be worth a trip to the vet - better safe than sorry!

 

[Claire W]

Thanks guys I have stroked them all this morning and they aren't as dandruffy as yesterday and are fine when I touch their rumps. I think I will keep a close eye on them for now as like I say, it is exactly the same as last time and when I took them to the vet, she said it was just a bit of flaky skin. It is probably me being over paranoid as usual :{