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Recurring Mites

Mudpuppy

Mudpuppy

Junior Guinea Pig
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My piggies had mites when I first got them.... they were treated by the vet for them. This was only 4 months ago. Now they have mites again. Any ideas why they keep getting them? They are long haired pigs. :/ Thanks
 
@Mudpuppy It could be that the original course didn't actually get rid of them completely, or the dosage wasn't strong enough.

Or it could be something else like lice.
 
Maybe from their hay?
Sometimes I think if it's hay that's loose from a farm or something live can be present in it?
 
This can also come from sawdust unfortunately. I had guinea pigs previously who were new born adopted babies literally 4 weeks old and the vet said that it was either the hay or the sawdust. I binned both bales and got new stuff and it cleared up.
P.s. should say also proper vet medicine was what got rid of the mites, getting rid of hay and sawdust just meant they didn't come back.
 
Firstly, don't use saw dust, if you choose a wood product then wood shavings or hemp alternate. I would disinfect all the houses, get rid of any tunnels i.e. anything that you can't boil wash. A good product like F10 to do the clean down. As Jacey says, it's often from hay, and there's no way of knowing where it came from.
Definitely get some more treatment from your vet, ensuring they re weighed so they are given the correct dosage, and ensure you get some follow up treatment as well. If it's mites then dispose of the hay and consider where you are buying your hay from, this doesn't mean the new batch won't be infected but its more likely not to be.
 
Thanks everyone.
It could be the hay then.... as I use both Timothy hay from P@H but also fresh bagged hay from a local farm shop.... ironically the pigs love this much more than the Timothy hay both in terms of eating and sleeping.... :(
 
Mudpuppy said:
Thanks everyone.
It could be the hay then.... as I use both Timothy hay from P@H but also fresh bagged hay from a local farm shop.... ironically the pigs love this much more than the Timothy hay both in terms of eating and sleeping.... :(
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Please see your vet again for a full diagnosis and make sure that you do a full three rounds course of ivermectin treatment. Just one round is not enough and the mites will inevitably come back.

Please also be aware that there are two varieties of mites. Hay/fur mites whose egg cases are fixed to the hairs at the back and who are therefore more harmless. they come mostly with hay, including shop bought hay.

The second group, mange mites, which burrow their eggs in the skin can kill if left untreated or undertreated because the irritation in the painfully inflamed skin can become so severe that it can cause fitting (which can damage the heart) and loss of appetite in advanced and very severe cases. You have to be aware that any egg cases that are burrowed in the skin cannot be killed off. they are normally kept in check by a fully operational immune system, but they can mae a comeback whenever the immune system is lowered by illness or stress. Many guinea pigs whose mum have mite eggs can already come with them.
Please don't be tempted to start treating with low-dosed prevention ivermection from pet shops. The dose is too low to treat an acute case, not necessary for a healthy piggy, but it can over time help to allow any dormant eggs in the skin to become resistant. It is always best to treat any acutely affected and properly diagnosed guinea pigs with a good quality 3-4 rounds course of high dosed ivermectin, including any piggies in contact with the affected piggy.

Please change the bedding and hay, deap clean the cage with F10 disinfectant and wash any fabrics at 60 C after they have had the first round of treatment. The first two rounds at the product specific interval kill off any emerging mites. the next 1-2 rounds are there to deal with any stragglers and to make sure that mites can't come back any time soon in healthy and well cared for piggies.
 
Thanks Wiebke.... appreciated. They both got diagnosed with hay mites last time and were weighed and given ivermectin drops (not shop strength) once at the vets then 2 drops once a week for 3 weeks. I threw out some stuff and washed the other things down. That course seemed to clear then, but they seem to be back now, which makes me think we've just been unlucky..... :( will get them checked out again. Thanks
 
Mudpuppy said:
Thanks Wiebke.... appreciated. They both got diagnosed with hay mites last time and were weighed and given ivermectin drops (not shop strength) once at the vets then 2 drops once a week for 3 weeks. I threw out some stuff and washed the other things down. That course seemed to clear then, but they seem to be back now, which makes me think we've just been unlucky..... :( will get them checked out again. Thanks
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As hay mites feed on debris on the skin, ivermectin is not quite as effective against them and the newer strain that we have been seeing appearing seems to be more resistent and much more difficult to get rid of.
My own vet has treated with stonghold (active ingredient selamection), but you could also discuss a two-pronged approach between ivermectin and a lice shampoo. In the latter case, you need to be aware that you have to wait at least 48 hours after any topical (on the skin) treatment before you can apply anything else to make sure that it can get to work as intended.
 
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