Regular Itching/scratching

[Caitlin Wilson]

I recently adopted a guinea pig and noticed that he was itching the same spots quite regularly. I have been checking for any hair loss and I can't see anything around the areas but he doesn't like me touching the area that he is scratching on his side. When I have felt it, I can't feel anything but I'm worried that it may be irritating him. I have had guinea pigs in the past and I have other guinea pigs and I've never encountered this. Could anyone recommend anything to help or anything that it could be? Thank you in advance.

 

[Wiebke]

I recently adopted a guinea pig and noticed that he was itching the same spots quite regularly. I have been checking for any hair loss and I can't see anything around the areas but he doesn't like me touching the area that he is scratching on his side. When I have felt it, I can't feel anything but I'm worried that it may be irritating him. I have had guinea pigs in the past and I have other guinea pigs and I've never encountered this. Could anyone recommend anything to help or anything that it could be? Thank you in advance.

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If in doubt, please have him checked by a vet; many of our members do this with our new guinea pigs anyway as a matter of course. It may be just a reaction to drier air etc. but the stress of a move to a new home can cause mange mite eggs sitting in the skin to break out or - especially at this time of the year - fungal infections (not necesaarily ringworm) to hit. Please do not treat on spec with low dosed shop products.

 

[Caitlin Wilson]

If in doubt, please have him checked by a vet; many of our members do this with our new guinea pigs anyway as a matter of course. It may be just a reaction to drier air etc. but the stress of a move to a new home can cause mange mite eggs sitting in the skin to break out or - especially at this time of the year - fungal infections (not necesaarily ringworm) to hit. Please do not treat on spec with low dosed shop products.

I would never treat him without knowing. I was just wondering if anybody had experienced it before. He has dealt with the stress of a new home really well, and I've had him for nearly two months now. A family member of mine is a vet and she's checked him out after I posted this and found absolutely nothing wrong with him. She's going to come back in a few days to recheck but she's thinking that I'm worrying for nothing.

 

[Wiebke]

I would never treat him without knowing. I was just wondering if anybody had experienced it before. He has dealt with the stress of a new home really well, and I've had him for nearly two months now. A family member of mine is a vet and she's checked him out after I posted this and found absolutely nothing wrong with him. She's going to come back in a few days to recheck but she's thinking that I'm worrying for nothing.

Thanks for clarifying that. Please accept that we always need to make sure with any new members. We get enquiries from all over the world, very different backgrounds, climates and vet access.

If a vet consultation has found nothing, then there is likely nothing to worry about.

Has the vet also checked for fur mites (chirodiscoides caviae) which fix their tiny, but visible eggs to the hairs at the bum end while they are not visible? It is very easy to miss them. Otherwise, it is likely just a bit of dry skin. All guinea pigs scratch to a certain extent; it is just if the frequency and intensity changes or there are bald patches/thinning hair and bloody bite/scratch wounds from severely irritated skin that you need to worry.

 

[Caitlin Wilson]

Thanks for clarifying that. Please accept that we always need to make sure with any new members. We get enquiries from all over the world, very different backgrounds, climates and vet access.

If a vet consultation has found nothing, then there is likely nothing to worry about.

Has the vet also checked for fur mites (chirodiscoides caviae) which fix their tiny, but visible eggs to the hairs at the bum end while they are not visible? It is very easy to miss them. Otherwise, it is likely just a bit of dry skin. All guinea pigs scratch to a certain extent; it is just if the frequency and intensity changes or there are bald patches/thinning hair and bloody bite/scratch wounds from severely irritated skin that you need to worry.

She regularly visits to check over all of my small animals (3 guinea pigs and a hamster). Yes, she did check and said that she couldn't see anything. She also checked the specific stops that he was itching as it wasn't all over. He didn't seem too irritated by her touching him, any more than normal anyways. He's a little grumpy after being taken away from him food but that's not out of the ordinary. She gave me a antibacterial shampoo, and I'm going to bath him in a little bit as she thought it could be dry skin. Thank you for your help.