Sophie is scratching herself a lot

[missbrittany]

Sophie seems to be scratching herself on her back more than usual. Whenever I scratch her there she gets kind of "loopy". I've searched her skin over and over and I can't find any mites/areas of hair loss/or even any flakes. Her skin looks completely normal and fine. Of course I don't mind taking her to the vet to get her checked over, but as I was just there with Penny this morning (and it's not cheap) I was wondering if there is anything I can do at home to sooth her skin if it's just dry? She's always had a spot on her back that would get her going if I scratched there I just feel like lately she's been scratching it more than normal.

 

[Mamaguineapig]

One of my boys used to do that too. I had him back and forward to the vets for years. He never had mites or fungal or any of the likely stuff. The vet suggested an allergy to "something". The vet would give him a steroid jag and the scratching ( and self barbering) would stop for 6-8 weeks at a time. I tried changing bedding and tried to work out if it was a certain food type that triggered it with no luck. He lived in a spacious hutch with his brother during summer with access to an outdoor run most days and came in during colder months to a big cage. He lived to 6 1/2 and I never properly got to the bottom of it. Good luck with Miss Scratchy !

 

[Jerrybelly]

Bump

 

[Wiebke]

Perhaps it can be due to dry air? Mine tend to scratch more for a week or two at the beginning of the heating season. Some skin issues can be rather baffling though when they are not obviously motes or fungal.

You could try and give her a mild antifungal bath like malaseb, followed a couple of days later by some spot-on ivermectin (xeno 450); please complete the full mites course. Hopefully, that will ease the symptoms.

 

[missbrittany]

Thank you everyone for your replies. Right now it seems to be just that one day that I saw her scratching herself more than usual so I guess it could have just been some dry air in my room? I've been home from work the last couple of days and haven't noticed her spending a lot of time scratching herself. Obviously I'll keep an eye on her and her skin and give her a bath as Wiebke suggested to sooth her symptoms. Is ivermectin something I have to pick up at the vet?