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Sudden hair loss

  • Thread starter Thread starter fritsthegirl
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fritsthegirl

I had Floris out today and noticed her hair is falling out, in quite large quantities, a lot more than usual. Floris is 4. It's not in clumps (not yet anyway) but much more hair loss than would be explainable for moulting, well I think anyway. Both her and Sancho were shampooed for lice about 3 weeks ago, but she still seems to have a small number, I don't think this would explain hair loss would it? Both were also treated with Ivomectin about 4 months ago. Any ideas what this could be, is it likely to be fungal, or could it be hormonal? She seems perfectly happy and doesn't mind me stroking her, it doesn't appear to be sensitive or sore but it's alarming how much hair comes out so we need to get to the bottom of it ASAP!
 
Is the hairloss concentrated on certain areas?
What was your lice treatment?

Mites can come into question - 4 months is quite some time ago and they can always make a comeback if a piggy is stressed or slightly below par for some reason.
Ovarian cysts and hormonal problems can be at the root of hairloss on the sides; they are more common in older sows.

Here is more information:
http://www.guinealynx.info/lice.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/ovarian_cysts.html

As ever, a trip to the vets might be on the cards for poor Floris!
 
Actually, I can pull out very tiny clumps of hair, they seem to have a very small white end attached to it. There are no bald spots or sores or anything, no itching,and not an excessive amount of dandruff either, just a few flecks here and there. Just loads of hair coming out, could it still be moulting and I am panicking over nothing? Sancho seems to be fine, but he sheds quite a lot of hair all the time though.
 
It could just be moulting, it's hard for us to tell because we can't see how much is coming out. Sometimes when animals are moulting it seems crazy how much hair is coming out. I just brushed my dogs and there is hair all over the patio!

Has it been warm there lately?
 
It can be moulting or it might be fungal (not ringworm obviously)?
 
Yeh, it's been VERY hot! That was my initial reaction too, that she might just be moulting. My dog used to shed clumps of hair in the summer, it was just unusual as Floris never sheds much hair at all. Because she is a more mature lady and we absolutely love her to bits I wanted to make sure we weren't missing any obvious sign of it being something more serious. She is in super condition otherwise, really very happy and lively. She was shampooed with Lice and Easy a couple of weeks back, but I can't seem to shift the lice with her. She always has a number sitting in the same spot on her back. mallethead I think it is OK for guineas to have a small number of them isn't it, I read somewhere that a lot of guineas always have lice they just get out of control when stressed or ill? I may have to give them both a treatment for mites, that won't do any harm anyway.
 
I dunno about lice, but I heard with demodectic mites that most mammals will have some but only when their immune system is low will they breed, or whatever.

I know also that a lot of dogs might have a few fleas, but it won't be a problem unless it is an infestation.

Dunno about lice on pigs though. I'd try getting something from the vet for it, because stuff you buy in pet shops is not always that great.
 
Sorry to hear Floris is worrying you Trish.

Give her a few days and if no improvement I'd give an anti-fungal bath. If it's sliding out of the skin quite easily, it's typical of fungal. I've found moulting/shedding is more usually the surface (guard) hairs and it doesn't slip out of the skin without resistance.
 
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