Sudden lice from lawn time?!

[HeatherW]

My two girls have been outside for a couple of hours and, when I came to bring them back in, I noticed that they were covered in what looked like black poppy seeds. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to be lice!

The pigs have been out in the back garden before a few times and never had this issue. We're in an urban area and, apart from the odd cat, the only other occasional animals are squirrels and birds.

I spent 15 mins picking off all the ones I could find. Fortunately they were all on the hair tips rather than close to the skin and on the underside of the body. I'll book a vet appointment tomorrow, but any ideas what the "lice" are? Surely they're not ticks? I've done my best with photos, but the lice basically have very fat black bodies with eight legs; they look similar to nits, but were easy to remove.

 

[Claire W]

They look like hay mites to me which come in on the hay. What you are seeing is the egg cases as the actual lice are more or less invisible to the naked eye.

They are perfectly harmless to the piggies. Any companion is likely to have them too so I would treat them all.

But a vet check is best so they can get the correct treatment

 

[HeatherW]

It just seems strange that they appeared so suddenly. I inspected both pigs thoroughly before I put them outside.

That said, I have a wooden box hidey with hay in it that's been outside for a while. Pickle went in it for the first time properly today. They're already half-way through having treatment for mites which I suspect they caught from hay.

 

[Claire W]

May be they’ve come from the hay in the hay box then. If you have any left, I’d bin it to be on the safe side.

Another name for them in static lice

 

[HeatherW]

Thanks for your help! I had a panic thinking all three of us could get Lyme Disease!

 

[Claire W]

Thanks for your help! I had a panic thinking all three of us could get Lyme Disease!

Don’t panic they are easily treatable

 

[HeatherW]

The vet had confirmed they are indeed mites. I put some in a tub and took them with me to the appointment, and the vet even let me look at one under a microscope. Now, I don't mind insects usually, but it was pretty ugly and gave me a shock!

Apparently both mites and ticks have eight legs, and lice tend to have six, so it's good to have the reassurance!

 

[helen105281]

Good you have a diagnosis. Hope the treatment kicks in quickly.

 

[HeatherW]

They're already being treated for mites, so that's fortunate! And also brought my bill down as it was just a consultation.

 

[Claire W]

Glad to hear you have a diagnosis

 

[fanniephina]

Wow, I think I'd have panicked the very same :-). Glad to hear it wasn't so bad and especially always good news when the vet bill is lower then expected! Worry to mom while your little babies seem to be having lots of fun with the nice weather.

Hoping you enjoy your day with them now and breathe a little :-).

 

[Flutterby]

Glad you can now get everything cleared up

 

[rhymer]

Hope your piggies are soon mite free.xx

 

[VickiA]

Pesky mites. Occupational hazard for piggies wallowing in hay. Hope they are soon clear of the blighters.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Wow that's amazing you got to look at one under the microscope, I find things like that fascinating. Hope your piggies are mite free very soon

 

[Little Piglets]

I'd love to take mine outdoors, but don't think it's worth the risk. I too live in an urban area. Between feral cats, mice trying to get into the home, territorial rabbits plus skunks, the occasional chipmunk, raccoons, opossums, and a TON of black and grey squirrels all locally available every sq. mile, the odds are too high they'll leave something behind. Given what comes out of a cat after treatment (white spaghetti- YUCK); even young kittens; and given pigs are fraction of the size but eat non stop and "hide" ailments, not worth the risk for grass with parasites that'll feast on the poor things, enter the home, etc.

 

[Merab]

Hope the mites are quickly cleared