Symptoms and Mites

[lovella]

I have a trio (1 boar, 2 sows).

A few weeks ago, I noticed my boar scratching alot.
A week last Thursday I treated him with ivermectin spot on, then last Tuesday I noticed a horrible scratch mark on his back (see pic), which then turned scabby and I was worried it would be infected underneath, so took him to the vet on Wed.
They confirmed this is typical Mites and that my treatment was correct, they gave him something to help with itching.
Thursday I gave the second dose of ivermectin.
Friday the original scab lifted and skins has healed underneath.
Today I have noticed he has a fresh wound near it (making classic V line in the hair on his back) have sprayed with Leucillin.
My query is... typically how long after ivermectin would you expect to stop seeing fresh wounds? Either from itching or Mites?
When should I expect things to improve for him?
Thank you in advance

 

[lovella]

I have a trio (1 boar, 2 sows).

A few weeks ago, I noticed my boar scratching alot.
A week last Thursday I treated him with ivermectin spot on, then last Tuesday I noticed a horrible scratch mark on his back (see pic), which then turned scabby and I was worried it would be infected underneath, so took him to the vet on Wed.
They confirmed this is typical Mites and that my treatment was correct, they gave him something to help with itching.
Thursday I gave the second dose of ivermectin.
Friday the original scab lifted and skins has healed underneath.
Today I have noticed he has a fresh wound near it (making classic V line in the hair on his back) have sprayed with Leucillin. (I haven't taken a pic)
My query is... typically how long after ivermectin would you expect to stop seeing fresh wounds? Either from itching or Mites?
When should I expect things to improve for him?
Thank you in advance

 

[Piggies&buns]

You will need to complete the full course of treatment (along with disinfection of the cage a few days after each treatment) and then see whether it has worked.

The V suggests it’s mange mites.

Treatment of mites is three separate treatments with two weeks between each treatment of a vet strength ivermectin - xeno being the one most often prescribed.
Pet shop produces typically aren’t strong enough to cure, they can suppress but can often result in the mites returning.

Thread 'New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights'

Jun 24, 2018

1 Double-checking the gender upon arrival
- Sexing
- Pregnancies and surprise babies
2 When to quarantine new companions?
3 Vet visits
- Health check/registration upon arrival
- Reclaiming vet cost for newly bought ill guinea pigs
4 Common illnesses in new guinea pigs
- Ringworm
- Respiratory infection (URI)
5 List of guinea pig...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

I’ve just merged your two posts given the second one has a picture.
It looks rather a nasty wound

 

[lovella]

Thank you for your reply, it was the Naqua Mite Treatment (which says vet strength ).
I am treating them all as per the guidance, I know I have another week and then preventative.
I am cleaning the cage out twice a week, one a few days after treatment.
Do you have any ideas how long after the start of the course you would expect to stop seeing fresh wounds? Please?
Or at least is it normal to still have them after the second dose?
Thank you

 

[lovella]

You will need to complete the full course of treatment (along with disinfection of the cage a few days after each treatment) and then see whether it has worked.

The V suggests it’s mange mites.

Treatment of mites is three separate treatments with two weeks between each treatment of a vet strength ivermectin - xeno being the one most often prescribed.
Pet shop produces typically aren’t strong enough to cure, they can suppress but can often result in the mites returning.

Thread 'New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights'

Jun 24, 2018

1 Double-checking the gender upon arrival
- Sexing
- Pregnancies and surprise babies
2 When to quarantine new companions?
3 Vet visits
- Health check/registration upon arrival
- Reclaiming vet cost for newly bought ill guinea pigs
4 Common illnesses in new guinea pigs
- Ringworm
- Respiratory infection (URI)
5 List of guinea pig...

• Wiebke
• Replies: 1
• Forum: New and Wannabe Owners Corner

• 

I’ve just merged your two posts given the second one has a picture.
It looks rather a nasty wound

Thanks for.merging I'm not sure how I posted two and couldn't delete it.
Yes that was the wound I took him to the vet for it has now healed, but another one today has appeared creating a V on his back (one side being the now healed area and the other being new).

 

[MnJ]

So sorry about your boy. It looks rather painful. Not an expert but I think the general advice is to not use preventative, because it can cause resistance.
I hope your boy gets well soon

 

[lovella]

Sorry for the long post.
In May my boar (Tizer) lost his cage mate, I took him to a rescue to bond with another male.
They came home and a week later a fight broke out and Tizer had multiple wounds.
Unfortunately the rescue was returned and after wound healing I decided to get Tizer neutered.
Eventually Aug Bank holiday, he was able to be bonded with two rescue girls.
One girl was particularly itchy and I noticed Tizer itching, with random bold patches.
Ii purchased Ivermectin topical and started treatment on all three.
Tizer started developing wounds on his back, firstly a long one, so I sprayed that with leucillin.
Then I noticed it looking thicked scabby, so took him to the vets (week 2 of topical ivermectin), who confirmed I was doing everything right, gave itchy sow and tizer something to help relieve the itch.
Then after a few weeks more wounds appeared, one on each front leg and one in his back.
So 2 weeks after the 3 week course of ivermectin finished, we went back to the vets about the wounds.
Vet was confused as odd to have wounds on top of front legs, unless bites from others or scratched with his back legs. He gave me some miconzole/steroid cream for wounds and injected all 3 pigs with Ivermectin and said come back in 2 weeks.
I did (yesterday) and most but one of the originals circle wounds on his back had healed.
Most frustratingly a new wound had appeared, vet injected them all with ivermectin one last time and saod if this continues it could be sow biting him. This morning (the last pic), the long standing back wound has finally healed but there is now just the one other/new one.
Thing is apart from the odd squeek and rumble strut, I never hear any chasing, teeth chattering so I am not convinced this is a sow bite. They love in iur utility with the door often open, into an olen plan downstairs living area, I work from home so I am sure I would hear issues.
There is nothing sharp he could be catching himself on and all wounds are very superficial.
Do sows do this sort of thing? And why? Can i prevent it? Would it calm down?
I've put less hides and more hay in the cage (it's a ferplast 200).
After everything he has been through I really don't want him to gave to live next to them separately (that's just teasing) and they seem absolutely fine.
Any other suggestions on what is causing these wounds, I am really hoping this last one is the final one!
Thanks in advance

 

[lovella]

You can see dates of the pictures as their file name

 

[lovella]

Thanks for all help, I've just added a new post as wounds keep appearing, despite treatment.

 

[BossHogg]

My sows would nip the boar when he was first introduced and he was expressing his manliness too enthusiastically. He soon got the gist that if he didn't try to hump them constantly, they would surround him and shower him with licks and nuzzles.

 

[Piggies&buns]

My first thought would be a skin irritation and he may be barbering and biting himself to relieve the irritation and/or pain.
You have done the obvious and right thing with the ivermectin so unless it’s a mite resistant to ivermectin (which we are seeing cases) or that ivermectin isn’t the right treatment because it’s not parasites that’s why the ivermectin isn’t stopping the issue?

Thread 'Resistant Mites?'

Jul 15, 2024

I picked up a Guinea pig from a rescue to bond with my lonely pig. However , when I got home I noticed she had hair loss on her back so I messaged the rescue . They said she has had severe mites but has got the all clear 2 weeks ago at the vets and her fur is growing back. She is still scratching and I’m unsure if it’s healing or if she’s still got them and passing them onto my pig .

How do I know if the fur is just growing or if she’s still got them? I’m quite worried in what to do .

• Honey&maple
• Replies: 111
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

The sows may nip but nipping is a gesture of power, the teeth are felt by the other piggy as a warning but dominance nips do not break the skin. Any wounds caused by another piggy where the skin is broken would cause me great concern for their bond and would want to be looking at at least a trial separation - particularly if you see scuffles taking place. I can see why you would think it is teasing but if there genuinely is a problem with their bond then you definitely don’t want them to remain together and he would be happier away from them.
Sows can be a bit more underhand about issues ie they are much less likely to have full on fights and fighting is more of a boar pair thing (Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen but it’s just less likely).
From what you’ve said, I’d be leaning towards looking deeper into it being more of a medical issue and potentially that ivermectin isn’t the right treatment.
You could try a trial separation and if the wounds heal and none return then the issue may well have been the sows. That’s a potential risk to a bond which may not be in trouble though.

I have merged your two threads back together. It’s much easier for us, and a forum rule, that one issue is kept to one thread so that we all have all the background information together

 

[lovella]

My first thought would be a skin irritation and he may be barbering and biting himself to relieve the irritation and/or pain.
You have done the obvious and right thing with the ivermectin so unless it’s a mite resistant to ivermectin (which we are seeing cases) or that ivermectin isn’t the right treatment because it’s not parasites that’s why the ivermectin isn’t stopping the issue?

Thread 'Resistant Mites?'

Jul 15, 2024

I picked up a Guinea pig from a rescue to bond with my lonely pig. However , when I got home I noticed she had hair loss on her back so I messaged the rescue . They said she has had severe mites but has got the all clear 2 weeks ago at the vets and her fur is growing back. She is still scratching and I’m unsure if it’s healing or if she’s still got them and passing them onto my pig .

How do I know if the fur is just growing or if she’s still got them? I’m quite worried in what to do .

• Honey&maple
• Replies: 111
• Forum: Health & Illness Support Corner

The sows may nip but nipping is a gesture of power, the teeth are felt by the other piggy as a warning but dominance nips do not break the skin. Any wounds caused by another piggy where the skin is broken would cause me great concern for their bond and would want to be looking at at least a trial separation - particularly if you see scuffles taking place. I can see why you would think it is teasing but if there genuinely is a problem with their bond then you definitely don’t want them to remain together and he would be happier away from them.
Sows can be a bit more underhand about issues ie they are much less likely to have full on fights and fighting is more of a boar pair thing (Doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen but it’s just less likely).
From what you’ve said, I’d be leaning towards looking deeper into it being more of a medical issue and potentially that ivermectin isn’t the right treatment.
You could try a trial separation and if the wounds heal and none return then the issue may well have been the sows. That’s a potential risk to a bond which may not be in trouble though.

I have merged your two threads back together. It’s much easier for us, and a forum rule, that one issue is kept to one thread so that we all have all the background information together

This is the thing, I never see or hear any scuffs.
Surely if there is a broken bond, they would keep at it?
I've seen bite wounds on Tizer from the failed boar bonding and these ones don't look like punctures, they are superficial and weird.
So I do I appreciate your comments around it being medical, as I am convinced I would see fighting escalating by now (these wounds have been appearing since early Oct). I really really don't want to seperate and risk bond breaking, so after everything we have been through. I'd want to witness some scuffle or something.
I know he often rumble struts when he passes them, but nothing ever seems to come of it.