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Wallace has Mites

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Niki

Niki

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I noticed Wallace's fur was looking thin on his back and having read the information given on Guinea Lynx i now know it's mites. I've bathed him (and everyone else) today in Johnsons Anti-Parasitic Shampoo as i'm waiting for my Beaphar Anti-Parasite Spot-on drops to come from ebay. Although the shampoo probably isn't ideal i thought something was better than nothing as it says if left untreated mites can kill!
Is there a time period that i should adhere to between shampooing and treating with drops?
 
Leave at least 48 hours between any different treatments to avoid overloading his system.

I'm not a fan of spot on treatments really - I prefer Ivomec as it clears them so quickly. I also like the natural products from Gorgeous Guineas. I noticed a new powder for treating parasites on there which I intend to get when funds allow!

Mites can be fatal if they are left to get out of control so well done for acting so quickly.
 
also, there are different sorts of mites. some you can just treat with powders and baths, because they just live in their fur, but others actually dig into the piggies skin, and youll need injections to get rid of those.

id go and see a vet instead of chancing it being the latter.
 
starshine said:
I'm not a fan of spot on treatments really - I prefer Ivomec as it clears them so quickly.
Click to expand...

Oh! Have i fluffed up here? I researched the active ingredient Ivermectin, it said Ivomec is the brand name which is why i decided to buy them

On the plus side, he seems a lot better, he's not scratching and there is some new hair growth on his bald patch (the size of a 5p)
Thanks for the info bout Gorgeous Guineas products, i'll take a look.

Abnoba said:
also, there are different sorts of mites. some you can just treat with powders and baths, because they just live in their fur, but others actually dig into the piggies skin, and youll need injections to get rid of those.

id go and see a vet instead of chancing it being the latter.
Click to expand...
If he doesn't carry on improving that's exactly where he's going ;D
 
Just been on the Gorgeous Guineas Site and have read this;
Typical symptoms of parasitic infestations
Thinning hair with bald areas only in the area of infestation
Hair shafts broken half way off down to the root around the area of infestation
Hair will not come out when lightly tugged
Little bumps/scabs on the skin surface - this is the tiny Mite just below the skin
Intense scratching/biting/irritation. Where there are lice, the guinea will often bite itself and in the middle of their back you may see a V-shaped area of hair loss.

Now Wallace hasn't really scratched that much and i haven't seen him biting. His hair is broken half way down and doesn't come out when lightly tugged.
His skin "looks" slightly bumpy from what looks like small flakes of dandruff, but only on his bald bit, he doesn't have any scabs anywhere but he definitely has the v-shaped area of hair loss on his back
I think it's a trip to the doctors for him. Is it possible he could have mites AND lice together?
What puzzles me is Wilbur has no symptoms at all ?
 
Dandruff could be early fungal too - if you pull out his hair is there scurf at the bottom of it? And is his hair greasy?

Spot on's don't contain a very accurate dose so I don't like them. I have also heard of pigs having bad allergic reactions to them so I don't trust them.

He could have both but I would have thought you'd have seen something moving in his coat if it was lice - it looks like little grains of rice at the roots of the hair.

I would get him to the vets asap to be on the safe side. Did you buy any Gorgeous Guineas stuff to start treatment with?

It could be that his pal won't show any signs at all - just keep a close eye and jump on it if you notice anything.
 
His hair doesn't come out if its tugged, it's not greasy and i've seen nothing moving. The only dandruffy bits i've seen was on his bald bit, but that seemed to have gone Thursday.
I didn't buy anything from GG cos when i read the info i was confused and didn't know which one to go for.
I've searched my Peter Guerney Books, he suggests Neem Oil, i almost bought that. He also suggests Alphosyl Shampoo (for humans), then i almost bought that. And he suggests the drops and i have bought them
My final decision was to wait to ask on here :)
 
If you email chrissie at gorgeous guineas and tell her the symptoms she will tell you which products are best for you.....i did that because i wasnt sure!

Shes really nice and helpful :)
 
amanda said:
If you email chrissie at gorgeous guineas and tell her the symptoms she will tell you which products are best for you.....i did that because i wasnt sure!

Shes really nice and helpful :)
Click to expand...

Thanks amanda, will do
 
Chrissie is fantastic on skin troubles - and she will make up special orders if one of her range of products isn't quite what you need.

The Alphosyl or neem will be harsh on the skin - the blended oils etc in the GG products are much kinder.

It does sound like mites - ivomec shots from the vets will clear it quickest but make sure you complete the course - he will need 3 injections, each one a week apart, to cover the full life cycle of the mites and clear them for good.
 
I've sent chrissie an email and will be ringing the vets tuesday
Hamish will be going too, today i've noticed a small thinning patch on his back and dandruff-like bits on his skin. I did the "tug test" 3 hairs came out with no flakes attached, nothing running/wriggling and he isn't greasy (but then i only bathed them thursday) and he isn't scratching either.
I'll be keeping a close eye on all 4 'til Tuesday :)
 
Chrissie at Gorgeous Guineas has suggested
Manuka & Neem Oil Soak for Hamish & Wallace and Manuka & Neem Shampoo for all 4

Thanks for all your help, i'll keep you posted :)
 
The boys went to the vets today and she found nothing! They didn't need any meds and she said the johnsons shampoo had worked and because it was insecticidal it most probably was mites. She said they were lovely happy & healthy guinea pigs. I'm so relieved ;D ;D
 
Glad to hear pig is on the mend :)

My pigs have had lice and i think a touch of fungus behind the ears. I washed them all with neem shampoo and did a neem oil and manuka oil soak behind the ears both from Gorgous Guineas and it worked a treat. I'd get some and keep on standby if i were you. Nice natual products although i thought it left pigs smelling a bit like onions :)
 
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