Guinea pig sitting questions
Shoot, I hope it's not mites. The patch sounds like it's in the right area. I'll see if I can get a picture tomorrow.
I read over the mites and fungus pages. I don't think it looks like fungus, but I'm worried about mites. I have a couple questions:
-Do I need to treat ALL my guinea pigs? The girls have not been in direct contact with the boys, but they have shared the floor time area and cuddle cup.
-I know mites are often treated with ivermectin. Do I need to see a vet to get that? I saw some online (mostly horse/cattle deworming stuff), but is it the right stuff? I don't really want to do a vet visit, especially since these aren't my piggies.
Thank you so much for all the help!
I read over the mites and fungus pages. I don't think it looks like fungus, but I'm worried about mites. I have a couple questions:
-Do I need to treat ALL my guinea pigs? The girls have not been in direct contact with the boys, but they have shared the floor time area and cuddle cup.
-I know mites are often treated with ivermectin. Do I need to see a vet to get that? I saw some online (mostly horse/cattle deworming stuff), but is it the right stuff? I don't really want to do a vet visit, especially since these aren't my piggies.
Thank you so much for all the help!
Last edited by CavyGirl04 on Tue Dec 26, 2017 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
You can send a picture here:
Read about ivermectin topical dosing here:
www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin.html
Read about ivermectin topical dosing here:
www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin.html
Okay, if it's just an injury then it should be okay. He has been scratching it a lot, though. This morning I found a bit of blood on his fur again and as I was holding him and taking the pictures he was trying to scratch it often. Is there anything I can do to minimize scratching, like covering the area? It will never heal if he keeps scratching it as much as he does.
Also, I weighed him today and I'm pretty sure he's lost around 50 grams! I can't figure out where I wrote down his weight last week, but I remember it was around 1250 grams, and it's now 1200. Although his normal owner doesn't weigh him and 1250 is just one data point, it is still 50 grams. Is this a significant weight loss?
Also, I weighed him today and I'm pretty sure he's lost around 50 grams! I can't figure out where I wrote down his weight last week, but I remember it was around 1250 grams, and it's now 1200. Although his normal owner doesn't weigh him and 1250 is just one data point, it is still 50 grams. Is this a significant weight loss?
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- And got the T-shirt
I think it could be mites. I'd definitely treat him for them -- if he has them it will help, if he doesn't it won't hurt.
No, 50 grams is not a significant weight loss. The only way you can determine significance is through regular weighings at the same time of day, preferably before breakfast. You watch for a pattern. If you don't do it that way, you don't know what the pig has eaten/not eaten or pooped/not pooped at the time of the weighings.
What you want is .5% or 1% pour-on ivermectin, not the paste. You can usually find it at feed stores, or from Amazon.
No, 50 grams is not a significant weight loss. The only way you can determine significance is through regular weighings at the same time of day, preferably before breakfast. You watch for a pattern. If you don't do it that way, you don't know what the pig has eaten/not eaten or pooped/not pooped at the time of the weighings.
What you want is .5% or 1% pour-on ivermectin, not the paste. You can usually find it at feed stores, or from Amazon.
I will probably treat for mites, especially if the skin irritation persists and he keeps itching a lot. It also looks like he is losing hair around the affected area.
Would you recommend weighing him more often right now or is once per week okay?
I found some ivermectin that looks ok, but I don't know the percentage. It just says 5 mg/ml. Is that a good concentration?
Thank you so much for all the help.
Would you recommend weighing him more often right now or is once per week okay?
I found some ivermectin that looks ok, but I don't know the percentage. It just says 5 mg/ml. Is that a good concentration?
Thank you so much for all the help.
- Lynx
- Celebrate!!!
Use www.guinealynx.info/calculate_dose.html to help you figure out the dose.
The scratching does greatly increase the likelihood it is mites so ditto on the treating for them.
Weigh daily any time your guinea pig is ill and especially if you think there may be weight loss.
The scratching does greatly increase the likelihood it is mites so ditto on the treating for them.
Weigh daily any time your guinea pig is ill and especially if you think there may be weight loss.
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- And got the T-shirt
Actually, here's an easier way to figure the dose: https://www.guinealynx.info/topical_iver ... ur-on.html