As far as I know, my guinea pigs have never had a bath. I know this topic holds some controversy but I would at least like to bathe them once considering they didn't live in the best conditions before they came into my care. I was wondering if anyone knew if the "Veterinary Formula Clinical Care Antiseptic and Antifungal Medicated Shampoo for Dogs & Cats" would be good to use as a soak to put their feet in. As well as if anyone knows if "Innovet Pet Products All Natural Oatmeal & Honey Shampoo + Conditioner for Dogs Cats & Small Pets" is good for a full body wash? Thank you in advance for your time.
Hi
Please be aware that the skin microbiome is an important part of the immune system. Every time you bathe without any medical need, you disturb or even destroy that defence. Through overbathing you can actually cause skin problems like dry, flaky and itchy skin or give skin problems a foot in.
The soles of the feet are protected by hardened skin. The more often you bathe or cream them, the more you soften the that hard skin and the more you allow tiny cracks to appear and bugs getting into the skin. Ask an experienced vet, and they will tell you that overtreating feet out of fear of bumblefoot will actually put them at risk of having foot problems.
If your piggies are very dirty or have poos stuck to the soles, then please give them a gentle bum bath, preferably just with baby warm water but otherwise leave be unless there is a real cause for a medicated bath prescribed by a vet.
Skin parasites are actually usually kept under control/fended off by a fully working immune system and are best dealt with and hit hard only when they are actually an acute problem in a guinea pig with a weakened or weak immune system.
All I can say is that my own piggies - all adoptees and some of them coming out true hellholes or having been found abandoned and living rough - have never had any issues with dry skin that were not genetic/teddy breed related and that the only piggy of mine ever to develop bumblefoot was an 8 year old with temporary back leg paralysis and a deteriorating blood circulation coming to the natural end of a long life. I am talking about 60 piggies just in the last decade. I frankly had a lot more trouble during the years when I did all the stressful bathing as the then 'done' thing.
I do concentrate on a good hay based diet without any supplements through which I am boosting the gut micobiome and through it the immune system so I do not need to waste lots of money on products that are not needed and have enough money to step in with proper vet care whenever it is really needed. This also extends to the skin.
A fully working immune system also helps me to fend off infectious illnesses more quickly and easily next to the necessary vet care; it really makes a difference when compared to those piggies of mine with a weakened immune system (either from an underlying problem, old age or through a high stress default setting experienced as their 'normal' in the womb of a stressed mother). But even with the latter piggies I do not have bumblefoot or dry skin issues, and I can get on top of any mange mites reservoirs in the skin that cannot be reached whenever there is a stress or illness related outbreak quickly due to concentrating on boosting the natural defences of my piggies instead of any chemical or long term supplement prevention which can again cause more problems long term than it prevents.
You do not need the kitchen sink in order to provide good normal care for boosting the natural defences. A good natural diet that covers most nutrients and regular cage cleaning is all that is needed.
