Burrowing Mites Advice PLEASE!!

[Queenjellybeany]

Hi all!

I've just signed up to this forum as I am desperately seeking some advice. I have two female himmys which I picked up in January, so only months old. One of the ladies started itching and before I knew it she had an open wound behind her ear from a bite. I took both pigs to the vets on Monday as after doing some of my own research I realised it was burrowing mites and she was chewing her skin. The vets confirmed this, gave both of them some spot-on drops and told me to give them another dose in 14 days, but to not expect results overnight.

They are fully fine in themselves, eating and drinking water, but every time I see one of the ladies she seems to have a new bite mark on her. The vets have told me to wait, but I'm so beyond worried when I hear her squeaking in anger from the itchiness and running around her cage unsettled. It's really hard to tell myself to 'give it time' when she is obviously in pain. I was just wondering if anyone had ANY advice that could help her itching.

I've also been applying a Tea Tree pet cream I got from pets at home which helps wounds to heal and itchiness. I'm unsure at this point if it's even helping or if that is just stressing her out more and making her bite more.

I can upload pictures of her and the bites if it helps.

Thank you

- A panicked 23 year old.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all!

I've just signed up to this forum as I am desperately seeking some advice. I have two female himmys which I picked up in January, so only months old. One of the ladies started itching and before I knew it she had an open wound behind her ear from a bite. I took both pigs to the vets on Monday as after doing some of my own research I realised it was burrowing mites and she was chewing her skin. The vets confirmed this, gave both of them some spot-on drops and told me to give them another dose in 14 days, but to not expect results overnight.

They are fully fine in themselves, eating and drinking water, but every time I see one of the ladies she seems to have a new bite mark on her. The vets have told me to wait, but I'm so beyond worried when I hear her squeaking in anger from the itchiness and running around her cage unsettled. It's really hard to tell myself to 'give it time' when she is obviously in pain. I was just wondering if anyone had ANY advice that could help her itching.

I've also been applying a Tea Tree pet cream I got from pets at home which helps wounds to heal and itchiness. I'm unsure at this point if it's even helping or if that is just stressing her out more and making her bite more.

I can upload pictures of her and the bites if it helps.

Thank you

- A panicked 23 year old.

Hi!

it takes about 2 days for the spot-on to be fully absorbed; these two days are often even a little bit more uncomfortable. You should see a noticeable improvement afterwards with the itchiness starting to gradually increase again over the second week. The itching should be pretty much gone within two days after the second application; but you will need at least 3 or in bad cases 4 rounds of ivermectin to catch any stragglers and prevent a return. Two rounds are not enough.
I assume that you have been given xeno as the standard treatment?

The ivermectin can only kill any emerging mites but it can't kill off the eggs sitting in the skin. These are usually kept under control by a fully working immune system. If you wish, you can give your girls a 3 weeks booster of extra vitamin C. Please be aware that the body will adapt to a constant high dose of vitamin C and can then react with symptoms of survy if the level drops for some reason.
Long term a review of your diet is the best of boosting good general health.

Please do not use the tea tree cream; it could cause fitting in a bad mange mites outbreak as could any skin treatment. You should never apply anything to the skin within 48 hours of any topical (spot on, medicated bath pr cream/ointment etc.) treatment as that will impact on the effectiveness of the absorption.

It is very tough sitting by but that is currently the only thing you can do. Stay calm - it will get better soon and you can get past the mange mites!

New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

PS: since we have members and get enquiries quite literally from all over the world, it helps us enormously if you please added your country and in your case you county to the details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available for you straight away and not just give you our basic general information. Climate, background, vet and rescue access, brand names (including medical ones) etc. can vary widely but may all have to be taken into consideration.

 

[Queenjellybeany]

Hi!

it takes about 2 days for the spot-on to be fully absorbed; these two days are often even a little bit more uncomfortable. You should see a noticeable improvement afterwards with the itchiness starting to gradually increase again over the second week. The itching should be pretty much gone within two days after the second application; but you will need at least 3 or in bad cases 4 rounds of ivermectin to catch any stragglers and prevent a return. Two rounds are not enough.
I assume that you have been given xeno as the standard treatment?

The ivermectin can only kill any emerging mites but it can't kill off the eggs sitting in the skin. These are usually kept under control by a fully working immune system. If you wish, you can give your girls a 3 weeks booster of extra vitamin C. Please be aware that the body will adapt to a constant high dose of vitamin C and can then react with symptoms of survy if the level drops for some reason.
Long term a review of your diet is the best of boosting good general health.

Please do not use the tea tree cream; it could cause fitting in a bad mange mites outbreak as could any skin treatment. You should never apply anything to the skin within 48 hours of any topical (spot on, medicated bath pr cream/ointment etc.) treatment as that will impact on the effectiveness of the absorption.

It is very tough sitting by but that is currently the only thing you can do. Stay calm - it will get better soon and you can get past the mange mites!

New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites
Probiotics, Recovery Foods And Vitamin C: Overview With Product Links
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

PS: since we have members and get enquiries quite literally from all over the world, it helps us enormously if you please added your country and in your case you county to the details so we can always tailor any advice to what is relevant and available for you straight away and not just give you our basic general information. Climate, background, vet and rescue access, brand names (including medical ones) etc. can vary widely but may all have to be taken into consideration.

Hello!
Thank you so much for getting back to me.so quickly. You've really eased my panic!

They prescribed some spot on drops called Advocate. I've stopped using the Tea tree today and I think she feels less stressed from it, but I feel quite worried to leave her with open cuts without treating them. Thank you so much for the tips though he never said that the cream could affect the drops! Wish I'd known that before.

I also already have some vitamin c drops to go in there water bottle should I start using that straight away? I've never put them on it before! They have bell pepper every other day that I read has Vitamin C in but perhaps that's not enough for her.

Thank you so much again for all your help! I've also updated my location now. Many thanks

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Hello!
Thank you so much for getting back to me.so quickly. You've really eased my panic!

They prescribed some spot on drops called Advocate. I've stopped using the Tea tree today and I think she feels less stressed from it, but I feel quite worried to leave her with open cuts without treating them. Thank you so much for the tips though he never said that the cream could affect the drops! Wish I'd known that before.

I also already have some vitamin c drops to go in there water bottle should I start using that straight away? I've never put them on it before! They have bell pepper every other day that I read has Vitamin C in but perhaps that's not enough for her.

Thank you so much again for all your help! I've also updated my location now. Many thanks

I’m familiar with advocate, but only that it can be given to dogs and cats.... never seen it given to Guinea pigs only ever invectermin as mentioned previously. Can you upload a picture of the pipette if you still have them to hand? If it’s the ones I’m thinking of, surely they are too strong to use on piggies?

 

[Jesse's pigs]

If I was you, I would perhaps seek a different opinion on the treatment prescribed. I definitely would not use advocate on piggies. It is made for the sole use of cats and dogs.

Again, I’m not a vet but from training as a SVN at the moment I have not seen a rabbit or guinea pig prescribed advocate. The lowest dosage I’ve seen the pipettes for is 4kg or slightly under...

Not trying to scare you by the way!

 

[Queenjellybeany]

I’m familiar with advocate, but only that it can be given to dogs and cats.... never seen it given to Guinea pigs only ever invectermin as mentioned previously. Can you upload a picture of the pipette if you still have them to hand? If it’s the ones I’m thinking of, surely they are too strong to use on piggies?

Hello I can upload a picture if needed, however it says its for small cats and ferrets on the label. He said in his time treating mites he has found the verison for guinea pigs not as good and that he uses advocate. However yes, it is in a much lower dosage then what is used normally. I'm unsure myself I just took the vets advice! So hopefully it's okay (if anyone is interested and it helps in anyway, my vets is called vets4pets that are local to me)

 

[Jesse's pigs]

Hello I can upload a picture if needed, however it says its for small cats and ferrets on the label. He said in his time treating mites he has found the verison for guinea pigs not as good and that he uses advocate. However yes, it is in a much lower dosage then what is used normally. I'm unsure myself I just took the vets advice! So hopefully it's okay (if anyone is interested and it helps in anyway, my vets is called vets4pets that are local to me)

Interesting hmmm never heard of this before! Familiar with Vets4Pets though, I’ve taken my piggies there in the past.

Hope these clear up quickly for them. My boys had lice last year which saw a lot of itching bless them. After several rounds of a stronger invectermin, they thankfully cleared up.

 

[Queenjellybeany]

Hello I can upload a picture if needed, however it says its for small cats and ferrets on the label. He said in his time treating mites he has found the verison for guinea pigs not as good and that he uses advocate. However yes, it is in a much lower dosage then what is used normally. I'm unsure myself I just took the vets advice! So hopefully it's okay (if anyone is interested and it helps in anyway, my vets is called vets4pets that are local to me)

Interesting hmmm never heard of this before! Familiar with Vets4Pets though, I’ve taken my piggies there in the past.

Hope these clear up quickly for them. My boys had lice last year which saw a lot of itching bless them. After several rounds of a stronger invectermin, they thankfully cleared up.

Okay hopefully it doesn't harm them at all haha! I've been going mad with worry over them as it is (they are like my children at this point lol). They seem a little bit better today so praying it will continue to clear up! It's been tough to watch.

 

[Queenjellybeany]

Hello!

I was on here a few days ago talking about the burrowing mites my pig has had a really bad case of. They all went to the vets (vets4pets) because I was panicking about how many large bites one of my girls was getting. He prescribed Advocate (in a smaller dose, he said this worked better than the ones for guinea pigs) but it's 6 days later and tonight when I checked my girl she had a lot of bite marks on her that looked very sore. I decided to put a lil cream on this (it was the tiniest bit) and she flinched so I put her back in her cage to chill. I left the room after ten minutes to guinea pig squeaking in pain to find her with this bloody wound from biting herself AGAIN.
I'm heart broken this has been going on so long and I'm starting to think whatever vets4pets gave me may not have been the right thing. A lot of you suggested ivermectin last time I was here. Tomorrow is one week since there first drops of advocate and I'm scared to try anything in case it overdoses them?
Honestly I'm really struggling so please any advice would be perfect
- Ellie

 

[Siikibam]

That wound is pretty urgent so think about ringing round tomorrow (perhaps other vets) to see where you can get an appointment. The cat and rabbit in Northampton has a fab pair of piggy vets.
Vet Locator

 

[Queenjellybeany]

That wound is pretty urgent so think about ringing round tomorrow (perhaps other vets) to see where you can get an appointment. The cat and rabbit in Northampton has a fab pair of piggy vets.
Vet Locator

Thank you someone else suggested that too so I'll give them a ring

 

[Wiebke]

Hello!

I was on here a few days ago talking about the burrowing mites my pig has had a really bad case of. They all went to the vets (vets4pets) because I was panicking about how many large bites one of my girls was getting. He prescribed Advocate (in a smaller dose, he said this worked better than the ones for guinea pigs) but it's 6 days later and tonight when I checked my girl she had a lot of bite marks on her that looked very sore. I decided to put a lil cream on this (it was the tiniest bit) and she flinched so I put her back in her cage to chill. I left the room after ten minutes to guinea pig squeaking in pain to find her with this bloody wound from biting herself AGAIN.
I'm heart broken this has been going on so long and I'm starting to think whatever vets4pets gave me may not have been the right thing. A lot of you suggested ivermectin last time I was here. Tomorrow is one week since there first drops of advocate and I'm scared to try anything in case it overdoses them?
Honestly I'm really struggling so please any advice would be perfect
- Ellie

Hi

I second @Siikibam 's advice. Please ring the Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton as soon as they answer the phone for an emergency slot tomorrow (ca. 8 am). They specialise in seeing only cats, rabbit, guinea pigs and small furries in about equal measure, so they have all the experience you could wish for.

Your piggy will likely need bandaging to prevent her from biting herself; the clinic can show you how to do it and what else you can do.
She may also need the ivermectin more likely as an injection rather than a spot on in a severe case like yours as soon as it is safe to give it to her and for as long as she needs to. Simon and Kim Maddock have all the experience you are looking for; they are by far the best piggy vets in our area and the best guinea pig dental vets in the whole country.

Please do not DIY medicate on spec; you could damage her heart.

If you need more practical tips on how to look after a piggy with severe mites, you may want to contact Sue Tate, who runs Cavy Corner guinea pig sanctuary and rescue in Doncaster. Unfortunately for you, we are not very often confronted with the very bad cases and don't know all the little tricks through personal experience. Sue is always very kind to help us with the kind of problems that are more commonly seen in rescue piggies.
Cavy Corner

 

[Queenjellybeany]

Okay thank you so much I'll absolutely ring in the morning. I'm absolutely beside myself with worry she's only months old.

 

[VickiA]

Poor little thing. I would definitely echo calling first thing to Cat & Rabbit as they are very experienced with piggies. Good luck.

 

[Queenjellybeany]

Poor little thing. I would definitely echo calling first thing to Cat & Rabbit as they are very experienced with piggies. Good luck.

Thank you I'm honestly so worried I hope it's not too serious! But I'll be calling first thing x