Hay Mite Treatment

[Dilly's Piggies]

6 months ago I took my Guinea Pigs to the vet as they were very itchy with lots of dandruff, my vet took a skin sample to look at under the microscope and they said my piggies have mites, but not the 'nasty mite' which I assume means mange mites, so from this I assume they meant my piggies have hay mites. My vet prescribed a 3 week course of ivermectin, there was no change, I took them back again, same scenario, I was given ivermectin again for 4 weeks, no change again, took them back, this time it was given for 6 weeks, still no change, now they are on an 8 week course, and guess what, no change.

After some reading I've just discovered ivermectin is useless against hay mites as they don't suck blood like mange mites and running lice, so 6 months later a light bulb in my head finally comes on and I realise why my pigs are still itchy. They are covered in these hay mites, mostly on the rump but they are from the top of the head down along the top line, as they haven't been treated they've just taken over and multiplied.

Luckily I already had some lice n easy shampoo from gorgeous guineas in and this stuff is brilliant, it was so satisfying to see all those pesky mites fall out! The piggies still have an infestation so I'll be using this shampoo on them weekly for a few weeks. I'm just kicking myself that I've spent hundreds of pounds on vet visits, lab tests and ivermectin when all I needed was a bottle of shampoo for £10!

I wanted to ask if there is anything else I can do to rid my pigs of these annoying mites, does combing them out with a nit comb also work to pick up stragglers after a shampoo?

 

[Piggy mum]

I feel your pain! My porky had nearly 3 months worth of backwards and forwards to the vets with mites/ fungal mites/fungal.... very frustrating! Just keep doing what you're doing and be patient, it hopefully will get rid eventually.
I would suggesting binning the hay you have at the moment as well.

May be worth considering separating them with a mesh divider in their cage if you have a C&C, as I found when mine had mites they were biting each other's rumps making it worse!

 

[sport_billy]

@Wiebke

 

[Wiebke]

6 months ago I took my Guinea Pigs to the vet as they were very itchy with lots of dandruff, my vet took a skin sample to look at under the microscope and they said my piggies have mites, but not the 'nasty mite' which I assume means mange mites, so from this I assume they meant my piggies have hay mites. My vet prescribed a 3 week course of ivermectin, there was no change, I took them back again, same scenario, I was given ivermectin again for 4 weeks, no change again, took them back, this time it was given for 6 weeks, still no change, now they are on an 8 week course, and guess what, no change.

After some reading I've just discovered ivermectin is useless against hay mites as they don't suck blood like mange mites and running lice, so 6 months later a light bulb in my head finally comes on and I realise why my pigs are still itchy. They are covered in these hay mites, mostly on the rump but they are from the top of the head down along the top line, as they haven't been treated they've just taken over and multiplied.

Luckily I already had some lice n easy shampoo from gorgeous guineas in and this stuff is brilliant, it was so satisfying to see all those pesky mites fall out! The piggies still have an infestation so I'll be using this shampoo on them weekly for a few weeks. I'm just kicking myself that I've spent hundreds of pounds on vet visits, lab tests and ivermectin when all I needed was a bottle of shampoo for £10!

I wanted to ask if there is anything else I can do to rid my pigs of these annoying mites, does combing them out with a nit comb also work to pick up stragglers after a shampoo?

What you see is the egg cases that are fixed to the hairs at the bum end and not the mites themselves.

Depending on the strain of hay mites (chirodiscoides caviae), just lice'n'easy may not be enough. Whereas in years gone by, hay mites from untreated local farmers' hay were a seasonal affair in autumn that could easily be got on top of with a bath, the new strains of fur mites that have come in over the last 2-3 years or so with imported shop hay are much more resistent and in some cases very difficult to get rid of.

We generally recommend a two-pronged approach with ivermectin and if needed a lice shampoo. If your guinea pig is long-haired, a haircut is a neat way of removing the existing egg cases before you bathe, of course.

The vet I saw with my new arrival Nye has treated with a stronghold injection (active ingredient selamectin) in January, and that has worked very beautifully.