Increased fungal risk in hay this year?

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But if there is hair loss isn't that the mange one,so therefore my vet treated correctly regardless of where they came from....this was all before I joined here,so wouldn't have known better anyway :)
 
Damonshumanslave said:
Maybe some of these vets dont know the difference between Hay mites (sometimes called static lice, can be caught from hay, dont need ivomec) and mange mites (we think CANT be caught from hay, do need ivomec), and therefore prescirbed ivomec, not realising that the mites that can be caught from hay cant be treated with ivomec because they dont suck blood? My goodness, I have never been so confused!
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LMAO ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D You make it sound so simple ;D ;D ;D
 
I was told by my best friend a vet and also by the vet that treated my piggies for mites when they first came to me. So to me mine had a break out because it stressed them coming to a new home. :)
 
I don't know about you lot ...but my head is really itching now ;D ;D ;D
 
Andy used to farm - so heres what he says about the hay

Hay is usually cut in May and at that time of year the climate is slightly cool moist, not hot yet, when its hotm, its left in trails to wilt, and thats done over a few days. During which time as it deterorates, it starts to get heater...with heat, moisture and our current climate, its an ideal breeding ground for fungle disease, as well as acting asa an incubator for all other kinds of bugs can lay dormant in the hay.

Your best option is getting timothy hay from a meadow, cutting it yourself, talking it home into a clean environment...

Straw is cut and bailed within a day or so....

Equestrian centres are going to offer the best and cleanest hay by far, althought it will be more expensive. Dust free conditioned hay is what you need.

If you are really worried about your piggies, the best surefire way to make sure they dont get it, is to buy the more expensive conditioned hay, at about £8 a bag.
 
tbh I'm thinking both pigs were misdiagnosed, it was probably fungal, as there was nothing else that could have caused the mange mites to flare up. the only thing that had changed around that time was the hay i was using.
 
What did it look like Lez? I think fungal infections look greasy and dandruffy? I want to know what is worng with Peggy. She has suddenly got a strange bald patch! If it is hay mites, it is from P@H hay, as I bought that in an emergency when I ran out the other day. Never had this problem before!
 
it was just a bald patch. i caught it really early on both occasions.

but as well as the spot on vet gave i treated with coconeem which treats for both mites and fungal
 
Sorry but although the fungal probs are increased this year it is not as Vedra said, in the newsletter she said it applied to all hay. I use a local Meadow hay and Dust FRee Hay as well as occasional Oxbow. Not had any fungal probs here except the ones that come in fungal!

It is a waste to bed on Readigrass which is expensive (Vedra's idea), my friend made herself bleed when she was opening a bag of Readigrass (cut herself on the Readigrass), I'm not risking my pigs getting cut for anyone. And more to the point it is uncomfortable! First thing bedding should be is comfortable, in my opinion.

Aubiose and Medibed are alternative beddings and as long as the hay is dry there is no risk of parasites or fungal problems- parasites need damp to survive and so do fungal spores. Hay that was cut and dried properly will not have these problems.

If this was true we'd have a rescue full of fungal pigs, so would my friend who keeps a larrge number of pigs and beds the same as me.

Up to you guys, but I'm sticking to Just Grass for feeding, hay for feeding and Medibed for bedding. Free choice remember :)

Fungal infections are dry and scurfy. When you tug a hair gently it comes out and has a cliump of skin on the end. Dandruff is the start of fungal. But, it is easily gotten rid of, look at Mr Melt...
 
Our guineas occasionally get just grass as a change from hay as it is not as sharp as ready grass, they love it. Our hay is barn stored and high quality so I will stick to that for now, never had any problems with it so far and have been using this batch of hay for months. When this batch runs out I wil see what quality hay I can get (aways horse quality but his stuff is extra soft) maye think about chopped straw then, Sorry to spark off the great mites debate but it was very interesting O0
 
I haven't eaten it myself but the guineas go mad for it and eat every last bit, excellent in their opinion ;)

Don't be sorry Vikki and I think its more a fungal issue as well :) I use Just Grass, its cheaper and the Guins like it as much but they have hay for eating :) Horse quality is very good quality :)
 
Thanx for helping us Karen!
I think what Peggy has may be fungal then, as I combed her through, and lumps of hair were coming out with big bits of skin still attached. She has always suffered with dandruff, so I didnt think of that as part of it. Will the GG melts help this?
 
Lez said:
i agree ive found readigrass to be quite sharp, it digs into my skin
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Me too I stabbed my hands digging at the readigrass. I put it in the hayracks.
 
Pumpkinpiggie said:
Lez said:
i agree ive found readigrass to be quite sharp, it digs into my skin
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Me too I stabbed my hands digging at the readigrass. I put it in the hayracks.
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yeah me too i put readigrass in the hay rack and mix it in with their timothy hay.
 
DHS she needs a CocoNeem Melt shampooed off with Manuka and Neem shampoo :) This sounds fungal :)
 
i already have both of those things on order from GG! They should be here soon! O0
 
I recently bought a bale of hay which smells....odd...not particularly pleasent anyway, I am seriously wondering whether to use this for the guineas, and now reading all everyones said, I'm worried the smell is damp hay smell & the piggies will get a fungal infection :-\
 
Hay should smell and look fresh..Discard any dusty,damp or old looking hay. Haynis such an important part of the diet that only the best should be offered.
 
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