Lice on Christmas Eve 😮

[MoruMum]

Hi,
Just have to be Christmas Eve to find lice on my guinea pigs.

My two are 3 and half years old rescue, Squeak and Butterscotch. They love each other and sleep together and I am sure the recent rescue may have transferred it to the other.

We have a small microscope and I have caught an evidence! It is horrible.

I will make an appointment to the vet for the treatment but I would like some advice:

1) Will it jump to our head?!
2) I read on this forum that Ivermectin is the medicine usually prescribed for guinea pigs in the UK. Is there contraindications? I am very sure, though not diagnosed with blood test, that my sow has diabetes. Can she have the medication?
3) Should the appointment be made ASAP to the emergency vet for this? I am not sure if my usual exotic vet is open during Christmas and New year but I don't want to see non-exotic vet for my guinea pigs as I had a bad experience before.

Your advice is appreciated! Thank you and I hope you have a lovely Christmas!

 

[Pantalaimon]

Well done for getting a picture for identification.
Don’t worry, each species has its own louse species so the lice your guinea pig has are not going to be passed on to any other species.

Your guinea pigs don’t need urgent vet treatment, so don’t worry, no need to pay for a ridiculously expensive appointment over Christmas!
It is good to catch these things early so it would probably be best to get them an appointment in the next week or so to make treatment easier.

Sorry I can’t advise on the safety of medications in relation to diabetes. Though I can find no information online about ivermectin being harmful to diabetic cats or dogs.

 

[MoruMum]

Thank you @Pantalaimon That's good to know. Yes I think emergency Christmas appointment at the vet will be crazy expensive - and probably no exotic vets around! I can sleep tonight phew!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi,
Just have to be Christmas Eve to find lice on my guinea pigs.

My two are 3 and half years old rescue, Squeak and Butterscotch. They love each other and sleep together and I am sure the recent rescue may have transferred it to the other.

We have a small microscope and I have caught an evidence! It is horrible.

I will make an appointment to the vet for the treatment but I would like some advice:

1) Will it jump to our head?!
2) I read on this forum that Ivermectin is the medicine usually prescribed for guinea pigs in the UK. Is there contraindications? I am very sure, though not diagnosed with blood test, that my sow has diabetes. Can she have the medication?
3) Should the appointment be made ASAP to the emergency vet for this? I am not sure if my usual exotic vet is open during Christmas and New year but I don't want to see non-exotic vet for my guinea pigs as I had a bad experience before.

Your advice is appreciated! Thank you and I hope you have a lovely Christmas!

Hi

I agree that this is not an emergency and it can wait until regular opening times. Lice in well kept piggies are more in the way of a nuisance; especially in piggies with a somewhat suppressed immune system. Some strains can however be more persistent/resistant than others.

Topical (on the skin) ivermectin or selamectin should not have any impact on diabetes but you want to ask your vet about that.

Lice are very much species specific; they cannot survive on human blood and vice versa but with any skin parasite you need to treat all piggies within reach of the infected one.

 

[MoruMum]

Thank you Wiebke!
That is good to know. Thank goodness it is a topical application. I am always dreading to give oral medications to my pets.
I saw Butterscotch scratching before and when Squeak started to scratch about a week ago, I thought may be something is going on! The small portable microscope I got for my kids is totally worth it. I use it for many things!
Will update after Christmas on the vet appointment. Fingers crossed I can make an appointment sooner.

Happy Christmas everyone!

 

[MoruMum]

Lice Update:
Good news – we secured an appointment shortly after Christmas, and both Squeak (1.3kg) and Butterscotch (1kg) received ivermectin. Squeak got a whole tube, while Butterscotch received 16 drops. We administered two doses, 10 days apart. The itching has reduced, but I came across a forum thread suggesting three doses might be necessary. I noticed lice still lingering just before the second dose.

Considering trying a nit comb this time – any thoughts?

Attached the most recent images of Squeak and Butterscotch chilling out after Christmas.

 

[Wiebke]

Lice Update:
Good news – we secured an appointment shortly after Christmas, and both Squeak (1.3kg) and Butterscotch (1kg) received ivermectin. Squeak got a whole tube, while Butterscotch received 16 drops. We administered two doses, 10 days apart. The itching has reduced, but I came across a forum thread suggesting three doses might be necessary. I noticed lice still lingering just before the second dose.

Considering trying a nit comb this time – any thoughts?

Attached the most recent images of Squeak and Butterscotch chilling out after Christmas.

Hi

Glad that the ivermectin is working.

Unfortunately, just one application is not enough. You will need three rounds. No nit comb needed.
New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

 

[MoruMum]

@Wiebke
Thank you. We got two applications (i.e. two each piggie).
Shall I call the vet to get two more?

 

[Wiebke]

@Wiebke
Thank you. We got two applications (i.e. two each piggie).
Shall I call the vet to get two more?

It would be best. Some strains of lice can be unfortunately very persistent.
Please read the chapter on lice in the link above.

 

[MoruMum]

OK Perfect. I will read the article and get back to the vet. Thank you so much!