Lice or Mites? Recurring infestation - help!

[thewheakybeans]

Hello,

I had a mite/lice infestation last summer with two of my sows and ever since then, it keeps re-surfacing despite washing all the piggie fleece at 60C, changing to Easibed, changing cages entirely and treating with ivermectin on a routine basis as advised by my vet (using Pharmaq Ivermectin & also tried Xeno-50).

Could anybody help me identify if this is mites or lice from the photos below? I have Lice n Easy natural shampoo I could try but I've never bathed my girls before & would rather not make the problem worse and stress them out if not necessary.

Any treatment suggestions would be welcomed especially as my vets don't know how to treat it apart from ivermectin which hasn't worked so far. It appears like dandruff particularly on the skin and hair shaft & Kitkat squeals even if I gently touch her skin yet isn't scratching consistently when back in her cage.

Thanks in advance!

 

[Siikibam]

If you can see it then it’s lice. Mites can’t be seen by the naked eye. What was the course of treatment - what dosage and how often? Mites May have come with the hay so I don’t know if you tried changing the hay supplier - if that’s what they had.

You also say the vet recommended treating on a routine basis. Do you mean treating even if there’s nothing/they aren’t scratching? If yes, this isn’t a good idea and can actually lead to them building up an immunity to the medicine. If you mean several doses spaced evenly apart that’s something different.

I know vets aren’t that many in Scotland but I would maybe consider getting a second opinion, if your vet isn’t experienced in treating Guinea pigs. I’ll also tag @PigglePuggle @Wiebke

Have a read of the guide I’ve linked below as well. I hope your piggies are sorted out soon.
New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites

Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

 

[weepweeps]

I’ve treated my two piggies with xeno450 twice now. The vet was treating mites not lice in their case. I had to treat three times every two weeks. So three treatments on each pig in total. Is this what you did? I threw away all cardboard hides and washed all their bedding after each application. I also cleaned their cage and all plastic items with F10 vet grade disinfectant from Amazon after each application. Hope you get them cleared up soon.

 

[thewheakybeans]

Thanks guys, overall the piggies have received five rounds of ivermectin over the last 12 months. Twice, I was advised by 1 vet to use xeno (dosage was calculated for their weights) & administered one dose every 2 weeks for 3 doses in total (over a 6 week period). This seemed to clear up the mites/lice for a while. Then I switched vets and they suggested Pharmaq ivermectin (2 drops once a week between the shoulder blades for 3 weeks) which I've used ever since.

I've changed hay suppliers frequently over the last 12 months, thrown away old toys/hides etc, used F10 to clean their cages and have only treated the piggies with ivermectin if I've noticed them losing some hair/scratching all the time/spotted the dark dandruff spots again on their fur (all after checking with vets first).

Basically, I'm unsure what to try now especially given they may have built up an immunity to the medicine as prev mentioned.

 

[Siikibam]

Did the vets find lice or mites? Or was it different each time? And when you treated them due to losing hair/scratching, we’re they seen by the vet and diagnosis confirmed?

I’m sorry it seems never ending. Hopefully the two I tagged may be able to help. I’ll also tag @Piggies&buns

 

[thewheakybeans]

Did the vets find lice or mites? Or was it different each time? And when you treated them due to losing hair/scratching, we’re they seen by the vet and diagnosis confirmed?

I’m sorry it seems never ending. Hopefully the two I tagged may be able to help. I’ll also tag @Piggies&buns

Hello,

During the many vet visits, they've diagnosed both lice and mites in the past (and one of the outbreaks started around the time Caramac got a serious URI that was also difficult to treat)

The last course of ivermectin (last month) was the only one I did myself, following the exact procedure the vets gave me last time. They sometimes seemed unsure as to what was causing the dandruff-like flakes on the piggies skin along with a small lump on Caramac's rump which has fortunately not grown in size & doesn't seem to bother her.

I wonder if Pharmaq is the best brand of ivermectin to try (which is what the vets gave me?) Or possibly a double pronged approach along with bathing after treating with ivermectin incase the dandruff flakes are actually eggs?