Lice?

[Rebecca01]

My two babies (9 weeks ish) have been itching more over the last couple of days. When brushing them and checking them over today I noticed tiny white worm looking things moving around in their fur! Annoyingly both of them have quite a few in their fur. They seem to be okay in themselves I am keeping an eye on eating and drinking but it must be uncomfy.
After sone research I think it could be lice! I have rang a local vets who said to try and call first thing and they will see if they can squeeze me in, or they have nothing until next week. I’m praying they will fit them in if not I’ll be ringing around all the local vets! Is there anything I can do to make them more comfy/help keep it at bay whilst we wait tonight? I plan on binning all of the open bags of bedding (brand new annoyingly!) and putting fresh stuff in disinfecting tomorrow etc hopefully before their appointment, but just so worried about my babies!

 

[Wiebke]

My two babies (9 weeks ish) have been itching more over the last couple of days. When brushing them and checking them over today I noticed tiny white worm looking things moving around in their fur! Annoyingly both of them have quite a few in their fur. They seem to be okay in themselves I am keeping an eye on eating and drinking but it must be uncomfy.
After sone research I think it could be lice! I have rang a local vets who said to try and call first thing and they will see if they can squeeze me in, or they have nothing until next week. I’m praying they will fit them in if not I’ll be ringing around all the local vets! Is there anything I can do to make them more comfy/help keep it at bay whilst we wait tonight? I plan on binning all of the open bags of bedding (brand new annoyingly!) and putting fresh stuff in disinfecting tomorrow etc hopefully before their appointment, but just so worried about my babies!

Hi

Where have your babies come from? Please check whether you are dealing with lice or fly strike (around the anus):
Here is more information on lice and fly strike.
New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights (see chapter on skin parasites)
Fly Strike
This link here contains pictures of guinea pig specific lice: Guinea Lynx :: Lice

The best long term defence against lice is strengthening the immune system with a good hay based, balanced diet. In the short term you can conduct a 3 weeks vitamin C booster course (please discuss with your vets) to help the body fend off the lice in addition to the ivermectin or selamectin based vet strength treatment. Please never extend any vitamin C supplemention because the body adapts to the higher levels long term and you lose your advantage. Lice thrive on a weakened immune system; they are very much opportunists.
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets

Please do not home treat on spec - as hard as it is to stand by - to allow our vet to make an appropriate diagnosis and devise any course of treatment in accordance with the severity of the problem. If you interfere, you are basically wiping the crime scene and won't get any thanks from your vet and you may delay the start of the any vet strength treatment.

Fly strike counts as an absolute emergency if that is what you are dealing with, so that will be squeezed in asap if that is really the case. Unfortunately, I cannot rule it out from your description and you will have to check for yourself with the help of the fly strike link.

 

[Rebecca01]

Hi all
My poor piggies have just visited the vets and they have lice! The vet has ordered me some more Xeno to treat them (one has had her first dose but they didn’t have any more, so her poor sister has to wait until tomorrow for hers!)
They are currently having a play in their run whilst I disinfect and clean their cage

I’ve thrown the open bag of shavings and have new bags to replace it- I’ve only just opened a bag of meadow hay a couple days ago, but should I throw this too and buy another?
Fresh bag of Timothy bought today to eat in the meantime- but didn’t know whether it was worth just throwing the open hay too?
Thanks
Hopefully this is a good cure! Then I am going to start using the pets at home spot on every four weeks to prevent!

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please do not use pets at home or any product as a preventative. Prevention is never needed, only ever treat an active infestation with a proper prescribed treatment. You will never find any of us long term owners who ever use such a product or preventative.

Using a preventative will not prevent it and actually risks causing longer term problems.
Pet shop products are very low dosed (won’t cure an infestation) and as such using such a low dosed product repeatedly and unnecessarily as a preventative will lead to resistance forming. If you then have another parasite outbreak, you will find it incredibly hard to treat it effectively even with a prescribed product.

The guide below will help you further

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

 

[Rebecca01]

Please do not use pets at home or any product as a preventative. Prevention is never needed, only ever treat an active infestation with a proper prescribed treatment. You will never find any of us long term owners who ever use such a product or preventative.

Using a preventative will not prevent it and actually risks causing longer term problems.
Pet shop products are very low dosed (won’t cure an infestation) and as such using such a low dosed product repeatedly and unnecessarily as a preventative will lead to resistance forming. If you then have another parasite outbreak, you will find it incredibly hard to treat it effectively even with a prescribed product.

The guide below will help you further

New Guinea Pig Problems: Sexing & Pregnancy; URI, Ringworm & Parasites; Vet Checks & Customer Rights

Hi that’s really helpful Thankyou! Atleast I now know what the vets use in case they ever get another infestation! Would you throw out all open hay, food etc?

 

[Rebecca01]

They also have wooden house and bridge which in an ideal world I would replace but they weren’t exactly cheap! If they’re being treated over the next four weeks will these be ok to keep? I disinfect every big clean

 

[Piggies&buns]

Xeno is definitely the recommended treatment.

If you opened hay today then I wouldn’t throw that out. I also wouldn’t replace hides! I soak my wooden items in F10 (vet grade disinfectant) for a thorough disinfection

 

[Rebecca01]

Xeno is definitely the recommended treatment.

If you opened hay today then I wouldn’t throw that out. I also wouldn’t replace hides! I soak my wooden items in F10 (vet grade disinfectant) for a thorough disinfection

I’m goi g to keep the Timothy that is nee from today
But their meadow bay was opened a couple of days ago?

 

[Wiebke]

I’m goi g to keep the Timothy that is nee from today
But their meadow bay was opened a couple of days ago?

Hi

You won't usually get lots of lice in a couple of days but if you have concerns, then please throw the meadow hay away - they take a bit of time to build up to larger numbers. I have never had any lice coming with hay though.

 

[Rebecca01]

Hi

You won't usually get lots of lice in a couple of days but if you have concerns, then please throw the meadow hay away - they take a bit of time to build up to larger numbers. I have never had any lice coming with hay though.

Thanks! So many different things online i assumed that’s where they’d have come from, but you’re right about it taking longer for more to appear! Happy that I could see a vet so quickly

 

[Rebecca01]

Hi all! Is there anything else I can do to ease their itchiness? I don’t want to interfere with the xeno by bathing etc and I’ve tried to minimalist whats in their cage to just a couple of hides but I don’t want them being uncomfy and scratching loads for the next four weeks

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hi all! Is there anything else I can do to ease their itchiness? I don’t want to interfere with the xeno by bathing etc and I’ve tried to minimalist whats in their cage to just a couple of hides but I don’t want them being uncomfy and scratching loads for the next four weeks

You need to just let the treatment do its job.