Mites

[Gizmosis]

I had one of my four guinea pigs who is scratching seen at the emergency vet because regular vet wasn't open and they prescribed Revolution for regular mites... not the mange kind. She said that they won't attach themselves to any humans they can't live on us only guinea pigs... I applied Revolution to all 4 pets... is this something I have to worry about is this something that's going to keep coming back does it live on the carpet if so for how long I did clean everything down after applying the revolution are we safe now or are we not safe until the second application? are they still living on them? I've tried to find some information on mites but I kind of want to know what their life cycle is and if I should be skeeved out about having them on my skin what if there's one accidentally left on my hand and I ingest it when eating regular food or something I am just really scared about mites if any one has any experiences with mites and can give me any information it would be vital! thank you

 

[pig in the city]

Hi. The mites can only live on the piggy and the first dose of treatment will have killed them all. The subsequent doses kill any mites that have hatched from eggs laid on the hair. The mites can't live for very long away from the piggy so can't live in the carpet etc. It is worth cleaning out their cage and cage furniture after the first treatment but l don't usually bother again.They shouldn't cause humans any problems at all either on your skin or if accidentally eaten. All piggies carry a few mites so don't panic.

 

[Wiebke]

I had one of my four guinea pigs who is scratching seen at the emergency vet because regular vet wasn't open and they prescribed Revolution for regular mites... not the mange kind. She said that they won't attach themselves to any humans they can't live on us only guinea pigs... I applied Revolution to all 4 pets... is this something I have to worry about is this something that's going to keep coming back does it live on the carpet if so for how long I did clean everything down after applying the revolution are we safe now or are we not safe until the second application? are they still living on them? I've tried to find some information on mites but I kind of want to know what their life cycle is and if I should be skeeved out about having them on my skin what if there's one accidentally left on my hand and I ingest it when eating regular food or something I am just really scared about mites if any one has any experiences with mites and can give me any information it would be vital! thank you

Hi!

Skin parasites are species specific; guinea pig mites and lice cannot survive on humans nor can human lice and fleas on guinea pigs. But if just the thought of parasites makes you feel itchy and bad, have a good wash in a shower in order to feel better in yourself.
Skin parasites are unfortunately a matter of fact in any pet. As long as they get treated promptly, they will not get past nuisance level and are not a big problem.

Guinea pigs can have two kinds of mites, potentially lethal mange mites (trixacarus caviae) that burrow their eggs into the increasingly inflamed and painful skin and hay/fur mites (chirodiscoides caviae) which live on hair debris and fix their egg cases onto the hairs, especially at the bum end; they are the least harmful skin parasite and more of a nuisance than anything. I assume from your comment that your vet has diagnosed the latter?

Treatment for both varieties of mites is the same. It is course of 3 applications of ivermectin or selamectin to the skin at the product specific interval. Just a single application is not enough; it kills the current mites, but not any emerging mites - that is what the two follow-up rounds do in order to catch any stragglers and prevent a return.
The active ingredient in Revolution is selamectin; my own spiggy savvy vets treat hay mites with the correpsonding selamectin UK brand Stronghold, so your vet is doing the right thing.

Hay mites usually come with hay; often with shop bought imported pet hay. We have seen a surge in hay mite cases in recent years since the largest UK chain started to import timothy hay from the US. These hay are also more resistent and can be harder to get rid of than the hay mites that used to make an appearance each autumn in cheap untreated farm/equine hay. In persistent cases treating with a vet approved lice shampoo in combination to ivermectin or selamectin can do the trick. You have to wait 48 hours between any treatment on the skin (whether that is a spot-on or a shampoo) before you can apply something else to allow the previous application to be absorbed fully and not be washed away.

I would give your piggy cage and bedding a deep clean but strongly recommend to get rid of your hay and switch the hay brand.

More information on guinea pig parasites: Guinea Lynx :: Parasites

 

[Gizmosis]

Hi. The mites can only live on the piggy and the first dose of treatment will have killed them all. The subsequent doses kill any mites that have hatched from eggs laid on the hair. The mites can't live for very long away from the piggy so can't live in the carpet etc. It is worth cleaning out their cage and cage furniture after the first treatment but l don't usually bother again.They shouldn't cause humans any problems at all either on your skin or if accidentally eaten. All piggies carry a few mites so don't panic.

If all piggy carry a few mites then could my piggy not have been infected I noticed a few scratches on him so I thought it may have been mites I took him to the vet and she said she saw like one on the screen she gave me Revolution for all of them today I noticed when I put two new hides in the piggy pen his cage mate chase him out and scratched him.. I didn't see this happening but I heard it and when I ran in I noticed a scratch on his back tiny but look like the other scratches I'm wondering if his cage mate is doing this to him or if they are playing or what is happening I need to get a camera and investigate more... they're both babies and they seem to get along very well when I am in the room so I don't know I did treat them all for mites and thank you that is good to know that they can't live for very long I heard that they can live for three weeks on objects and jump back on the piggy I don't know how true that is but it was scary

Hi!

Skin parasites are species specific; guinea pig mites and lice cannot survive on humans nor can human lice and fleas on guinea pigs. But if just the thought of parasites makes you feel itchy and bad, have a good wash in a shower in order to feel better in yourself.
Skin parasites are unfortunately a matter of fact in any pet. As long as they get treated promptly, they will not get past nuisance level and are not a big problem.

Guinea pigs can have two kinds of mites, potentially lethal mange mites (trixacarus caviae) that burrow their eggs into the increasingly inflamed and painful skin and hay/fur mites (chirodiscoides caviae) which live on hair debris and fix their egg cases onto the hairs, especially at the bum end; they are the least harmful skin parasite and more of a nuisance than anything. I assume from your comment that your vet has diagnosed the latter?

Treatment for both varieties of mites is the same. It is course of 3 applications of ivermectin or selamectin to the skin at the product specific interval. Just a single application is not enough; it kills the current mites, but not any emerging mites - that is what the two follow-up rounds do in order to catch any stragglers and prevent a return.
The active ingredient in Revolution is selamectin; my own spiggy savvy vets treat hay mites with the correpsonding selamectin UK brand Stronghold, so your vet is doing the right thing.

Hay mites usually come with hay; often with shop bought imported pet hay. We have seen a surge in hay mite cases in recent years since the largest UK chain started to import timothy hay from the US. These hay are also more resistent and can be harder to get rid of than the hay mites that used to make an appearance each autumn in cheap untreated farm/equine hay. In persistent cases treating with a vet approved lice shampoo in combination to ivermectin or selamectin can do the trick. You have to wait 48 hours between any treatment on the skin (whether that is a spot-on or a shampoo) before you can apply something else to allow the previous application to be absorbed fully and not be washed away.

I would give your piggy cage and bedding a deep clean but strongly recommend to get rid of your hay and switch the hay brand.
Omg i usually get kaytee timothy hay but ran out and chewy was taking forever to deliver.. i purchased target hay for one night.. tossed when my shipment arrived ... could that be where they came from? I thought they cant live off pigg long!
More information on guinea pig parasites: Guinea Lynx :: Parasites

 

[Wiebke]

If all piggy carry a few mites then could my piggy not have been infected I noticed a few scratches on him so I thought it may have been mites I took him to the vet and she said she saw like one on the screen she gave me Revolution for all of them today I noticed when I put two new hides in the piggy pen his cage mate chase him out and scratched him.. I didn't see this happening but I heard it and when I ran in I noticed a scratch on his back tiny but look like the other scratches I'm wondering if his cage mate is doing this to him or if they are playing or what is happening I need to get a camera and investigate more... they're both babies and they seem to get along very well when I am in the room so I don't know I did treat them all for mites and thank you that is good to know that they can't live for very long I heard that they can live for three weeks on objects and jump back on the piggy I don't know how true that is but it was scary

Mites are not visible to the naked eye. What did your vet exactly see?

How long have you had your guinea pigs? If it is within 2 weeks (UK) or a month (US) of purchase, you can reclaim any vet cost from the pet shop you bought your piggies from as exposure and infection must have happened at the shop. It comes under customer protection for having been sold damaged ware.

Fur mites are not normally present on guinea pigs. Many guinea pigs have mange mite eggs, but they are usually kept under control by fully functional immune system. However, young guinea pigs with a not yet fully developed immune system that are then ripped from their family, transported to a shop and thrust into a home has pets (huge stress on top of a still fragile immune system) are prime candidates for all opportunistic illnesses and parasites, like mange mites, ringworm (fungal skin infection) or URI (bacterial respiratory infection).

Most scratches on the back are self-inflicted from severe itchiness. If it was down to a serious fight between teenage boars, then you should notice it in their body language (teeth chattering and stiff body language) and the tension between them. A serious fight is very upsetting for both parties. Before you suspect a fight, you always need to exclude mange mites or ringworm, which can also start with a self-inflicted scratch/bite to the itchy skin.

Please be aware that you always need to treat all guinea pigs in contact with each other mites if there is an acute outbreak.

 

[Gizmosis]

i treated them all... i cant believe how much i fell in love w pigs after getting my first 6 months ago we got a few more and i want more but i think I'm done getting piggies for now at least. Haha i hope theyre all cured soon

 

[Gizmosis]

Mites are not visible to the naked eye. What did your vet exactly see?

How long have you had your guinea pigs? If it is within 2 weeks (UK) or a month (US) of purchase, you can reclaim any vet cost from the pet shop you bought your piggies from as exposure and infection must have happened at the shop. It comes under customer protection for having been sold damaged ware.

Fur mites are not normally present on guinea pigs. Many guinea pigs have mange mite eggs, but they are usually kept under control by fully functional immune system. However, young guinea pigs with a not yet fully developed immune system that are then ripped from their family, transported to a shop and thrust into a home has pets (huge stress on top of a still fragile immune system) are prime candidates for all opportunistic illnesses and parasites, like mange mites, ringworm (fungal skin infection) or URI (bacterial respiratory infection).

Most scratches on the back are self-inflicted from severe itchiness. If it was down to a serious fight between teenage boars, then you should notice it in their body language (teeth chattering and stiff body language) and the tension between them. A serious fight is very upsetting for both parties. Before you suspect a fight, you always need to exclude mange mites or ringworm, which can also start with a self-inflicted scratch/bite to the itchy skin.

Please be aware that you always need to treat all guinea pigs in contact with each other mites if there is an acute outbreak.

My vet said she saw on the scrape 1 or 2 alive mites. We treated anyways cause he was super itchy... i don't believe ita mange as she said not contagious to humans