• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

mites

  • Thread starter Thread starter angieb
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
A

angieb

As i'm new to this I have another question. I think my two have mites. I cannot see anything but they seem to be scratching more. I read somewhere that some mites cannot be seen with the naked eye? Is this correct? I have ordered some powder stuff from gorgeous guineas. Is this ok or should i get something stonger? guinea is 2yrs and he has slight scatch marks on his skin from scratching but frodo is fine upto now!
 
Could be mites, I would try to get a hold of the new Xeno or Zeno 450 which is specially formulated for small animals. However, if you have been bathing them it could cause them to scratch, so can new bedding, etc.
 
Do you think i should start to use some other type of bedding instead of straw? if so has anybody any information on what they use?
 
Straw has a few downfalls including some guinea pigs have jabbed their eyes out with a piece of straw and it should be changed daily or it can start to mold. However, this is a popular bedding just like any other. It is probably better than some b/c less dust. Depending on where you get they straw from, it is up in the air whether it could possible carry mites if comes from a farm.
 
I have got an appointment on thursday to see the vet to get them both checked over. Just mainly to put my mind at ease. :)
 
I think my eldest guinea Ozzy has mites, he lives on his own but I do have other guineas near him but in a seperate hutch, Can mites be passed through handling the other two after I have held Ozzy? Can humas carry the mites over? I also have a dog and a cat can they get affected? Please help, maria
 
I don't think they can get mites by being cuddled by the same human. I could be wrong though! As for dogs/cats, If it's proper mange mites apparently dogs can get them, however the chance is slim, if the dog is being regularly wormed it should be ok
 
Its not mange just several really bad sores which are painful to him, My dog is very young only 5 months, so think I'm gonna keep her away just to be careful and we are washing hands after holding Ozzy before picking the other 2 up, I'm gonna get him to a vet 2moro and try and sort it out but he looks very ill, his brother died a couple of weeks ago and we were unsure of why he died as they are rescued we didn't know anything about them. I am very concerned for his health and really scared this can spread! Lots of cleaning out and fingers crossed I think! Thanks.
 
I think mine got them from the straw. The last lot i bought was really dusty and me being new to guinea pigs i didn't think 98) The skin is just breaking on guineas side from him scratching but fodo is fine upto now scratching a little but no skin broken. Think i caught it early cause guinea is white so his skin is easy to see. Got an appointment on thursday at the vets as that was the earliest i can get there as i have 3 children aswell. Does anybody think the mites might bemaking him a little grumpy towards frodo?
 
Yeah it is a possibility especially if he's constantly irratated by the mites because he is scratching all the time. Be careful using straw on guineas. I've heard it is not supposed to be used with little ones because they like burrowing in the hay it causes a lot of eye problems like scratches because it is a harsher material than hay. Hope you get the mite problem sorted xx
 
it will be mange mites, mites and mange mites are the same, they cause itching and scabbing, and can only be treated with ivermectin from the vets. http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html see this link and look at the photo

The reason I asked if you meant mites or mange mites is because some people refer to lice (white, wriggly, worm like things which dwell on the skin surface) as mites, and burrowing mites as mange mites.
 
That link was really usefull thankyou. I dont know what kind of mites he has but its no where near as bad as those on the photo. The marks on his skin are so small that my other half thinks i'm totaly losing it and says i'm over reacting! You can only see them when you pick him up and pull his fur back slightly. (he has short hair) I am glad i caught it before it got that bad. Now i wish i could get to the vets sooner but the appointments left were at the wrong times and when my children were due home from school!
 
if you take him to the vet they should be able to tell. I think lice can cause itching and thinning of hair, but are nothing compared to mange mites. Lice you can see.
I am not being harsh but they probably have both. Lice are not life threatening but mange mites can be. I find most pet shop pigs have lice at the very least.

Lice can be treated by using a Gorgeous guineas shampoo called lice and easy.
Mange mites need the vet and should be taken as soon as possible to one for Xeno 450 pippettes or some vets will give ivermectin injections
 
As far as straw is concerned, soft straw like Russell rabbit is ok, no sharp bits & its medicated so no mites.
For mites, as well as the drops, CCT recommends 3 x weekly baths in Flea or Die shampoo left on for 10
mins. Mites & spores are apparently a problem in British hay recently so I spose straw is too.
 
Gps cannot get mites from anything ,even hay.The mites gps get are species specific and die when off the host body.The only6 treatment affective against mites is Zeno 450,shampoos willnot get rid of them.Leaving a shampoo on for 10 minutes iis too long anyway.and straw should not be used for gps.It can cause eye poke injuries and has no nutritional value.Gps need loads of hay.


I am afraid CCT no longer give out reliable information,I do not know what has happened there,but the information is getting more rubbishy all the time.
 
I'm sorry bt acting thick again. 98) What do you mean by CCT? GP are improving loads :) :) :)
 
maryh said:
Gps cannot get mites from anything ,even hay.The mites gps get are species specific and die when off the host body.The only6 treatment affective against mites is Zeno 450,shampoos willnot get rid of them.Leaving a shampoo on for 10 minutes iis too long anyway.and straw should not be used for gps.It can cause eye poke injuries and has no nutritional value.Gps need loads of hay.


I am afraid CCT no longer give out reliable information,I do not know what has happened there,but the information is getting more rubbishy all the time.
Click to expand...

Xeno 450 is not the ONLY effective treatment, but being Ivomectin based it will, Bimentin, Noramectin, anything like that will work. It's work asking the vet to give you some but he may insist on seeing the pig first.

CCT are an excellent charity providing excellent advice, with many many years experience and work with Rodentologists.

Some people seem to think they know better but I would take CCT advice if they give it to you !
 
angieb said:
I'm sorry bt acting thick again. 98) What do you mean by CCT? GP are improving loads :) :) :)
Click to expand...

The Cambridge Cavy Trust
Cambridge Cavy Trust (Registered Charity no 801103)
1 Splash Lane
Wyton
Huntingdon,
Cambs
PE28 2AF

Membership £25 per year includes quarterly worming, nail clipping and routine dental work free of charge, no consultancy fee.

Tel/Text Vedra's mobile 07721 026401
 
Bear in mind that "rodentologists" are not veterinary qualified though many of them are very knowledgeable. There are several vets that work with the CCT and some who have attended courses. There are also plenty knowledgeable vets not affiliated to the CCT.

I'm in agreement that Xeno is not the only form of treatment for mites but it is the only brand of ivermectin licensed for use in cavies. Our vet still chooses to use Ivomec (intended for cattle) because it's cheaper for them and us.
 
Take CCT advise,I dont think so.Not when they tell people to give NSAID drugs to gps and to bath them in flea and tick shampoos.!!


The only reason Vedra has association with vets is because when she was prosecuted,she was told that unless she worked in association with a qualified vet she would have to stop treating other peoples animals.

It is illegal now under the new animal act laws to treat other animals other than your own,so she is acting ill.egally anyway.

The quarterly worming is unnesesary and harmful.
 
I've never wormed, don't see the point. What are NSAID drugs Mary? Sorry to be a pain. Anything I learn hear of worth I put it in my guinea pig for reference, cheats way of not buying books that can go outdated. :)
 
No I've never wormed a pig either, but Vedra has helped so many poorly pigs over the years, I don't think it's very fair to criticise her.
 
I took them to the vets and he gave xeno and two days later they are more or less back to normal and asking for food! :) :) :)I would take them to the vets anyway if i'm overly worried!
 
An NSAID is a non streroid based anti-inflammatory. Vedra suggested I give this to Ginger before she died. After speaking to Mary I stopped using it because of the side effects. She was only on for a couple of days. When I took her to see the vet she wouldn't even give her anti inflammatories because she was a gp and said not much is licensed for gp use so she had two steroid injections over a couple of days which did the job in hand.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top