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Neem Oil?

K

Kaitlin

Junior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 25, 2018
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Location
Ohio
So, Lalo had a little check up. Luckily, I knew this person so, I got a discount but the whole medicine is too much right now. They recommended that I used "Neem oil". It supposedly kills mites and eggs. Leave it in their fur for 48 hours? Boil the oil first and then wait to cool and then rub it on Lalo? Does anyone know if this actually works? My girlfriend and I could only find "Garden Safe: Neem oil extract". It does say it kills mites but what concerns me Is it was in the gardening section and it says to not get it on skin nor animals. I assume boiling it would take all the harmful things out? I'm not completely sure. She said this will help tremendously but I just want to double check. Any pointers?
 
Was the vet to prescribe the oil?
I know Neem Oil because I used it few months ago for my feet and it worked better than any other prescribed medicine (I had a bad fungal infection); I know also a friend who used it for his cat's skin desease and the cat, too, improved tremendously. But I am talking of an use with very few drops of oil on a damaged piece of skin... hence not for killing mites and eggs.
Consider also the extremely bad smell of the oil...:vom:
The pure oil for skin is expensive, the one for garden is cheap, I don't know the differences... I have used the expensive pure extract, my friend used for the cat the one for flowers.
(yes it works on flowers' parasites, too. Not always, though)
I have not understood: why didn't this vet prescribe an usual medicine for mites?
 
I knew the vet so, the check up itself was discounted but the actual cost of the medicine and injection would had been too much for me to afford. I was lucky enough to even afford the check up with the help of my girlfriend. I just need something to tie me off until I get a better paying job. If that one worked for her cat then it should be okay to use on my guinea pig. I just need a tie off until I get the money.
 
The problem with using something like neem oil is that it is purely topical, and will only kill bugs that it comes into direct contact with. This is why it is often used for a small problem area of skin (as described by @rome_italy).
But it won't be as effective as a prescription treatment such as Xeno, which is absorbed subcutaneously, and will subsequently come into contact with every mite on your guinea pig.

And if you were to consider using neem oil you would need to make sure it was a high grade oil specifically prepared for use on humans, and not a cheap grade oil, which often contains a mix of ingredients.
To be perfectly honest I would imagine high grade essential oils would be more expensive than prescription remedies from your vet.

Plus this seems like an unpleasant treatment to inflict on a guinea pig. The smell of neem oil is fairly pungent, and once you have covered your guinea pig with it, your piggy has no way to escape the smell.
I appreciate that you are in a difficult situation right now, but your guinea pig is suffering and really needs proper treatment.
He doesn't have any choices, so it is up to you to provide appropriate and effective treatment for him.
Is it possible to find a vet clinic that offers reduced treatment to people with low incomes?
Or a payment schedule to allow you to spread the cost a little?

it is clear you care very much for your guinea pigs, so hopefully you can find a way to get them the proper treatment soon.
 
Well, they she said organic Neem oil could tie him off. I hear it smells like Chinese food (gross) but I would much rather have a Chinese smelling Guinea pig than a "Clean" painful weeking guinea pig. Again, I know this woman, she's trying her best but there's not much the actual place will let her do. I do care a lot about my guinea pig but many other people don't. They say I'm "overreacting" but my guinea pig is not okay. My girlfriend has been so supportive and trying to calm me down because I can't wait anymore. I just simply can't wait to get him the treatment he needs but I have to wait until I get a good paying job which, even if I got hired this week, I wouldn't get paid for the next 3 - 4 weeks. I can't make Lalo wait that long because frankly, I don't think he would make it that long. I'm doing donations. I have to. It's my only other option and depending on who agrees to take me, that's when I'll go to a payment plan vet. Because typically, you have to make a down payment. I'm scared to even make Lalo wait tonight even if I am able to take him tomorrow. Is there anything I could do to help him. He's currently in his piggy home. He went into another seizure last night and the vet I know was trying her best but she can't bend the rules and I get that. She's currently trying to help me find payment plan for vets. (She's a family friend). She would pay for it but she can't. Moved out, pets, car payments, she's tight on money too. I'm not trying to find a way around this, I will and know I have to take him to the vet, but what I'm trying to solve is if there's anything I can do to tie him off for a couple more days. I don't know if they do vet appointments that make you pay way later and nothing then. I barely have any credit so, my bank would have to pull a miracle out and trust me enough, along with the vet, to make that payment. Which isn't looking good since I'm currently unemployed (but guaranteed a job from a different family friend, waiting for call. I would make up to $400 two weeks).

So, when I get the job, money won't be a problem. But tying Lalo off until then is the problem.

I'm so glad you guys are trying your best and taking this Seriously. Many people don't believe my guinea pig is in distress but if you heard and seen the way he was acting, anyone would know that he is under a lot of stress. And two guinea pigs getting the medicine, my bank and the vet would really have to trust me to make that payment on time. Thank you guys so much for you help. I don't want to come off as obnoxious. I've never had this type of problem before and I'm just at a tight end right now.
 
We have been looking at this certain vet. Just a check up is $45-$55, a double check and what not. But the actual removal of parasites is $85, so, with two guinea pigs, that's going to be around $260 alone. Which, honestly? I can live with. The fact that it would be payments is better. We are looking more into it and I'm setting up my donation and telling my friends about it. I'll get Lalo the help he needs. That's not a promise but a swear. I'm not letting him suffer just because others don't believe me. I'm trying my best.
 
I have just found this old thread here in this forum:
help lice in 2 week old guineas
the interesting post says:

When we bought two of our guinea-pigs (at 6-weeks of age), they had lice. We told the petshop owner and she gave us some Ivermectin and told us to put just a tiny dab on the back of their necks, but it didn't make any difference (presumably because the dose was too low). I looked on Peter Gurney's website and he recommended Neem oil for lice. We treated all our guinea-pigs (including the 6-week-old ones) without any problems and it worked brilliantly. They're still lice-free over 2-months later. You can get organic Neem oil cheaply off eBay (a 100ml bottle which will last ages costs about the same as 3-phials of Ivermectin). Dilute 1 part Neem oil with 3 parts carrier oil (we used extra virgin olive oil as it doesn't have any chemical nasties in it). Wash it off after 2-days, wait 5-days and then repeat the above procedure.

Here's the link:

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/skinp.htm
----------
there are other thread similar to this one; search on Google "neem oil guinea pig" and read carefully everything.
About the price of the oil: my bottle is 50ml and I paid 13€. I would pay half price bying it online, but I was in a hurry... my feet were a disaster.

Another advice: vets need customers and a customer with more than one pet is a good investiment for the future. Your vet might be interested in keeping you, offering now a discount (for example I paid one check up although into the pet-carrier I had two piggies... and when I adopted the third one I paid only a check up for a visit, medication of an abscess, prescription, syringes and other stuff...). The receptionist tells you the real price, but then the vet can also visit your pet for free when you are there into the clinic. At least this is what happens here.
I am never able to ask for a discount, but as you know the vet, why don't you try to have a frank conversation?;)
About the smell of the oil: it is not like a chinese meal...:)) it is different and very pungent (but actually I even liked it!). I used to put only 2-3 drops on each foot and the smell from the bathroom arrived to the kitchen :roll:. As you have to use it on the whole body and as the piggie is having seizures, I would try only some drops the first time, because seizures sometimes can appear just after strong stimulations of senses.
I hope the oil will help your piggies, I hope the infection is not too serious...
If you like tomorrow morning I can search other info about owners who used this oil and I can send you the links...
 
rome_italy said:
I have just found this old thread here in this forum:
help lice in 2 week old guineas
the interesting post says:

When we bought two of our guinea-pigs (at 6-weeks of age), they had lice. We told the petshop owner and she gave us some Ivermectin and told us to put just a tiny dab on the back of their necks, but it didn't make any difference (presumably because the dose was too low). I looked on Peter Gurney's website and he recommended Neem oil for lice. We treated all our guinea-pigs (including the 6-week-old ones) without any problems and it worked brilliantly. They're still lice-free over 2-months later. You can get organic Neem oil cheaply off eBay (a 100ml bottle which will last ages costs about the same as 3-phials of Ivermectin). Dilute 1 part Neem oil with 3 parts carrier oil (we used extra virgin olive oil as it doesn't have any chemical nasties in it). Wash it off after 2-days, wait 5-days and then repeat the above procedure.

Here's the link:

http://www.oginet.com/pgurney/skinp.htm
----------
there are other thread similar to this one; search on Google "neem oil guinea pig" and read carefully everything.
About the price of the oil: my bottle is 50ml and I paid 13€. I would pay half price bying it online, but I was in a hurry... my feet were a disaster.

Another advice: vets need customers and a customer with more than one pet is a good investiment for the future. Your vet might be interested in keeping you, offering now a discount (for example I paid one check up although into the pet-carrier I had two piggies... and when I adopted the third one I paid only a check up for a visit, medication of an abscess, prescription, syringes and other stuff...). The receptionist tells you the real price, but then the vet can also visit your pet for free when you are there into the clinic. At least this is what happens here.
I am never able to ask for a discount, but as you know the vet, why don't you try to have a frank conversation?;)
About the smell of the oil: it is not like a chinese meal...:)) it is different and very pungent (but actually I even liked it!). I used to put only 2-3 drops on each foot and the smell from the bathroom arrived to the kitchen :roll:. As you have to use it on the whole body and as the piggie is having seizures, I would try only some drops the first time, because seizures sometimes can appear just after strong stimulations of senses.
I hope the oil will help your piggies, I hope the infection is not too serious...
If you like tomorrow morning I can search other info about owners who used this oil and I can send you the links...
Click to expand...

God, you're such a help . You really think they'll give me a free check up? And I'm scared to risk going to the vet without any money. I will definitely boil this stuff, wait for it to cool down and put a light..3 dabs on the neck, back and butt of Lalo? Or maybe the side of his tummy but it's really bad. I know it won't get rid of all of them but if it gets rid of some, it's worth it to tie him off until a vet will give him medicine.
 
let's hope the remedy can help... at least until a vet is available... (but if you have luck probably the mites will be killed just now).
You don't have to thank me at all, I haven't done anything special, but sharing info, friendship and conversation is always useful (and pleasant, at least for me). We can both learn a lot from this experience :)
 
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