Possible mites.

[Mclayton]

So, my piggies have started itching quite a bit, & when I groomed them, there were alot of white flecks like dandruff. Been told by a rescue to treat with invermectin. Now as both my piggies are heavier than 750g, it says use 2 pipettes. I've been reading this is too much leaving them very greasy. What's people's opinions on here, plus do I spread it over their back like the product instructions say, or just open the fur on the back of their neck & squeeze it in, also, how long do I leave it before putting them back together?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Please see a vet for diagnosis and prescribed treatment.
Xeno is the treatment most likely to be prescribed. It is dosed by weight so the vet will tell you how much to give depending on the product prescribed (Xeno 50 or Xeno 450 both cover different weight brackets but most often for adult piggies below 1200g, the 450 version is still the best version to give just using part pipettes instead of whole ones). The course of xeno is three separate treatments with two weeks between each treatment.
Ivermectin products you can buy from pet shops are not dosed strongly enough to deal with the issue and are consequently not recommended. They can temporarily suppress, but not necessarily cure.

Put them back together? There is no need to separate them at all.

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

 

[Mclayton]

Please see a vet for diagnosis and prescribed treatment.
Xeno is the treatment most likely to be prescribed. It is dosed by weight so the vet will tell you how much to give depending on the product prescribed (Xeno 50 or Xeno 450 both cover different weight brackets but most often for adult piggies below 1200g, the 450 version is still the best version to give just using part pipettes instead of whole ones). The course of xeno is three separate treatments with two weeks between each treatment.
Ivermectin products you can buy from pet shops are not dosed strongly enough to deal with the issue and are consequently not recommended. They can temporarily suppress, but not necessarily cure.

Put them back together? There is no need to separate them at all.

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

No, I mean after one piggie has been treated. Been told yo let the fur dry first, before returning to the other piggie. I lady who runs a guinea pig rescue has recommended me to use beaphar anti parasite spot on. They have only really started itching 2 days ago, so I'm hoping this will work. I've spent money on it now.

 

[Piggies&buns]

No, I mean after one piggie has been treated. Been told yo let the fur dry first, before returning to the other piggie. I lady who runs a guinea pig rescue has recommended me to use beaphar anti parasite spot on. They have only really started itching 2 days ago, so I'm hoping this will work. I've spent money on it now.

Beaphar is not necessarily strong enough to deal with it effectively - the dosage has been checked by the forum health team and it is lower concentration than the the effective xeno treatment. (Because pet shops are not allowed to sell prescription strength products)
The issue is that it is designed to be a preventative (which we don’t recommend anyway). Ivermectin only kills the mites present at the time, not the eggs. So if you don’t do the second and third treatments at the correct timings, then the cycle continues because the next round of mites which were eggs at the time of the first treatment are not caught.
I appreciate you have already bought it, but the experience of the forum is that you end up paying twice because you could still end up needing to go to the vet for the correct strength product (and at the proper course). It is best to deal with it properly from the beginning.
You’d also need to know whether you are dealing with hay mites or mange mites - hence the importance of seeing a vet .

Ive always parted the fur, emptied the contents and then let go of the fur.

 

[Mclayton]

Beaphar is not necessarily strong enough to deal with it effectively - the dosage has been checked by the forum health team and it is lower concentration than the the effective xeno treatment. (Because pet shops are not allowed to sell prescription strength products)
The issue is that it is designed to be a preventative (which we don’t recommend anyway). Ivermectin only kills the mites present at the time, not the eggs. So if you don’t do the second and third treatments at the correct timings, then the cycle continues because the next round of mites which were eggs at the time of the first treatment are not caught.
I appreciate you have already bought it, but the experience of the forum is that you end up paying twice because you could still end up needing to go to the vet for the correct strength product (and at the proper course). It is best to deal with it properly from the beginning.
You’d also need to know whether you are dealing with hay mites or mange mites - hence the importance of seeing a vet .

Ive always parted the fur, emptied the contents and then let go of the fur.

As I've already used it today, I will make a vets appointment for 2 weeks time. Its only just started as their fur & skin are in great condition, just quite a bit of dandruff looking white bits. Can see it easily with one of my piggies been black

 

[Mclayton]

Please, can someone help me. I'm so stressed & worried, as I'm a first time piggie owner. Few nights ago, while my piggies were in their playpen, they were itching quite a bit. I took a look at them. One of my piggies is black, so I could easily see white flecks on his fur that looks like dandruff. I groomed him, so his itching settled a bit. A lady from guinea pig rescue, said its most likely hay mites & told me to treat with Invermectin, & again in 2 weeks time. They have had the first application, but since been told I should see a vet for proper diagnosis. So, few things really. How long can I leave before seeing a vet, & will these mites infect me & my home? I clean their cage every night, but what about their toys which are wooden chew toys. They are indoor piggies with a play pen, both in my living room. Play pen lined with a fleece. Do I change this daily too?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I linked in the guide in your other thread but I’ll link it again now. (I will also merge this with your other thread to keep the same issue all to the same thread)

I would go to the vet now to be honest and get a proper diagnosis.
Make sure to tell the vet you’ve already given a pet shop treatment, the dose you gave and the date upon which it was given.
Mites are not the only cause of dandruff/flaky skin so this is why treating on spec without official vet diagnosis is never a good idea.

The mites will not infest you or your home. They only want the piggies.

Use F10 to disinfect the cage a few days after each treatment.
You don’t need to clean daily - the mites will die following the correct strength treatment and fall off piggy. The clean a couple of days after treatment will get rid of anything in the bedding. You are then waiting for the next round of eggs to hatch, give the next treatment, wait a few days then do an F10 clean etc

Wooden hides and toys can be soaked for a few hours in the F10 solution, left to dry and then returned to the piggies after the full treatment is complete in six weeks time (either that or will you need to be soaking them after each treatment also). You can use cardboard items in the meantime as they can be thrown away after each treatment.

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

 

[Mclayton]

I linked in the guide in your other thread but I’ll link it again now. (I will also merge this with your other thread to keep the same issue all to the same thread)

I would go to the vet now to be honest and get a proper diagnosis.
Make sure to tell the vet you’ve already given a pet shop treatment, the dose you gave and the date upon which it was given.
Mites are not the only cause of dandruff/flaky skin so this is why treating on spec without official vet diagnosis is never a good idea.

The mites will not infest you or your home. They only want the piggies.

Use F10 to disinfect the cage a few days after each treatment.
You don’t need to clean daily - the mites will die following the correct strength treatment and fall off piggy. The clean a couple of days after treatment will get rid of anything in the bedding. You are then waiting for the next round of eggs to hatch, give the next treatment, wait a few days then do an F10 clean etc

Wooden hides and toys can be soaked for a few hours in the F10 solution, left to dry and then returned to the piggies after the full treatment is complete in six weeks time (either that or will you need to be soaking them after each treatment also). You can use cardboard items in the meantime as they can be thrown away after each treatment.

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

 

[Mclayton]

I can't soak the wooden huts they sleep in, & sit on top. I am spraying them with pet safe disinfectant, & left to dry, (few hours), as they need to go back in their cage, as I don't have anything else to substitute them with. Do I replace the fleece in their play pen daily, & clean that with the pet safe disinfectant too?

 

[Piggies&buns]

I can't soak the wooden huts they sleep in, & sit on top. I am spraying them with pet safe disinfectant, & left to dry, (few hours), as they need to go back in their cage, as I don't have anything else to substitute them with. Do I replace the fleece in their play pen daily, & clean that with the pet safe disinfectant too?

Most pet safe disinfectants (ones from
Pet shops for example) are just general cleaners. They’re fine for a weekly cleaning but F10 is vet grade and kills everything (including ringworm) and is the best thing to get and use when dealing with this kind of thing. It can be purchased from amazon.

You could see if you can get hold of some cardboard boxes, use them instead while they are under going any treatment, to enable you to soak the wooden hides in F10.
Alternatively if you are already spraying the wooden hides you have, allowing them to dry and the returning them anyway then doing the soak in f10 will be no different. You can just let them dry and then return them. It just means that you will need to do it after each treatment which isn’t different to what you need to be doing now. The benefit is that F10 is the best thing to use for deep cleaning.
You don’t need to replace fleece daily. Do it a couple of days after each treatment and then return to a normal cleaning schedule until the next treatment.
Fleece just goes through the washing machine, doesn’t need to use a pet safe disinfectant on it.

You should also replace your current batch of hay. Hay mites come in on hay so continuing to use the same one if it is infested won’t be helpful

 

[Mclayton]

Most pet safe disinfectants (ones from
Pet shops for example) are just general cleaners. They’re fine for a weekly cleaning but F10 is vet grade and kills everything (including ringworm) and is the best thing to get and use when dealing with this kind of thing. It can be purchased from amazon.

You could see if you can get hold of some cardboard boxes, use them instead while they are under going any treatment, to enable you to soak the wooden hides in F10.
Alternatively if you are already spraying the wooden hides you have, allowing them to dry and the returning them anyway then doing the soak in f10 will be no different. You can just let them dry and then return them. It just means that you will need to do it after each treatment which isn’t different to what you need to be doing now. The benefit is that F10 is the best thing to use for deep cleaning.
You don’t need to replace fleece daily. Do it a couple of days after each treatment and then return to a normal cleaning schedule until the next treatment.
Fleece just goes through the washing machine, doesn’t need to use a pet safe disinfectant on it.

You should also replace your current batch of hay. Hay mites come in on hay so continuing to use the same one if it is infested won’t be helpful

I've already done that, regarding the hay. I've got rid of the bag I was using, & opened another. One last question please. Do I groom them, to help get rid of some of the dandruff type stuff? By the way, the skinny is in good condition, so probably caught this quickly. I can't go vets yet, until I get paid on 17th

 

[Piggies&buns]

I've already done that, regarding the hay. I've got rid of the bag I was using, & opened another. One last question please. Do I groom them, to help get rid of some of the dandruff type stuff? By the way, the skinny is in good condition, so probably caught this quickly. I can't go vets yet, until I get paid on 17th

You can’t groom mite eggs out. Dandruff may not be mite eggs. It’s impossible for us to know whether grooming may be uncomfortable or beneficial given there is no official diagnosis

They need treatment each treatment exactly 14 days after the first so having prescribed treatment ready is important otherwise you may need to start a whole new course. (Assuming the first dose is even doing anything given the low dosage is it anyway).

 

[Mclayton]

You can’t groom mite eggs out. Dandruff may not be mite eggs. It’s impossible for us to know whether grooming may be uncomfortable or beneficial given there is no official diagnosis

They need treatment each treatment exactly 14 days after the first so having prescribed treatment ready is important otherwise you may need to start a whole new course. (Assuming the first dose is even doing anything given the low dosage is it anyway).

They had a dose of the pet shop stuff, Thursday, so I need to wait 14 days then, from that date before going to the vets. Like I said previous, I don't have enough money to go tight now. I only have £170 put aside. Consultation fee is £40.

 

[Piggies&buns]

They had a dose of the pet shop stuff, Thursday, so I need to wait 14 days then, from that date before going to the vets. Like I said previous, I don't have enough money to go tight now. I only have £170 put aside. Consultation fee is £40.

This means their next dose is to be given on 16 March, so you ideally will need the treatment ready to give them on that date.
If you go to the vet after 16 March then it may mean a whole new set of three treatments.
This is assuming hay mites is in fact the diagnosis. As I said, itching and dandruff/flaking skin can be caused by other things not requiring/treated by ivermectin.

 

[Mclayton]

This means their next dose is to be given on 16 March, so you ideally will need the treatment ready to give them on that date.
If you go to the vet after 16 March then it may mean a whole new set of three treatments.
This is assuming hay mites is in fact the diagnosis. As I said, itching and dandruff/flaking skin can be caused by other things not requiring/treated by ivermectin.

Thank you