Shedding

[Lisanjake]

Hi all

I have noticed Winnie has been malting a lot recently… like I can gently tug a piece of hair and get about 5 strands + come out.
I’ve tried brushing her but that doesn’t seem to have helped.
She’s not bald and doesn’t have patches etc I can’t see anything on her fur either.
She doesn’t seem to be scratching excessively either.
Any ideas? I’ve attached some pics

 

[Claire W]

Hi, she could just be malting. Does her skin look nice and healthy? No redness or scabs?

 

[Lisanjake]

Hi, she could just be malting. Does her skin look nice and healthy? No redness or scabs?

None that I have seen no.
She had been struggling recently with her teeth, wonder if she’s stressed.
Should I get mites treatment just incase so you think?
She has had very scruffy looking fur recently but the vet didn’t say much about it when I mentioned it, spoke mainly about her teeth come to think of it.

 

[Claire W]

None that I have seen no.
She had been struggling recently with her teeth, wonder if she’s stressed.
Should I get mites treatment just incase so you think?
She has had very scruffy looking fur recently but the vet didn’t say much about it when I mentioned it, spoke mainly about her teeth come to think of it.

Please don't treat for mites at home as pet shop products are too weak and can cause more harm than good. You are best to see a vet for the correct diagnosis and treatment but yes, she could well be stressed if she has been having teeth problems which can bring on mites

 

[Piggies&buns]

None that I have seen no.
She had been struggling recently with her teeth, wonder if she’s stressed.
Should I get mites treatment just incase so you think?
She has had very scruffy looking fur recently but the vet didn’t say much about it when I mentioned it, spoke mainly about her teeth come to think of it.

Moulting is obviously a possibility and it can happen to varying degrees but if it is excessive, then do see a vet. Please don’t put a pet shop mite treatment on her - they are nowhere near strong enough to actually deal with an mite problem in any event, but any diagnosis needs to be made by a vet and the correct prescription treatment given

 

[Wiebke]

Hi all

I have noticed Winnie has been malting a lot recently… like I can gently tug a piece of hair and get about 5 strands + come out.
I’ve tried brushing her but that doesn’t seem to have helped.
She’s not bald and doesn’t have patches etc I can’t see anything on her fur either.
She doesn’t seem to be scratching excessively either.
Any ideas? I’ve attached some pics

Hi

If piggies are just moulting but there are no skin flakes or bald patches, then you need to not worry. Some piggies do it more or more noticeably than others. It is not breed specific.

 

[Lisanjake]

Hi

If piggies are just moulting but there are no skin flakes or bald patches, then you need to not worry. Some piggies do it more or more noticeably than others. It is not breed specific.

I’ve just noticed this little bald spot

 

[Piggies&buns]

I cannot tell from the picture where the bald spot is on the body but in the last picture where we can see your thumb, it looks like you might be holding an ear back? If so, then all piggies have a bald spot behind each ear - that is normal.

If you are finding bald spots elsewhere, then do see a vet

 

[Lisanjake]

I cannot tell from the picture where the bald spot is on the body but in the last picture where we can see your thumb, it looks like you might be holding an ear back? If so, then all piggies have a bald spot behind each ear - that is normal.

If you are finding bald spots elsewhere, then do see a vet

Sorry, terrible pics she wouldn’t keep still and didn’t like me prodding about near it.
It’s just on her neck and never noticed it before. Already booked in with the vet xx

 

[Claire W]

It’s good you have her booked in at the vets. Please let us know how you get on

 

[Lisanjake]

Well he didn’t really say much about her hair, just that she didn’t appear to be irritated or show any signs of mites etc so I will continue to keep an eye on her xx

 

[Lisanjake]

Hi

If piggies are just moulting but there are no skin flakes or bald patches, then you need to not worry. Some piggies do it more or more noticeably than others. It is not breed specific.

Hi wiebke. I’m hoping you can help… both my girls have been scratching / flinching and shaking (like dogs do) And seem agitated. Is there anything at all I can give them over the weekend for possible mites?
I can’t see how they don’t have something as they are both scratching etc.

 

[Wiebke]

Hi wiebke. I’m hoping you can help… both my girls have been scratching / flinching and shaking (like dogs do) And seem agitated. Is there anything at all I can give them over the weekend for possible mites?
I can’t see how they don’t have something as they are both scratching etc.

Hi!

Unfortunately not. If you treat with low dosed pet shop ivermectin on spec now (be aware that the 'vet strength' applies to a prevention but not acute treatment dosage - it has taken us some digging around to find the actual strength but we have fact checked), then this means that your cannot vet not step in with the highly dosed ivermectin that they need to get on top of their mange or hay mites in three applications at the product specific time. You will need to wait until the low ineffective dosage has worn off and then have to do the full three rounds of approprate ivermectin. You are not cutting short any necessary treatment but are unfortunately not only making your vet's job a lot more difficult but are actually prolong their discomfort overall by at least a week.

I know that that it is horrible to stand by and not intervene (been there and have a few of those t-shirts myself) but it is sadly the best thing you can do so you can really hit them hard and fast. The itching should subside noticeably after the first application but then build up again towards the second one. Two days after the second round, the itching should be pretty much gone. The third application is to catch any late emerging mites and to prevent a new outbreak. It will be a rather uncomfortable month but if you are strong and do it correctly you will be free of the itching in less than 3 weeks.

Here is more information on skin parasites: New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

 

[Lisanjake]

Hi!

Unfortunately not. If you treat with low dosed pet shop ivermectin on spec now (be aware that the 'vet strength' applies to a prevention but not acute treatment dosage - it has taken us some digging around to find the actual strength but we have fact checked), then this means that your cannot vet not step in with the highly dosed ivermectin that they need to get on top of their mange or hay mites in three applications at the product specific time. You will need to wait until the low ineffective dosage has worn off and then have to do the full three rounds of approprate ivermectin. You are not cutting short any necessary treatment but are unfortunately not only making your vet's job a lot more difficult but are actually prolong their discomfort overall by at least a week.

I know that that it is horrible to stand by and not intervene (been there and have a few of those t-shirts myself) but it is sadly the best thing you can do so you can really hit them hard and fast. The itching should subside noticeably after the first application but then build up again towards the second one. Two days after the second round, the itching should be pretty much gone. The third application is to catch any late emerging mites and to prevent a new outbreak. It will be a rather uncomfortable month but if you are strong and do it correctly you will be free of the itching in less than 3 weeks.

Here is more information on skin parasites: New piggy problems: URI - ringworm - skin parasites

Oh darn I thought that might be the response.
It pains me that I can’t help them now
I hope I can find a semi decent guinea pig vet local to me (not had a ton of luck recently!) my scheduled appointment in Northampton isn’t until next Friday so I definitely can’t wait until then.
Thank you for the info though.

Is it just a few drops of treatment on their backs or will they needs baths etc?

 

[Wiebke]

Oh darn I thought that might be the response.
It pains me that I can’t help them now
I hope I can find a semi decent guinea pig vet local to me (not had a ton of luck recently!) my scheduled appointment in Northampton isn’t until next Friday so I definitely can’t wait until then.
Thank you for the info though.

Is it just a few drops of treatment on their backs or will they needs baths etc?

No, spot-on treatment should be enough. Baths used to be for fungal issues before oral products have come onto the scene. If there is a lot of dead skin at the end of the mites treatment, then you can give them a gentle bath if you really wish to. I would see whether you can see a local vet sooner. A week's wait is a bit long.

 

[Lisanjake]

No, spot-on treatment should be enough. Baths used to be for fungal issues before oral products have come onto the scene. If there is a lot of dead skin at the end of the mites treatment, then you can give them a gentle bath if you really wish to. I would see whether you can see a local vet sooner. A week's wait is a bit long.

I’m going to ring up a local vet in the morning, they are open 8:30 til 12 so hopefully won’t get charged £150 for an emergency appt.
The Northampton vets in over 1hr 30 for me sadly I wish that was closer

 

[Lisanjake]

So I turn up at the vets at 10am - bear in mind they have multiple veterinary surgeries around the area. The receptionist said Stansted has an appt. Phone up as I’m outside and I’m not even bloody booked In Fuming to say the least. The most useless vets and receptionists around. Booked In on Monday but I’m going to call back and cancel and go elsewhere Gutted I now have to leave them all weekend!

 

[Merab]

I’ve just had a look at the vet locator and there are 2 within reasonable reach of Saffron Walden.
One is Orwell Vets in Ipswich, the other is Vets4Pets in the PAH in Newmarket.
If you have a look in the vet locator list for the addresses you may find one of them can help you before Monday.

 

[Lisanjake]

I’ve just had a look at the vet locator and there are 2 within reasonable reach of Saffron Walden.
One is Orwell Vets in Ipswich, the other is Vets4Pets in the PAH in Newmarket.
If you have a look in the vet locator list for the addresses you may find one of them can help you before Monday.

I actually live in Stansted now. Newmarkets about 45 mins and Ipswich is a good hour.
I rang another vets in bishops Stortford but they aren’t taking new clients.
I’m not sure I’ll even get an appointment at this time, the 3 lots of local vets (in the mercer and Hughes group I go to) were all fully booked.
I can’t afford an emergancy appt right now as I’ve spent £2k of my savings on Winnie over the last few months

 

[Merab]

Sorry - didn’t realise you had moved.
I feel for you in terms of cost.
My Phoebe is working hard to empty my vet fund too.
Hope you can find somewhere to help.

 

[Lisanjake]

Sorry - didn’t realise you had moved.
I feel for you in terms of cost.
My Phoebe is working hard to empty my vet fund too.
Hope you can find somewhere to help.

No worries I don’t think to update it on here but I will now. I can’t actually figure out how to change my location
Ahhh it’s tough isn’t it, I try not to think about the costs everytime and even the medicines
Costs can be extortionate.
Monday can’t come quick enough!

 

[Lisanjake]

I’ve just been looking at these out of interest, and it would be good to keep for the future.
So the xeno 50 says under 800g pigs and the 450 is for the 1200g + pigs. What about the weights inbetween?