Strange rash/ bald spot on boar’s back, could be mites...?

[EJ Fairweather]

Last night when I went to hold all my boars (I have four) Floyd had a strange scabby patch on his back with missing hair. I haven’t noticed it before now and I hold them all often. I got him and his cage mate pretty recently from a private owner, and while they will sometimes chase each other off food or teeth chatter, they have never come to blows (I’ve been closely observing). He’s been scratching a little more than usual but other than that he hasn’t shown any signs of discomfort. I put some anti-fungal cream on the area last night just in case, which is why the fur looks wet. Can anyone give me a second opinion as to what this is? At the moment I’m thinking mange mites, but I can’t be sure. I’ll get closer pictures when I pick him up later. At the moment, I’m thinking I’ll give him an ivermectin treatment, seeing as he’s due for one anyway and it won’t do him any harm.

 

[Siikibam]

Please do not home treat. This can cause problems in that you ‘cover up’ the evidence. You need to get him to the vet for a check and diagnosis. You also shouldn’t give ivermectin treatment ‘regularly’ unless directed by the vet.

I would actually book both boys in to see the vet for a general check.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Definitely don’t home treat with anything. Now you’ve put cream on, you’ve taken away any potential tell tale signs.

I also agree in that he isnt ‘due’ ivermectin as it shouldn’t be given regularly. It should only be given if there is a vet diagnosed and confirmed parasite infestation. Regularly giving one dose of ivermectin will only kill any live mites (it doesn’t touch the eggs so it isn’t really doing anything anyway as the next set of eggs will hatch and then you’ve still got live mites laying more eggs) in any event, but it also can mean that resistance forms so if you really do have an infestation, the treatment may not work as well. Any ivermectin treatment should be given as part of the correct course at set, specified by the vet, intervals. Anti parasite treatments from a pet shop aren’t strong enough in any event to really deal with a problem.

Your piggy needs to be taken to a vet for diagnosis

 

[EJ Fairweather]

Unfortunately my area is in lockdown and I am unable to take him to the vets for at least another two weeks they’re saying. I have read several different sources (including exotic vets journals) that all recommend giving a pea sized amount of oral ivermectin to your piggies every three months as a preventative, just the same as you would do flea/tick control and wormer etc. for a dog, cat or horse. I will continue to take this precaution as I can see no evidence that ivermectin is harmful to guinea pigs in the correct dose. After the cream was applied I sat and watched Floyd for a while and he didn’t scratch once, so if anything I think it helped, although I appreciate I cannot make a diagnosis at home.

As soon as the vets open again I will be taking all 9 of my piggies for a general checkup, as I want to make sure they are all in the system at the veterinary practice. I should be able to get Floyd seen earlier as he has an actual visible problem.

 

[Piggies&buns]

Unfortunately my area is in lockdown and I am unable to take him to the vets for at least another two weeks they’re saying. I have read several different sources (including exotic vets journals) that all recommend giving a pea sized amount of oral ivermectin to your piggies every three months as a preventative, just the same as you would do flea/tick control and wormer etc. for a dog, cat or horse. I will continue to take this precaution as I can see no evidence that ivermectin is harmful to guinea pigs in the correct dose. After the cream was applied I sat and watched Floyd for a while and he didn’t scratch once, so if anything I think it helped, although I appreciate I cannot make a diagnosis at home.

As soon as the vets open again I will be taking all 9 of my piggies for a general checkup, as I want to make sure they are all in the system at the veterinary practice. I should be able to get Floyd seen earlier as he has an actual visible problem.

The choice is yours but preventatively treating dogs for fleas and treating piggies preventatively is a different thing. It’s not recommended to preventatively treat piggies for all the reasons I’ve stated above - resistance being the most worrying of the issues caused by preventatively treating (resistance In mange mites being the one which is most likely to become a problem).

You’re allowed to go out for veterinary treatment during lockdown, particularly while there is an active medical issue. If your actual practice has closed, can you try another?
If your piggy does have mange mites, then being left for two weeks without treatment could have consequences for him. Mange is the most serious of the parasite infestations.

New guinea pigs: Sexing, vet checks&customer rights, URI, ringworm and parasites

 

[VickiA]

I agree with all that has been said.
Vets in the UK are still open during lockdown. I know this. I’ve been to mine today.
Your piggy needs to see a vet for diagnosis and correct treatment.

 

[PigglePuggle]

Yes I agree too, an ivermectin overdose can cause seizures and brain damage, while under dosing can cause the mites to develop resistance. A "pea-sized" amount is hardly accurate dosing, where the number of milligrams of ivermectin given are calculated by the vet based on piggy's weight! And it may not even be mites, could be ringworm... please see a vet, most UK veterinary practices are operating as usual during this lockdown with additional safety measures such as mask wearing and handing your pet to a nurse at the door rather than entering the surgery...

 

[Wiebke]

Vets are still open during lockdown; you should be able to find one.
Here is more information on how vet visits are being handled in the current situation. Accessing veterinary care during coronavirus/Covid-19 lockdown

Ringworm and mange mites can look very similar in the early stages but require different treatment. Please NEVER home treat on spec; see a vet for a proper diagnosis and vet strength appropriate treatment.
It is A LOT cheaper in the end to go for the right thing and hit it properly whenever there is an acute problem than spending half a fortune on low dosed pet shop products that are not strong enough to cure an acute outbreak and to turn an acute outbreak of whatever into a long running saga due to mis- or under-treating. A healthy immune system can usually keep mites eggs in the skin under control; they only break out when the immune system is lowered or compromised so regular treatment is superfluous at the best and can lead to resistance in an acute outbreak at the worst.

Rather concentrate on a good general grass hay and not veg or pellet based diet to build up the immune system in the long term, and you won't have to worry about skin problems very much. The only things that can jump species in your situation are ringworm and bordetella from your dog (kennel cough and 3 days after a kennel cough vaccination).
Long Term Balanced General And Special Needs Guinea Pig Diets
Dogs, Kennel Cough And Guinea Pigs - An Important Consideration.

Please never use products for other pet species on your guinea pigs unless prescribed by a vet or with their explicit permission.

All the best!

 

[Toots33]

I’ve been doing a 6 hour round trip to see an exotic vet for one of my guineas during lockdown without any issues. From my recent experience of a guinea pig with a skin problem I would advise seeing a vet as soon as possible before it gets worse and becomes harder to treat.

Hope you can get it sorted soon. Good luck!

 

[EJ Fairweather]

View attachment 157856
Last night when I went to hold all my boars (I have four) Floyd had a strange scabby patch on his back with missing hair. I haven’t noticed it before now and I hold them all often. I got him and his cage mate pretty recently from a private owner, and while they will sometimes chase each other off food or teeth chatter, they have never come to blows (I’ve been closely observing). He’s been scratching a little more than usual but other than that he hasn’t shown any signs of discomfort. I put some anti-fungal cream on the area last night just in case, which is why the fur looks wet. Can anyone give me a second opinion as to what this is? At the moment I’m thinking mange mites, but I can’t be sure. I’ll get closer pictures when I pick him up later. At the moment, I’m thinking I’ll give him an ivermectin treatment, seeing as he’s due for one anyway and it won’t do him any harm.

Hi everyone, a little update for you all. I managed to get Floyd and Elton to the vet a few days after my first post when I stressed that there were other guinea pigs I was concerned about and that I didn’t want an outbreak of whatever he had in my herds. The vet discussed on the phone with me what treatment would be best after seeing the boys, as he believed it was dandruff mites- these are what I suspected, however I called them mange mites mistakenly (which are much more serious). He also said I was doing the right thing by treating with ivermectin horse wormer, and that the dose I was using was correct. I’m happy to report that Floyd has barely been scratching himself at all and his fur is growing back in just fine! I appreciate everyone’s concerns about me home treating my guinea pig of course, and I apologise for getting defensive in my reply. After all, everyone here loves guinea pigs and wants what is best for them. I’ve given Floyd and Elton a bath a couple of times with shampoo designed to kill mites (which they just loved) and finished their Ivermectin treatment. They are going back to see the vet next week and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for the all clear.