Scratching: Scratching one ear and shaking head?

[Shiny]

I noticed last night that George was scratching constantly at his right ear and shaking his head a lot. He's eating and drinking normally, but has to stop to itch every few seconds. He hasn't been scratching any on the other side, it's all focused around his head on the right. If I watch closely he'll twitch that ear even when he's not scratching.

He hasn't lost weight and is eating fine. I don't think there's been any hair loss since he pretty much just started scratching yesterday.

Mites, parasites, ear infection? A quick google search suggested an infection or earwax buildup, but I wasn't sure how trustworthy the site was.

I've checked his ears and the fur on the back of his head, but his ears are so dark and furry that I can hardly see into them.. I'll be doing a more thorough check tonight when I have someone's help to keep him from wiggling.

Any help is appreciated, thank you!

[Ly&Pigs]

Parasites or ear infection. Your best bet would be to get a vet appointment with a cavy savvy vet asap.

Does he have head tilt at all?

[Shiny]

No head tilt, and he hasn't been scratching much at all since I got home. His one ear is still twitching every now and then, though. Since I'm home from class tomorrow I'll be keeping a close eye on him all day.

We found a vet that takes guinea pigs after a few calls, and he suggested cleaning the ear with alcohol on a cotton ball for a few days to see if the itching clears up, and to bring George in if not. He asked if the ears felt crusty or gritty, and they don't. Do you think this is decent advice?

One vet in town that we called doesn't specialize in pigs, but they were willing to take a look at him on Monday.

Thank you for the reply! :)