Is this mites/fleas or nothing? *pictures*

[Brianne]

Last week I was trimming my long hair pig, and I noticed greasy-feeling spots and on inspection, saw little black pieces (sort of like dandruff) around his hairline and in his hair. I have not noticed him itching or acting funny. When you touch his back, he does sort of tense up though. He has always been shy, so I'm not sure if it's related but it does seem almost like it bothers him to be touched on the back. I took some pictures of the stuff I combed out and one of his hair line.

After I found those, I trimmed him short and gave him a good bath which did get rid of most of it. I re-checked him today and that's what I found. Should I seek a vet or can you tell me a way to treat him if you can tell what it is? Thanks

Pictures:
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/x...g?t=1268878661
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/x...g?t=1268878675
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/x...g?t=1268878686
http://i749.photobucket.com/albums/x...g?t=1268878701

By the way, he is orange,black, and white.

And also, he is housed with another piggy though they are divided by two grids (no coroplast though, they are face to face through the grids) and that pig is not showing anything - I checked him over and gave him a bath too.

[JD In Van]

That looks like my guys did when they had lice. The dandruffy stuff.

A bath won't help with mites or lice, infact it aggrevates them if that's what they have.

[ojars]

Look for active lice around the eyes -- the ones I have seen dart in and out of the hairs (rather quick) and are easier to spot with a 3X or 4X magnifier. Also our experience that one piggie had the buggers and the other did not appear to.

Immediately went to Guinea Lynx, per instruction from guineapigcages.com!

Advantage worked great for our infestation -- treated both cavies as a precaution. Changed out all materials and washed everything! Applied another dose after 30 days. Buggers gone! Did another dose recently after attending a pignic, just as a preemptive measure.

[Brianne]

Thanks for replying. I'll try to take a magnifying glass and look at my pig's eyes. I've been researching a lot too, and am wondering if I can just use ivermectin? It sounds like it'll treat mites or lice, so it would work no matter what the pig has? We have a pet pharmacy here in town that we get our dog drugs at (he's epileptic..) so I'm sure they'll have it. Will this help solve it?

Thanks

[ojars]

We purchased Advantage from a pet supply establishment. Do not have direct experience with ivermectin, so will not speak to that. Now that we are hooked up with an exotics vet and if we have a need, we may get a chance to try ivermectin someday. We would have tried it on the theory it will knock off mites also.

By the way, I thought the lice easier to spot when in among the black hairs.

[pinky]

There are two types of guinea pig lice. The very tiny ones and the running lice which are larger and scurry around. There are also fungal infections that can look like what you describe. A good cavy vet can diagnose and treat for it. Ordinarily, when a guinea pig exhibits symptoms of mites, I treat for the mites. If there is something else unusual, I do a vet visit so I get the proper diagnosis. I'm not sure which breed your guinea pig is, but from what I've observed, teddies seem to have drier skin and have been more inclined to have skin disorders. Lots of brushing with a soft bristle brush helps to remove some of the loose fur and keep some air circulation nearer to the skin.

[JD In Van]

If it is lice, Advantage or Revolution given topically are best. With my boys I noticed a reduction in itching and stuff within 24 hours of applying advantage and had very good success with it.

Revolution though will work if it's lice OR mites so if you're not sure you can use that. Usually it needs to be given by a vet but if you're uncertain you should be seeing one any how.

As far as the visibility of the lice, I never saw them move, I just saw the dandruffy stuff that I'm told is the product of the eggs and their shedded shells.

[Brianne]

Thanks for all the replies.

I'm struggling with this because I honestly don't have much money, and my vet charges and arm and a leg. I really want to self treat them and from what everyone's said, I should be able to use ivermection or revolution to properly treat either ailment? I am also changed the cage to fleece this weekend, so it will be nice and clean and fresh for them. I hope this will solve it, because I don't want them to be itchy pigs anymore!

[Brianne]

Oh, and one more question:

From reading, it says that mites will give the pigs that "cringe" when you touch their back, but Gizmo (long hair in pics) is doing that right now. Does that mean it may be mites even though I can see all that stuff very clearly.

I studied them last night and saw nothing move whatsoever, but they did itch a lot. Strangely, my other pig Rambo itched more than Gizmo did... I didn't see any black stuff on Rambo though, so I don't know what to think now.

[JD In Van]

Mites, lice and skin infections all make it painful for the piggy to be petted or touched.

While money might be tight you need to treat them ASAP. Mites and lice can cause seizures as well as weaken their immune system functioning from stress.

[Brianne]

I didn't mean I wouldn't treat them. I definitely will. I was just hoping that from your experience, someone could tell me the best treatment - ivermection, revolution, advantage - and then I could self-treat at home instead of spending over $100 for just the vet "check up".

[JD In Van]

I didn't mean I wouldn't treat them. I definitely will. I was just hoping that from your experience, someone could tell me the best treatment - ivermection, revolution, advantage - and then I could self-treat at home instead of spending over $100 for just the vet "check up".

Both ivermection and revolution treat for lice and mites. Advantage while it works best for lice only treats lice. You should be able to get ivermection from a feed/livestock place. Avantage and Revolution can be aquired from your vet (mine requires an appointment to get revolution BUT he sells it by the dose rather then having to buy a whole box like advantage).

http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html
http://www.guinealynx.info/lice.html

All the dosage and treatment information is here.

[Brianne]

Thanks! I'm gonna be taking the pigs to the vet. I called our local pet feed pharmacy place, and they said that I need a prescription for ivermectin and I can only get revolution from the vet. I had to borrow money from a friend and pay them back. Hopefully the pigs will get better though. Thanks for all the advice! Now I atleast know what to ask my vet about.

[Brianne]

Just an update to those who read this and think their pigs might have the same thing.

The vet said that Gizmo (the pictured GP) most likely has mites, though I declined to let her to the skin scraping, as she said that either way the treatment would kill the mites or not harm him. She gave both pigs a dose of Revolution, and sent me home with another to give in two weeks.
She also says Rambo (the scratchy one) most likely has very dry skin, so she sent me home with a spray-on skin "lubricant" I guess you could call it. They seem happier :) Thanks for all the advice!

[pinky]

If I suspect mites, I treat for them. Skin scrapings are often inconclusive.

[Sirene]

I was wondering about this, too, as I've noticed something similar on my black and white pig - but only on/near his black skin. At first I just thought it was black dandruff showing up on his white fur near the black skin, but now I'm wondering. Are mites/lice selective??? Could they be only on the black skin? His pink skin and white fur are perfectly clear.

Thank you for posting the update! I was wondering about the skin scraping, as I'm considering taking mine to the vet soon, too. Are skin scrapings bad? I've seen several people decline to have them.

[Brianne]

I'm not sure if skin scrapings are "bad" persay but I heard they are somewhat unhelpful. I know with my case, the vet said it would be $45 for the scraping plus the cost of the treatment... So I said "you'll treat them no matter if you do the scraping or not?" and she said "yes" so I just saved my 45 bucks and got the treatment.

They seem to be doing great. I don't see and black flecs in Gizmo's fur anymore and they both love the skin "moisturizing" spray the vet gave me. They purr like crazy when I massage it in, must feel nice :)

About the mites being selective, I don't think they are selective to fur color but I'm not an expert! Just going off of my recent situation and what my vet said! I noticed the black flecs a lot more in Gizmo's dark fur but then towards the end I saw it in his white fur too. It could be dry skin, but I would go ahead and get your vet to check them!

[Sirene]

That makes sense, thank you very much!

I'm so glad your piggies aren't itchy any more - I hate seeing my piggies uncomfortable! And there's not much better than a piggie purr!