Mites Need help with how to treat!!

MammaPig · Sep 26, 2012

I took my piggies to the vet yesterday because I noticed that there were a lot of flakes in Abby's hair and was not sure if she may have lice/ mites. The vet looked at peices of Abby's hair under a microscope and told me that Abby did have bugs and gave both my pigs oral medication. The vet said that I need to bring the pigs back in 10 days for a second treatment. I use fleece bedding for my pigs and I am wondering if I have to throw out all of the bedding or can I wash it. I asked the vet if I needed to throw out the bedding and he said yes, but I have A LOT of fleece and towels that I lay underneath and would hate to throw out everything unless I had to. I am thinking that the vet misunderstood what kind of bedding I use for my pigs, because I was under the impression that washing and drying the fleece would kill anything on it. Is this right? Should I go buy all new cage bedding supplies?

madelineelaine · Sep 26, 2012

I think if you run EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING washable in a hot cycle in the wash, and maybe a warm cycle in the dry, with a cup of vinegar you should be okay. I don't know a lot about bugs, but I know when my brother had lice my mom washed everything she could and put it in hot on both he washer and dryer.

I don't think you need to throw everything out, that's a waste.

If you have some stuff you cant wash, like plastic hideys, maybe wipe them down with a bleach mixture? I'm not sure about that one. Vinegar might work too.

TracyHaden · Sep 26, 2012

Just wash the fleece and towels. Putting it all in a hot dryer for 20 minutes or more will kill anything left after the wash. The vet might be thinking or pine shavings or carefresh. Giving the cage a good scrub down wouldn't hurt either.

farmersdaughter · Sep 26, 2012

madelineelaine said:
I think if you run EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING washable in a hot cycle in the wash, and maybe a warm cycle in the dry, with a cup of vinegar you should be okay. I don't know a lot about bugs, but I know when my brother had lice my mom washed everything she could and put it in hot on both he washer and dryer.

I don't think you need to throw everything out, that's a waste.

If you have some stuff you cant wash, like plastic hideys, maybe wipe them down with a bleach mixture? I'm not sure about that one. Vinegar might work too.

@madelineelaine is correct you can get rid of bugs with a hot wash and dry. Laundromat washer and dryers get hotter. If you could take all the stuff there it would be better. You could also put it in boiling water after you wash it if your washer and dryer do not get that hot. To do that I would put all the stuff in the bath tub and bring pots of boiling water to dump in there. Just an idea.

madelineelaine · Sep 26, 2012

I don't think a laundry mat is necessary. But definitely wipe down the coro! it would hurt to give the whole cage a thorough cleaning. Maybe someone else has more information on what you can clean it with.

ellisa · Sep 26, 2012

Sheldon had lice when I rescued him. I washed all his fleece and towels really well in hot water with diluted bleach and then dried on hot.
Parasites generally don't like to stray from their hosts, and they don't live long without their hosts either, so try not to worry. Just do a thorough cleaning of their cage and accessories.

foggycreekcavy · Sep 26, 2012

You don't really need to kill anything in the fleece. The ivermectin is systemic, and continues to work on the pigs. So any mites that are on the pigs will be killed. Mites can't survive off of a host, anyway.

I like to treat every 7 days instead of 10.

MammaPig · Sep 26, 2012

Thanks for reassuring me.. everything has been thoroughly washed. The vet also told me that brushing Abby to try and get some of the bugs out wouldn't hurt, so I got a RID head lice comb and it seems to be getting a lot out.

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