Hair Loss This or that? Confused.

jowasaurus · Feb 7, 2012

For the last 2 weeks, Bocefus has been scratching almost right in the middle of his back and also started biting back there too. There is clearly hair loss and I was worried about mites. I googled and looked at pictures here on the site and that's what his pattern of loss looks like. So I took him to the vet last tuesday and told him I think it might be mites. He has always been very good to my pigs. He looked Bocefus over and perscribed Conofite and panalog[?]. When I first got Bo he had a fungal infection so I knew what those medications were right away and it sounded wrong. Well I've been using them as perscribed for the last week and yesterday when I got home from work, Bocefus' hair loss loked twice as bad. I called my vet this morning and he said to just continue with the conofite and panalog. Should I try taking him to a different vet? Is it mites OR a fungal infection and how can I be sure . . . ?

kourt1313 · Feb 7, 2012

I'm not an expert but personally if it were me, I'd definitely get a second opinion from another vet if the condition is worsening.

bpatters · Feb 7, 2012

It sounds like mites to me too, and even more so after the fungus medication didn't work. Conofite is an antifungal medication, and panalog is a general antibiotic/antifungal/anti-itch medicine. It should never be put on a pig where it might lick it off or ingest it from its paws after grooming itself because it's got an antibiotic in it.

You can treat for mites yourself (and it sounds like you need a new vet anyway).

Read www.guinealynx.info/mites.html and www.guinealynx.info/ivermectin.html. Ivermectin can be given orally, topically (on the skin) or by injection, but of course you need a vet for that last one.

SurfingPigs · Feb 7, 2012

Can you post a picture?

How long ago was the fungal infection?

If you suspect mites and aren't seeing the signs of a fungal infection noted here: https://www.guinealynx.info/fungus.html then your vet could be wrong.

If I was certain it wasn't a fungus I would drop the meds, which are for fungus, and treat with ivermectin if he is big enough.

Edit: Bpatters beat me to it, take her advice. Also, I find treating with topical Ivermectin easiest. You may purchase the injectable kind and treat topically according to the GuineaLynx link provided by bpatters.

jowasaurus · Feb 7, 2012

Well this is his actual hair loss. It is completely to the skin in some areas but isn't quite flaky [sometimes there is a little "dandruff" but not most of the time]. He turns his head to chew it about once or twice every ten minutes. And the are has grown twice the size in the last 3 days, since being on th conofite and panalog[which I rub in REALLY well].

He had a fungal infection in March 2011. The area was right above his eye and was treated for two months. Could this just be a return of it? It doesn't look the same but it doesn't look super different either.

bpatters · Feb 7, 2012

It looks to me like he's biting at mites. There's a classic "V" pattern on the back in the areas where the pig can reach with its teeth, and that looks like the beginning of it to me.

SurfingPigs · Feb 7, 2012

Ditto what bpatters said. I would treat topically with Ivermectin, splitting the treatment evenly between the two bald spots behind his ears and the spot on his back. If you haven't treated with Ivermectin, start your research with the link bpatters provided in response #3.

lemonham · Feb 7, 2012

Ok, I have a question: Eleanor has recently been over-grooming her back and has a slight v-shape on her back. Nothing as bad as the piggie above but just slightly. Do you think it is mites? I have no reason to think she has mites otherwise. Is the v-grooming always indicative of mites?

bpatters · Feb 7, 2012

V shaped hair loss on the back always indicates itching, and as far as I know, always indicates mites. I guess it's possible to have it from some other cause, but I don't know what it would be.

If the pig is over 350 grams, I'd just go ahead and treat for mites. As long as you don't overdose it, it won't hurt, and should help.

Gigabyte · Feb 7, 2012

That looks like mites. See another vet and see about some ivermectin. I had a pig a long, long time ago with this same issue.

lemonham · Feb 7, 2012

bpatters said:
V shaped hair loss on the back always indicates itching, and as far as I know, always indicates mites. I guess it's possible to have it from some other cause, but I don't know what it would be.

If the pig is over 350 grams, I'd just go ahead and treat for mites. As long as you don't overdose it, it won't hurt, and should help.

Here are pictures of Eleanor's back. There isn't really hair loss but that V shape. Thanks for your help.

bpatters · Feb 7, 2012

I dunno. Certainly looks like the start of the mites pattern. How often is she biting back there?

lemonham · Feb 7, 2012

bpatters said:
I dunno. Certainly looks like the start of the mites pattern. How often is she biting back there?

I never see her biting back there. I just noticed the V pattern about a week ago.

foggycreekcavy · Feb 8, 2012

Every time I have had a pig with that V pattern it has been mites.

You don't need to get invermectin from a vet. The most cost efficient way is to buy it online so you have a ready supply for the next mite outbreak. You can get this (broken link removed) for less than a visit to the vet.

bpatters · Feb 8, 2012

If you can't get it from foggycreekcavy's link, try (broken link removed). You can get both the ivermectin and the syringes to measure with.

lemonham · Feb 8, 2012

Thanks so much everyone! I've ordered Ivermectin and it should be here tomorrow.

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Hair Loss This or that? Confused.

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