Parasites What kind of bug/parasite is this?

Maybe they're bedbugs? Google for a picture of them and see if that's at all what they look like. As far as I know, they don't have a jillion legs but do move like they're hinged like a centipede.

Did you check GL for fur mites? https://www.guinealynx.info/furmites.html?

Okay, I think my initial description was based on a panic attack and I was exaggerating what I saw. I looked again and they do look more like brown larvae worms. They don't look like the google pictures of bed bugs. They quickly crawled away when I started to move the hair around to see them better.

There is a lot of dandruff now that I've roughed the area up looking for the bugs.

I'm not sure how he would have contracted these bugs either. We don't have other animals besides pigs and we have not been to other people's houses in an embarrassingly long amount of time.

Should I try Ivermectin as a starting point? Or perhaps the vet would be a better route?

EDIT: The symptoms of fur mites don't seem to match from what I'm seeing. Though I'm sure it is still a possibility. I feel no bumpiness from eggs, no bugs seem "firmly attached", the dandruff doesn't seem to move.

Ok...I would try Ivermectin first. BBBUUUTTT...because we can not figure out what it is, a vet would probably be the best option.

I cannot think of a parasite that is small and are worm like that lives on fur. If you could find a picture of it that would be awesome to ID it. Even if it isn't the right thing, just something that "looks" like it. Did you see how many legs it had? Mites have 8 while lice have 6 though they may be too small to count. Centipedes have a number of legs but only two per segment, one on each side, but they would not be infesting your guinea pig.

Chances are, no matter what it is, Ivermectin will probably kill it.

Inle_Rabbit said:

I cannot think of a parasite that is small and are worm like that lives on fur. If you could find a picture of it that would be awesome to ID it. Even if it isn't the right thing, just something that "looks" like it. Did you see how many legs it had? Mites have 8 while lice have 6 though they may be too small to count. Centipedes have a number of legs but only two per segment, one on each side, but they would not be infesting your guinea pig.

Chances are, no matter what it is, Ivermectin will probably kill it.

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Well, my brain went stupid when I started to panic and saw centipede looking things. I tend to exaggerate when I'm flipping out. Sorry.

I checked them after I calmed down and they're just wriggly wormy things. My current thought is perhaps they are larvae. There's no wounds on my pig, so they're not festering bugs.

I went ahead and ordered some Ivermectin with a syringe to apply as said on Guinea Lynx. If more people think it's necessary, I'll call the vet in the morning. I'll probably get too anxious and do that anyways. Knowing me...

I'd also like to know how often I should be changing their fleece with this going on. Every day? Every few days while on treatment?

Shall I also treat my other two pigs in the neighboring cage. They're separate but side by side. Or shall I just move them into the other room?

Should I do a deep house cleaning? Should I buy new hay ( though I keep reading that can't be a source of infestation).

Is this it?

(broken link removed)

Sounds like lice (Different to the lice humans get). Guinea pigs with lice will appear to have grey/brown worms crawling in their fur.

@Inle_Rabbit Most certainly not. I can't see legs on them. I regret posting the centipede thing, ha!

I'm not finding images of these things...

Well, that was head lice, guinea pig lice has smaller legs but I couldn't find a clear image of them.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/Guinea_pig_louse_1.JPG

MochaAndMoo said:

Sounds like lice (Different to the lice humans get). Guinea pigs with lice will appear to have grey/brown worms crawling in their fur.

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This could be it, then. The lice you see in person look different to the zoomed in images I'm guessing.

The Guinea Lynx page says they seldom leave a living host,though. I'm so confused as to how he got lice/mites/whatever this is. It's really bugging me.

If you have been around other guinea pigs the eggs or lice themselves could attach to you then move to your guinea pigs. I would treat your whole herd with the ivermectin and wash all the fabric stuff with vinegar and hot water.

Now I'm itchy EVERYWHERE!

I'd second the lice/louse thing. My piggy had them when I first got them. I couldn't see them tho the vet did when he plucked a few hairs and looked under the scope. My foster was a texel though so it was very hard to see through his thick hair. He also had ring worm so the poor thing was on 4 different meds for like 2 months because it was darn stubborn. Went away real fast when we shaved him! LOL

Onetwo said:

Now I'm itchy EVERYWHERE!

I'd second the lice/louse thing. My piggy had them when I first got them. I couldn't see them tho the vet did when he plucked a few hairs and looked under the scope. My foster was a texel though so it was very hard to see through his thick hair. He also had ring worm so the poor thing was on 4 different meds for like 2 months because it was darn stubborn. Went away real fast when we shaved him! LOL

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Yeah, I'm itchy and have lost my appetite! I wish I could shave Erebos. It sickens me thinking there are bugs crawling all over him.

Even with being rush ordered, the ivermectin isn't getting here until tomorrow. Should I rush to a pet store instead? I'm not sure if this is emergency type stuff. I don't want to sit around if this is serious.

He'll be OK until tomorrow. Just make sure to treat everyone and wash the fleece.

Edit to add: When my guinea pigs had lice I would get itchy after I held them.

Also, these are what I got:

The medication (broken link removed)
The application syringe (broken link removed)

So I realize you place it behind their ears (you don't inject it) but wouldn't the medication just drip down? Any application tips that are not on the Guinea Lynx page are always appreciated.

EEWWW! I'm sorry, but I have an immense fear of bugs and all sorts.
I hope my two never get those sort of things *shiver*
Good luck treating them... Hopefully the treatment will clear it up.

I would give this a read: https://www.guinealynx.info/lice.html

"Ivermectin works best on lice when it is used topically. This is because lice are biting insects, not sucking insects. Read more: Lice and Ivermectin. Ivermectin, a potent drug, is absorbed through the skin and requires accurate dosing to avoid serious side effects. Incorrect doses of topically applied ivermectin can cause death."

Arugh just saw your post about GL. Sorry no advice there than.

So our current theory of how they contracted this is my husband's boss sometimes brings his huskies in to work. Unless some of these bugs can jump to person to person before landing on an animal. Or, wriggle from person to person. Gag...