Cleaning Just found lice on my new rescue pig

[Mtardif96]

Hi everybody! I need help ASAP. I just picked up a guinea pig from a girl who was keeping him in a rather neglectful situation, in a travel sized hamster cage!!!! It was horrendous and awful and I’m happy to have saved him. However, in his initial assessment I found what I’m pretty sure is lice. Little tan/white/yellow looking bugs right at the skin shaft crawling all over him. I haven’t brought him into my house yet. Obviously it’s sunday and my vet is not open, I’ll have to bring him first thing tomorrow morning so they can prescribe something. But what about my clean pig?? If I’m leaving the new guy in the living room but is it possible my older pig will still get them via indirect transmission on clothes or hands? Then I’ll have to do prophylactic treatment on my older guy?

Also, what is the best way to wash fleece bedding/towels/supplies to ensure they there’s no knits or eggs left on them. Can they stay in my carpet?

Please send helpful info

 

[bpatters]

If you always handle your older pig first, then the new one, then change your clothes and wash your hands, you can probably avoid any transmission to your older pig.

Regular washing with hot water and drying in the dryer will take care of any lice or nits.

You don't need a vet visit, you can treat him yourself. See https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/111160-How-to-treat-for-mites-and-lice for information -- the treatment for lice and mites is the same. Just remember to treat at least three times, a week apart, to hit all the life cycle of the lice. You don't have to pull the nits off, as they'll hatch and then get caught with the next regular treatment before they're old enough to reproduce.