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Abby's medical thread

bpatters

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@petluv, you don't have to throw anything out. Every living thing on the planet is infested with mites, including you and me. Sometimes there's an outbreak, but you can't help anything by throwing stuff away. SPS has some of the best products on the market, and they're not the problem.

I wrote the instructions on the thread for treating your pig for lice and mites. I wouldn't recommend anything that wasn't safe or that you couldn't do yourself.

They don't make ivermectin just for guinea pigs -- it's the same stuff whether for guinea pigs, cattle or humans. The only difference is the strength and method of administration.

The dosing chart is in that link I gave you. Treat all of them once every seven days for three or four weeks.

I'll edit that post to include the frequency of administration.
 

petluv

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@petluv, you don't have to throw anything out. Every living thing on the planet is infested with mites, including you and me. Sometimes there's an outbreak, but you can't help anything by throwing stuff away. SPS has some of the best products on the market, and they're not the problem.

I wrote the instructions on the thread for treating your pig for lice and mites. I wouldn't recommend anything that wasn't safe or that you couldn't do yourself.

They don't make ivermectin just for guinea pigs -- it's the same stuff whether for guinea pigs, cattle or humans. The only difference is the strength and method of administration.

The dosing chart is in that link I gave you. Treat all of them once every seven days for three or four weeks.

I'll edit that post to include the frequency of administration.

Thank you for your continued help! I will get the ivermectin through Amazon and hope it helps her itching. If not then I guess it would be allergies or anxiety by default.

Thank you much for renaming this her medical thread!
 

petluv

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The ivermectin is on its way, it should be arriving in the next few days. Might be a bit late we are getting snow tmrw. I read the instructions in here and I hope I do it right. I’m a bit nervous I’ll mess something up. I definitely want to treat her though just in case her itching (still frequently) is mites, though she has only the itching and no other symptoms. It’s safe regardless if they are there or not (that was what made me comfortable to try it) and mites are so dangerous.

Baby girl is letting me pet her in her cage often now. :love: She backs up initially but if I wait a second and try again she’s like fine just get it over with. lol Unfortunately she still hates to come out of her cage. She doesn’t like to be held or floor time, hides the whole time. I ceased trying daily floor time as it seems to just upset her, it makes her nervous and scared. So I keep trying it every 5 or so days when I clean cage, but always the same, hiding and acting terrified. I’m just happy she is starting to enjoy (or at least tolerate lol) in cage pets. :love:
 

petluv

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How do you apply the ivermectin? Can they be overdosed? Is that dangerous?

Also is there anything that needs to be done so they don’t return? Does her cage need sterilized? She has a hay tunnel do I need to toss that can it harbor mites?
 

petluv

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The stickies at the tops of all the forums have very important material that can be easily found. Here's the sticky on mites and ivermectin: https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/threads/111160-How-to-treat-for-mites-and-lice

Read those links and then come back with any questions that didn't get answered.
Actually I have read it and those are still my concerns/questions.

What do you use to apply the medicine? A syringe? It says not to touch it with your hands or they won’t get enough. But it seems it would drip with a syringe.

What could happen to her if I got too much on her?

Sorry so many questions, I’m just so nervous for her to be ok.

What must be done to the cage and toys in it? Do wood or straw toys need to be tossed? How do you properly sterilize (after each application I presume) since they can’t have bleach odors in their cage. Do all the cage wiring need treated too?
 

bpatters

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The thread answers your question about the syringe.

If you get too much on, you wipe it off.

You do nothing to the cage/toys/hay/whatever. Mites live on living things, not inanimate objects. Just clean as you normally do.
 

petluv

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The thread answers your question about the syringe.

If you get too much on, you wipe it off.

You do nothing to the cage/toys/hay/whatever. Mites live on living things, not inanimate objects. Just clean as you normally do.

Ok thanks so much bpatters! I know I’m pesky, but like to make certain I’m doing things right. Thanks again for all of your help!
 

petluv

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Well I just started Ivermectin on Abby for potential mites. (She has been itching and biting her fur a lot, but her fur is still smooth and shiny, no mats or bald spots.) Put it on skin behind ears and just hope I did it right. Mites sound terrifying in advanced stages so hopefully, if that’s what it is, we nipped it in the butt. That’s why I decided to treat her for mites even though I’m not really sure that’s what she has. Hopefully this helps her, if she is still itching after the once a week dose for three weeks, I’ll have to take her to the vet to get checked.
 

petluv

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Ok HEEEELP me please! Abbie is 100% definitely pregnant. Her tummy is bulging on the sides and I visible see the babies kicking in multiple spots on her lower abdomen. I was pretty sure I started feeling kicks last week but was hoping for the best. Anyways once’s the kicks can be felt or seen it’s estimated 2 weeks until delivery. So it might be only a week since I thought I felt the kicks last week. Oh my!

For those of you who’ve been here or have experience with this can you make everything a checklist of supplies I will need for her now, her delivery and her new baby(ies)?

Her cage is 2 feet by 4 feet. Not C and C so not adjustable. We can get a second 2ft x 4ft for when they grow, to divide sexes (oh boy! I am so not good at that) or does she need space now for the birth and first 3 weeks? It has to be as small as is alright for them cause I will be buying disposable paper litter. I can probably pretty easily get hubby to upgrade cage size for her maternal needs, but I know for certain he won’t switch to fleece/reusable bedding. Could I even get a C and C cage in time? Like I said we might only have a few days to 2 weeks.

How can I help her with delivery? I’m so scared I’ve become so attached to her and now I could loose her during delivery!:sad:

She is on Small Pet Select guinea pig pellets and SPS Timothy hay. So she gets quality but maybe more calcium than needed, though that is a good thing prenatal. And lots of fresh green/red lettuce and 1-2 baby carrots a day. Do I need to change anything?

Im so so so nervous. :sad:
 

petluv

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Re: HELP my piggy is likely pregnant and getting close to time. No clue what to do!

Also should I be taking her to the vet now before birth? If so how often?
 

bpatters

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You don't need to take her to the vet unless she's in labor for several hours without delivering. You don't need to help with the delivery.

She and the pups will need alfalfa pellets or alfalfa hay supplement to the timothy, or some extra source of vitamin C.

All you need to do is calm down and wait on the babies. They will need a larger cage, but they'll get by for several days without.
 

petluv

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You don't need to take her to the vet unless she's in labor for several hours without delivering. You don't need to help with the delivery.

She and the pups will need alfalfa pellets or alfalfa hay supplement to the timothy, or some extra source of vitamin C.

All you need to do is calm down and wait on the babies. They will need a larger cage, but they'll get by for several days without.
Thanks as always bpatters. Yes I’m a nervous wreck. I want my Princess to make it through ok and of course her babies. Ok I won’t take her to the vet unless something goes wrong or she can’t deliver. I have contacted 2 rescues to see if they could take the babies soon after they are done nursing. As much as I want to keep them all I just can’t. I will try to convince my husband to keep a girl baby for Abby, but I don’t know if he will cave or not. Here’s hoping! What other facilities would be good to check out? I’m in the Indianapolis area.
 

PippathePig

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petluv tell your hubby that they do much better with company! Keep us updated, I can't wait to see baby pics! I hope all goes smoothly for you. Just keep a close eye on her. As was mentioned above, if she is laboring for a couple hours with no pups, then you need to be prepared to take her to a vet. Do you have a vet lined up? You will need a good exotics vet, as most regular vets are not well versed in guinea pigs and their treatment. Good luck!
 

MaiaBex

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@petluv -- I would love to adopt one of the babies once they are weaned... Tannim is still an only pig and he would love to have a friend to popcorn with. (Gender doesn't matter; Tannim is neutered.) Let me know if this would be okay; I'm in Lafayette and can easily come to you, or we can find someplace in the middle to meet.

Also, if you need the loan of an extra cage when you need to separate boys and girls, I have a couple. Store-bought, so they're not quite big enough for permanent housing of more than one tops, but they would work in a pinch for temporary housing.
 

petluv

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Nothing yet. If she isn’t preggers I have no clue why her tummy seems to be moving about. It’s the only thing that makes sense.
 

petluv

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MaiaBex I would love to give you a baby! Check your Private Messaging Box!
 

MerryFriarTuck

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Thanks for the updates... we'll be cheering for you and Abby! :)
 

petluv

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Aww! Thanks MFT! Its so nice that I can always count on your support! :eek:
 

bpatters

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Pig stomachs move because they're digesting food. At this point, you should be able to hear the pups' teeth gnashing, and feel definite kicking if you put your hands along her flanks. If you don't see/feel/hear both those things, it's likely she's not pregnant.
 
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