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Parasites Lices and baths

gumblina

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I've come back from two weeks holiday, and I've just discovered that my pigs have lice. I have no idea how they could have got them, and I'm sure they didn't have them before I went. The only thing I can think is that the person who was looking after them was in contact with an animal that had lice and brought the eggs to them by accident. The shops are shut now, so I'll have to wait til tomorrow to get some Advantage to treat them. I feel bad for them being itchy and irritable, and was wondering whether it was worth bathing them. I've never bathed them before, so would the stress of having a bath perhaps outweigh the relief from the itching (if it will actually make any difference anyway).

Also, I feel itchy now!
 

foggycreekcavy

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No, bathing is not recommended. Do you have a flea comb? Perhaps you could comb out the adult lice.
 

pinky

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Lice aren't blood suckers like mites are so they shouldn't be itchy. Lice are much easier to treat than mites and are species specific. Humans can transfer them or their eggs from cavy to cavy. A bath won't make any difference at all. Make sure you don't bathe them after you treat them with the Advantage so you don't wash it off.
 

gumblina

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I won't bother with a bath then :) I'm glad they're not itchy Pinky, I was just thinking back to the unfortunate episodes when I had headlice as a child, and they were very itchy!
I don't have a fleacomb Foggy, hopefully they won't be too uncomfortable until I get the Advantage.
Thanks for your help :)
 

kananaka

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Mine also have lice so I feel your pain (and itchies). I am taking mine to the vet(today @ 5) and going to ask him for Revolution. BAH! Stupid bugs!
 
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pinky

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I won't bother with a bath then :) I'm glad they're not itchy Pinky, I was just thinking back to the unfortunate episodes when I had headlice as a child, and they were very itchy!
I don't have a fleacomb Foggy, hopefully they won't be too uncomfortable until I get the Advantage.
Thanks for your help :)

There's more of an ick factor for us seeing guinea pigs with lice than them having them. It's an easy fix.
 

pinky

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Are they cream color and sort of longish? Those are the type my guinea pig had... running lice. I think there are different types that aren't as common as the running lice. I went back and reread more about them and it said that lice can bite, but are not blood suckers, so they might be itchy. Still, waiting a day shouldn't be a problem.
 

gumblina

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There just like you described Pinky, I searched the forums as well and saw some pics which matched the lice mine have. Even if they are itchy, they'll survive til tomorrow! Right now they're wheeking for veggies and chewing on their cardboard and being generally noisy, so they can't be that miserable :)

I hope your pigs get better soon Kananaka! :)
 
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