Allergic to wood and wood products?

[bunnyluv17]

Is it possible for a guinea pig to be allergic to wood and wood products? A guinea pig came in a week or two ago to the shelter and his former owners told the staff that he is allergic to anything made out of wood. So we have been using cat litter, towels, and hay for bedding at the shelter. He has some patches of missing fur with red irritated skin. And his skin is also flaky. I told one of the staff members to have the vet check him for mites, because being allergic to all wood products seems far fetched.

 

[dagwellismypigy]

yeah it doesn't sound like allergies to me, I would DEFFINATLY treat for mites. One of my pigs (before cavyvages) died and he had those symptomes.

 

[aqh88]

I've had many animals allergic to all wood shavings. Even aspen. However the skin problem does sound more like mites. What type of cat litter? Only paper based cat litters like yesterday's news is ok for guinea pigs. The rest can be quite a health hazard. I'd have him treated for mites and then see how he acts on shavings otherwise I haven't had any allergic to compacted wood pellets. They are dried so much that they don't even bother kiri who can't breathe and her eyes are gunked shut in 24hrs on aspen.

 

[bunnyluv17]

They were using non clumping clay litter with a towel on one end, but switched to just hay. The other guinea pigs and rabbits have newspaper and shredded paper in the cage and they hardly ever use any wood shavings. I really didn't think any piggie would be allergic to shredded paper.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

Definately sounds like mites.

 

[lauren]

Bunnylove --
How are your piggies with dry flaky skin doing? Did you find out what the problem was? I just noticed a patch of bare skin on Baby Cosmo, with skin-flakes all around it. sounds like the same thing. Was it mites?

 

[bunnyluv17]

I'm going to the shelter tomorrow (Saturday) and will definitely check on the piggie and make sure he is being treated.