Conditions dandruff in Teddy piggies

[teddyrex]

hi. i have had various different types of guineas since childhood (im 31) but i am new to Teddy guineas and have only had mine since March (two adorable sows named Daisy and Millie born 30th december last year). Millie has been suffering with dandruff and her skin itches a lot. i brush both the piggies daily with a slicker brush to get any debris out their fur, and that tends to prevent itchiness in Daisy (who scratches rarely and has no flakes) but poor Millie still seems to struggle.

i have been read about baths with vinegar or coconut oil but i was told that i must never bathe Teddies as that can make their skin even drier. should i go to a vet?

 

[Aleks]

You can bathe teddies as far as i know. George has gotten a bath before and he's an american/teddy mix. Bathing too often and not bathing with the right thing can dry out their skin.
I don't think youre supposed to use any kind of oils while bathing them.
You'll want a good small animal shampoo such as Gorgeous Guineas. You can also use kitten shampoo.


Honestly it sounds like your piggy has mites. Dandruff can be a sign of mites and excessive scratching is also a sign. Is she losing any fur?
http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html

 

[clb89]

They could have mites or fungus which is something all guinea pigs can get.

 

[pinky]

Teddies have such dense fur that it doesn't allow for a lot of air circulation. They need regular brushing down to the skin to remove any debris that gets stuck in their fur. I use a fine tooth comb and soft cat brush. I've had a lot of teddies and found that the less bathing, the better because bathing can lead to drier skin and more dandruff. If you find dandruff and crusty skin, it could be more than just dandruff. I had one guinea pig that had a patch of really rough skin and minor hair thinning. I think it was a spot where my other guinea pig would nip at when she was annoyed with her. My vet ruled out everything he could think of and finally recommended I treat that area with Malaseb shampoo. I didn't bathe her entire body but used it on the one area. You have to leave it on for about 10 or 15 minutes and rinse well. It took care of the problem. The fur grew in nicely and her skin was nice and clean looking again.