Skin Problems Help? possible mites I got this Ivermectin stuff but I am scared to dose please help

[MelissaM]

ok so I have 2 piggiess (Piggy Sue and Maggie Moo) that are about a year old each not siblings but got them from the same place at same time and they are about the same age according to the vet- one of them (Maggy Moo) is fine - she is normal and doesnt seem to have a care in the world. the other (Piggy Sue) is well i thought she was just simply neurotic as she is always jumping around and pop-corning and being crazy - shes always been one to scratch here and there but never anything major well about a 2 weeks ago she began to scratch a little more - i attributed it to just dry skin since the other piggy is fine well a few days later I came downstairs to find her with a gash on her back where she had scratched herself and it was an open wound. I have a friend who has many many animals including pigs so I called her and we sussed out what to do. I shaved the area so I could treat it treated the wound and made her a little sock dress to cover it so she couldnt get to it - well it was a success all healed no cut no infection whew right? wrong she got her sock dress off (ive been making her new ones every couple of days) while i was at work monday and had already started to scratch it raw again. i noticed some dry flaky skin and some hair seemed to come out easy with the skin - so I called the vet and they want 250.00 to see & treat the pigs bc they consider them exotics - well i just have had a round in the ER myself so needless to say right now i dont have 250.00 extra lying around - the vet said they thought it sounded like mites - idk id never have thought that since the other isnt itchy and scratchy and well ive had them over 9 months and its just now happening - but ok - so she told me to treat with ivermectin -

so ive found ivermectin (broken link removed) and am waiting on it to get here - my friend and i have been researching to find out dosing instructions and have found the GL site and this and hundreds more - but my problem is from all the reading it says 1% solution and the ivermectin I found is all 1.87% - i can weigh my pigs and have the chart https://www.guinealynx.info/oral_ivermectin.html but since mine is 1.87% not 1.0% im worried - any help? i just dont want to get it wrong.

first time posting here just found your site today so sorry if i did something wrong

 

[bpatters]

You're fine -- no wrong posting, and welcome to the forum.

How much do your pigs weigh? And I can't really tell from that picture whether you're getting a paste or the injectable form. It looks like a paste, but can you confirm that? It makes a difference in how you'll use it.

If it's a paste, you'll need something to dissolve it and thin it out, as it's very concentrated. You'll want to give it topically (put it on the skin), so the pertinent GL pages are https://www.guinealynx.info/ivermectin_products.html#paste and https://www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin.html.

If you still have questions, post back here to confirm you're getting a paste, and the weights of your guinea pigs, and we'll work out the dosage.

 

[MelissaM]

it is a paste it just comes in a tube like a needle from what i understand - the website says [h=1]Jeffers® Ivermectin Paste[/h][h=2]Buy 12, Get 1 FREE*
No Limit. While Supplies Last.
Expires 4-30-2012.
*Must be purchased on JeffersEquine.
[/h]

Anthelmintic and boticide. Removes worms and bots with a single dose, including: large and small strongyles, pinworms, hairworms, threadworms, stomach worms, lungworms, and roundworms. 6.08 gm tube. Treats up to 1250 lb body weight. my piggies at last weight were approx 2 & 2.5lbs each i will weigh them again tonight to be sure and will post back with the results. and pardon my ignorance but i thought they had to eat it? putting it on the skin would be much easier ty for your quick response

 

[SurfingPigs]

You are correct, the paste is to be administered orally. Did you check the link bpatters provided? It explains how to properly dilute and treat.

Edit: The simplest dilution seems to be to mix 20% of the contents of the bottle you with with 22cc of propylene glycol, mixing thoroughly. That leaves you with a 1mg/mL dose. There is a chart on the following link that shows how much to use and how to properly dilute. https://www.guinealynx.info/ivermectin_oral.html

 

[MelissaM]

reading now ty! this is the first issue and my first 2 piggies ever so im very nervous and want to be sure to do it right

 

[SurfingPigs]

reading now ty! this is the first issue and my first 2 piggies ever so im very nervous and want to be sure to do it right

Good decision to ask questions! Be sure to check my updated post with the added link, it is especially helpful.

 

[bpatters]

It actually can be given orally, topically, or by injection.

Before you do it, be sure to read the GL info carefully about possible problems with propylene glycol -- that's why I suggested the topical administration. It's also harder to overdose them when giving it topically than when giving it orally.

 

[SurfingPigs]

It actually can be given orally, topically, or by injection.

GL states that the paste is to only be given orally. Is that outdated information?

Edit: In fact, all of the discussion I can find on GL from very knowledgable owners state that the paste must be given orally.