Fur Losing hair

[Kiki & Marissa]

Hi everyone, I have a question if anyone is familiar with this situation? I have 2 piggies that are 4 1/2 months old and they are twin teddies. One of the piggies since about 1 1/2 months old has a little spot on her back that is missing. My other piggy is just fine, well now 3 months later, the one piggies hair patch is a little bigger, I have thought of mites but wouldn't both of them have this problem if they did have mites? Maybe the one piggy is biting the other one and I don't see it when they are in their igloo? Just worried about my piggy... She eats, she's happy, she purrs when I hold her and pet her, just missing a some hair on her back. I don't have a whole lot of experience, so if anyone knows what I'm talking about, please feel free to write me back... thank you so much...

 

[Peggysu]

I would see a vet to rule out mites. One may show symtoms but the other may not.

 

[NicholsS10]

Can you post a picture on this forum so we can see it? I think that would help a lot of people on here to help you out.

 

[Wheek Weak]

Did they come from a pet store by any chance? If so, it could possibly be mites. They wouldn't both, neccessarily, be losing hair if that is the cause. Do they scratch a lot? Do they seem sensitive to touch?

Our Ruby had bald spots on her sides when she had ovarian cysts. But, it was on her sides...not her back.

Do your piggies have unlimited hay 24/7 to chew on? Piggies will do what's called "barbering" if they don't have hay to wear their teeth down. Barbering is chewing on each other's hair.

Those are the only things I can think of, off hand, to suggest. You may also want to try GuineaLynx for more information.

Good luck! I hope you find the answer for your little one.

 

[lissie]

Which part of her back? If it's right behind her ears, they are called bald spots. Some pigs have bigger bald spots than others. Bald spots behind the ears are normal.

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

Hi guys, thank you so much for writing me back.. Ok, she has a bald spot on her back which is bigger than it used to be. But as for scratching, they scratch but nothing that would be too out of the ordinary! Yes I do keep oxbow hay in there at all times! I also have some logs which they can chew on and always keep food in there for them. Yes I will take a picture but I'm very new to all of this, so I hope I can figure it out.. Ha ha.. We really do not have any vets out here in the country but I would drive somewhere in the city if its a serious matter. Thank you sooooo much everyone!

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

Ok, I was able to post a picture up of the piggies but I do not know how to add the picture to show the bald spot on her back. I only posted one picture and that was a picture of both of them. I'll keep trying! Thank you for being so patient with me everyone! Its good to be here...

 

[NicholsS10]

Make sure that when you post the picture of the hair loss that you do it in THIS forum. If you post it in the main gallery, the mods will delete it since it's a medical picture.

 

[relay]

My piggies just recently had mites. One was loosing hair and the other was perfectly fine. They've never been anywhere and they were not from a pet store. I had them nearly year when Elmo stated to show signs of mites. His hair just started to thin and then he got a few bald patches. Is the one loosing hair the less dominant one? I think Elmo was stressed and perhaps that's what brought the mites out. Emmit, the dominant one was absolutely fine. I went to the vet, they gave my something similar to intervetim and they were fine. I would take them to the vet just to be sure. Mites can become life threatening if not treated.

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

Ok everyone here is the picture of my piggies back... I hope you are able to see it from the picture I took! Thanks for helping me post my pics!

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

Kiki & Marissa

https://i607.photobucket.com/albums/tt157/KikinMarissa/Piggytwins.jpg

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

Kiki & Marissa

 

[pigluvinARK]

Here is the pic in a bigger size. Sorry but I thought you could use the help.

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

One pig can show signs of mites and you wouldn't necessarily see them in the other pig. They can flare up. Go to www.guinealynx.info and click mites. You can buy ivermectin and dose them yourself.

 

[NicholsS10]

To me, it looks like barbering, but I'm not a vet. Usually barbering looks like an "arrow head" shape (according to my vet). My boy pig, Bodie, goes through cycles of barbering, even AFTER being treated with 3 rounds of ivermectim (him AND my 4 other girls were treated). My vet also ruled out ringworm when I first brought him into the vet.

Like I said, to me, it looks like barbering.
Here's a website to look at: https://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html#barbering

Have you taken them to the vet before? If not, a general health check might do them good just so the vet's office has them on file and so the vet KNOWS them, and has a baseline of them in good health. While there, you can express your concerns with the hair loss and he would be best to let you know what's going on.

Here's a picture of my boy a few days after bringing him home from the local humane society, and good bath (he was DIRTY). He's notorious for barbering himself. He also has a sensitive back, and for HIM it's normal.



I hope this helps...

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

So for the type of teddies I have, how often or should you ever give them a bath? Just wondering? They have short hair and I know they pretty much clean themselves, just wondering if I should give them a bath once in awhile or never? Thanks...

 

[rabbitsncavyluv]

V shaped hair loss is typically mites. They chew on themself since it hurts. And that area where the hair loss is on her pic isn't an area she can probably reach easily.

 

[Kiki & Marissa]

Hey everyone! I am actually taking them to the vet here in a few minutes.. I'm driving to the city to take them just to be on the safe side. I'm worried about her, so I'm taking them just to be sure.. I will keep you all updated... Thanks for posting...