Vet Costs Possible Mites (About Vet Costs and Treatments)

[Roo99]

I have one black sow who has a little 'V' of missing fur on her back. She also does not have fur behind both ears.

I am sorry, but it is extremely hard to take pictures of her because she is entirely black. I can only describe it. She is missing fur, and she and her cage mate both seem to be scratching.

Has anyone else gone to the vet to have an exam and look for mites? How much did it cost?

Also, I have heard about oral treatments, but are dips or powders also good solutions? I would rather use a dip or powder if possible. Even if Toni (the pig missing hair) does not have mites, I'd rather be safe than sorry. It doesn't appear to be mange mites. The skin does not look extremely irritated, and there are no red sores or open wounds.

I have been checking on her back every day, but there do not seem to be signs of improvement. I really love my pigs and want to help them both, but at the same time I do not want to break the bank. I will however do what is necessary to keep them healthy.

Thank you so much!

 

[Petlovr]

http://www.guinealynx.info/hairloss.html#baldspots-apparently all pigs have no hair behind their ears. I know all 4 of mine don't.

http://www.guinealynx.info/mites.html-info about mites and treatment

Avoid flea and tick powders, sprays, shampoos, foams, gels and wipes -- many contain pesticides that are dangerous for cavies. Read the ingredients. Some of these products have caused death. If your pet has mites, USE IVERMECTIN. When used according to directions and dosed carefully, it is a much more effective and safe product.

Good luck.

 

[Frapplove]

I treated for mites for $7.50, with ivermectin paste from my local feed store. That guinealynx site has great info, check the links on the left hand side of the page for more info on how to treat.

 

[bpatters]

The V-shaped hair loss is classic for mites. They're biting at themselves, and that's where they can reach. All pigs have baldish spots behind their ears.

There's no point in going to a vet for an exam. You can't see mites at all. Some vets will insist on doing scrapings, but it's as likely to find nothing as it is to find mites, even if the pig has mites. Waste of money and torture for the pig, in my opinion.


You can treat them yourself with ivermectin as long as they weigh more than 350 grams. See www.guinealynx.info/mites.html and www.guinealynx.info/ivermectin.html. If you get the pour-on kind, you can put it on their skin. A good place to buy it is from This Little Piggie Marketplace -- get the pour-on kind, and the syringe to measure it with. Buy a few extra syringes while you're at it -- they'll come in handy someday.

 

[Frapplove]

Roo99, what I said was wrong, please disregard it.

 

[grace505]

You can also get it usually from a feed store or a vet might sell it to you without "needing to see the pet" so they can charge you for a visit. It's originally for livestock, i believe. For sure check out the GL page that bpatters specified, i just wanted you to have some options if you felt you coudln't wait to have something shipped (i'm not sure how long it would take to get there). Mites are very serious and need to be dealt with ASAP. Good luck!!

 

[Petlovr]

[MENTION=13820]bpatters[/MENTION]-thanks for the link to This Little Piggie Marketplace

 

[grace505]

Roo99, don't forget you have to thoroughly clean their cage and play area, etc. The instructions are on GL.

 

[foggycreekcavy]

No, you don't need to clean the area. The mites don't live off of the pig.

 

[grace505]

No, you don't need to clean the area. The mites don't live off of the pig.

GL states that they can be brushed onto the bedding, etc., and can live off the host for up to three weeks and their living quarters should be thoroughly cleaned. I would think that at least washing/changing bedding would be a good idea and cleaning the coro, etc. I'm sorry if i am incorrect, I was only stating what GL had put, but i certainly am no expert.

 

[bpatters]

The only time you need to worry about bedding is with static mites, which are visible and look somewhat like the nits from lice.

[MENTION=21827]grace505[/MENTION], why not just post the links to GL and let the OP go look up the information? That way you won't have to worry about whether it's correct.

 

[grace505]

The only time you need to worry about bedding is with static mites, which are visible and look somewhat like the nits from lice.

@grace505 , why not just post the links to GL and let the OP go look up the information? That way you won't have to worry about whether it's correct.

That's fine, sometimes it's just easier to type it, but i will certainly do that from now on. I would also certainly wash and clean thoroughly anyway, but that would just be my preference and not necessarily necessary. Thank you for the clarification.

 

[Roo99]

Alright, a change has occurred.

Turns out that Toni appears to have running lice. I ordered the "Lice and Easy" piggy shampoo from Gorgeous Guineas, but it won't arrive for another 7-10 days. I am going to try to keep her and her cage mate, Griffin, as comfortable as possible.

Anyway, since I have to wait a week to begin treatments, I was wondering if pet balm is safe for use on guinea pigs. My dog injured her legs, and I had to wash, disinfect, and dress the wounds every day. I bought some pet balm because I was running low on Neosporin.

Here is a picture of the box:

On the package it says:
"For use on dry, cracked skin and paws. Also effective on minor rashes, scratches, and insect bites."
"With activity, many dogs and cats can cut or scrape their paws or pads. This balm forms a barrier to protect the affected area and promote healing."

The ingredients are: Paraffin Wax, Petrolatum, Glycerin, Hydroxyquinoline, Water, and Lanoilin.

Would I be safe to rub this on Toni's balding areas to soothe some of the itching? Does anyone else have any information on running lice, and is there anything on GL? Thank you ever so much. Please think about my pigs as they are not having much fun with these lice.

What I think to be running lice are small little whitish worms that crawl around on the skin. No eggs appear to have been laid as of now, but when they are they will be very easy to see on Toni's black skin and fur. I have found at least 2 of them on her body, and I am very worried. I know for sure that they are not mites, and I do know that running lice do not bother humans. But it makes me ache to think that there are little vermin crawling all over my pigs and I am at the mercy of shipping time to help them out.

Any links are much appreciated. Also, should I take them to the vet for this or is it the same as the mites (in that there is no vet exam needed)? Thank you so much. Please think about us.

-Roo and the Pigs

 

[grace505]

Check out this link on GL for treating both mites and/or lice.
http://www.guinealynx.info/antiparasitics.html

Also this one on topical cleaning for cuts, etc.
http://www.guinealynx.info/antiseptic_solutions.html

 

[bpatters]

Roo99, why not just go to GL and look yourself rather than asking here if there's anything there? The URL gets posted about 3-4 times a day, and is www.guinealynx.info. Click on the Index, and you can find more than you ever wanted to know about mites and lice.

If it were me, I'd get some Advantage (the original kind, not Advantage II) and treat her now. And I would NOT use the pet balm. If you get rid of the lice, she'll stop itching and stop scratching, and her skin will clear up. You can save the Lice and Easy for another infestation.

 

[Roo99]

Thank you bpatters. I will look into getting some Advantage ASAP. I really appreciate it, and I'm not trying to be nuisance. Thank you very much for your time.

 

[Roo99]

Hello, I'm sorry to bother anyone. Where has anyone else purchased the original Advantage at a store? I have called all of my local pet stores, and none carry it. My vet's office is currently closed right now (they have interesting hours on Wednesdays), and I'd like to get the Advantage as soon as possible. All of my stores carry only Advantage II. Does everyone get the original Advantage at the vet's office?

EDIT: Even one of the vets in my area doesn't carry it anymore. I do not know whether or not my local vet has either Ivermectin or Advantage.

 

[grace505]

Roo99, between here and GL is where i get all my info, really. You can also use search terms here and on GL to find threads on the issues you need info about and read what others before you have gone through and what members had advice-wise for them, what worked, didn't work, etc. Good luck!!

 

[Roo99]

Both Toni and Griffin are going to the vet's in an hour and a half for a full exam, and to get a prescription for Revolution, if it does turn out to be lice. Then, if it is lice (which is what I perceived it to be), they will go through 2 rounds of treatment and then be shaved. So I might have a couple of skinny pigs for a while! I'll love them with or without fur, no matter what. They are my fur babies, and I've definitely fallen for them.

Anyway, I am nervous about the lice, and just want to get rid of them. Hopefully this vet visit will do the trick, and I can just relax for a little after I know that the little vermin are gone, lice or not. I'll ask the vet if the 'Lice and Easy' would help in conjuncture with Revolution, but it probably won't be necessary.

Thank you all so much for the advice. I will post updates about the pigs starting after I get them home from the vet.

 

[bpatters]

You don't have to shave them. The sequential treatment will take care of the lice and the nits.