Merlins is just well not himself!

[bacara]

Hello - Been a busy year for me and not been on in ages.
I'm concerned with both my piggies at the moment and have come on here for some advice.

My post re Arthur can be found under Care & Heath Section unders Ears.

Now Back to Merlin - Merlin has lots and lots of hair (see pics on sig) He gets monthly washes with Gorgeous guineas shampoo to keep his skin/hair in best of condition as he really does not liked to be brushed or even stroked on his rump. Recently I noted that he lots of grey specks around his rump area and thought it was just dirt from the garden.
I called the lady form the rescue shelter from where I adopted him from and she explained that it might be static lice.
So off i trots to the vets last week and the vet confirmed this and to only pop newspaper down in the hutch with hay only in their sleeping area. She perscribed 0.33 x Xeno 450 Spot On 6's for him to place behind his ear and then again in ten days time (this sat) I am used to using this to keep the mites at bay ...but did not know that this would kill off lice??
I have noted that his rump area is getting worse since the meds it has become more crusty and more static lice on the hair shafts when i looked at his rumo and touched it he really really did not like it - normally he lets me know vocally that he is unhappy with me touching this area - but this time he was twisting his head right round trying to bite his hind legs or me?? who nows - but what I do know this was a sign of distress ...im really worried for my little hairy piggy - Can anyone give me some advice ?? Will the xeno get rid of the lice ? The vet told me to call back in after the treatment to get more if it had not cleared up? but no need to be seen? I'm concerned and dont know if I am over reacting? thanks in advance.
Alexia

[Orlaith]

I found the Gorgeous Guineas Lice N' Easy shampoo very good when my pigs had lice. You can use it in combination with the Xeno that the vet gave you (supposedly Xeno doesn't work on lice because they don't bite the skin, only eat dead skin cells, but ivermectin has worked on mine when they've had lice as well). Just be sure to give 48 hours between bathing and using the Xeno and vice versa because it can be too much for them to have the treatments close together.

You can also buy a nit comb (those really fine ones for when kids have head lice) from the chemist and use that to go through Merlin's coat. You'll be surprised at how much comes out! Keep a bowl of water to rinse the comb in as it can get quite mucky.

[bacara]

Many thanks for your reply

I will order some of that shampoo from gorgeous guineas asap...as with the nit comb! well he hates me combing his hair full stop...grrrr pesky little things they just look awful..

[Orlaith]

Don't worry too much. Apparently lice don't itch pigs like they itch us. They don't really notice that they're there. But it'll be nice to get those nasties out of his fur.

Oh, and one of my girls is long-haired and she cried and cried when we were combing her hair and we felt awful but it really was for her own good. Just try not to pull too hard or get tangled and if you can hold the hair just above the root so the comb doesn't pull the skin too much that will help.

[bacara]

Yeah - I will get the nit comb out and give it a good shot!! Just waiting for shampoo!! thanks again.