Wallace has Mites

[Niki]

I noticed Wallace's fur was looking thin on his back and having read the thread on Skin Problems and their symptoms i now know it's mites. I've bathed him (and everyone else) today in Johnsons Anti-Parasitic Shampoo and am waiting for my Beaphar Anti-Parasite Spot-on drops to come from ebay.
No one else is showing any signs of mites but i'm going to treat them all as a prevention
Is there a time period that i should adhere to between shampooing and treating with drops?

[Dawn - Admin]

I am not sure but I think it might be two weeks, get well soon Wallace.

[Niki]

admin said:

I am not sure but I think it might be two weeks, get well soon Wallace.

Thanks Dawn, he seems better already, he's not really scratching and there looks to be new hair growth on his bald patch

[ccc]

I don't know about using two products to treat the mites. Is the shampoo medicated? If so, I would be wary about using another topical treatment.

I've used the Beaphar drops, and just using that, 2 doses 7-10 days apart on each piggie cleared up the mites. Three doses is recommended and can clear up worse cases of mites. Sometimes, Ivermectin injections by your vet is necessary. Topical works great, but sometimes the mites can dig right down so topical just doesn't quite kill them all off. The three doses is because:

Dose 1 - Kills off living mites;
Dose 2 - Kills off recently hatched mites and some eggs;
Dose 3 - Kills off the remainign eggs and hatched mites.

[Niki]

ccc said:

I don't know about using two products to treat the mites. Is the shampoo medicated? If so, I would be wary about using another topical treatment.

I've used the Beaphar drops, and just using that, 2 doses 7-10 days apart on each piggie cleared up the mites. Three doses is recommended and can clear up worse cases of mites. Sometimes, Ivermectin injections by your vet is necessary. Topical works great, but sometimes the mites can dig right down so topical just doesn't quite kill them all off. The three doses is because:

Dose 1 - Kills off living mites;
Dose 2 - Kills off recently hatched mites and some eggs;
Dose 3 - Kills off the remainign eggs and hatched mites.

Hi Laura
Yes it is medicated, it was Johnsons Insecticidal shampoo. I bought that as i'd read mites can kill if left untreated (and was waiting for my drops to arrive)
I also went on the Gorgous Guineas site and am even more confused! The GG site say if its lice he will have a v-shaped thinning on his back he has this too! Yet i have seen nothing moving at all !
I know it isn't fungal as his fur isn't greasy, doesn't come out when tugged and theres no thick dandruffy flakes.
I did see what looked like small dandruffy bits on his bald bit which is about the size of a 5p but they'd gone on Thursday.
My drops have arrived this morning , each pipette contains 150ug of ivermectin and says they are effective up to 4 weeks from the day of treatment.
All my piggies were bathed in the shampoo on Thursday, should i hold off with the drops for a while?

[ccc]

The info on the Beaphar box is incorrect, in a way. The dosage is pretty much okay, from what I remember. Make sure you weigh your pig. Lots of products state to use them every 4 weeks so that your pig doesn't get sick with it again, but the pig shouldn't get sick 4 weeks later unless the treatment was ineffective. Follow the 2-3 doses 7-10 days apart and you don't need to use it every 4 weeks to kill off the eggs which are left.
I used 2 pipettes for each of my pigs each time, one pig who was 8 months and a little over 2lb when I dosed them all.

As far as waiting goes, I do think it's worth holding off for about a week. As the shampoo was medicated it is effectively a topical treatment, which is what the Beaphar drops are.

[Niki]

Thanks Laura, i'll wait a week and then do them all - good job i bought 3 boxes #giggly#

[Niki]

Wallace & Hamish (saw signs of dandruff on his skin) went to the vets today and i'm pleased to say the vet found nothing at all, she said their skin was lovely and that it was nice to see happy healthy guinea pigs.
She thought it had most probably been mites but the wash with the johnsons insecticidal shampoo had worked
Thanks to this wonderful forum !!

[Dawn - Admin]

I am glad they are ok now I bet that is a weight off you mind.

[Niki]

admin said:

I am glad they are ok now I bet that is a weight off you mind.

Not half dawn. When i read mites can kill and knowing how quickly piggies can go downhill i panicked. I thought they were getting better but it was lovely having it confirmed by the vet and their treatment is all thanks to the info i found on here.

[Dawn - Admin]

I know it can be a worry when they get things wrong, I am pleased this forum helped you. That makes me feel very proud that I have created something as useful as this forum