Vet may have steered us wrong, HELP!!

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caseyzak

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:03 pm


We have 2 sisters almost 2 years old. They were cagemates up until about 3 months ago or so when we noticed some scabs and sores on the smaller one. The cage has a wire divider that we put in to separate them but not really. I mean they can't reach each other, but still basically share a cage. Reeses, the smaller one, always timid and seems frightened at all times was the one with the scabs. The scabs continued after separation and didn't seem to get better. Someone suggested maybe she was having a reaction to the pellets, unfortunately they were the cheap walmart brand. So we pulled the pellets, kept the Timothy Hay and lots, of fresh veg, to include kale, pepper, carrots and romaine. It helped some but then her hair started getting short., not really falling out, but shorter, and we could never find any hair in the cage as if it had fallen out. Again someone suggested it may be mites, but we dismissed that since her cage mate wasn't suffering from any of the same thing. Barbering was brought up, but the sisters are separated by a cage wall. We finally took her to the vet. I think the vet was a kook though, she claimed to be an "exotics" and familiar with guinea pigs. She did a skin scraping, I know "cringe", and said it wasn't mites, told us maybe she was allergic to the timothy hay or the detergent we use on the bedding towels. She sent us home with Griseofulvin and Prednisonolone, and said to pull the hay and just use pellets and fresh veg. Seemed very odd, but she's the expert. It's been about 2 weeks, she's still on the meds, but no real change and no weight gain.

We've put the hay back in cause EVERYTHING we've ever read said they should have access to it at all times, plus the pellets have timothy hay in it too. We posted some pics over on Wheekers, and they all seem to think it's mites. We're still struggling to understand how she could have them, but her cage mate not. I've read about Ivermectin being the bees knees when it comes to mites, we have some Moxidectin from an issue we were having with out son's pet rat. I've read you can use moxidectin to treat mites, but have no idea how to dose it properly. Its a Horse oral gel, 2% w/v, 20mg/ml. We have a Tractor Supply down the road, would it be better to just pick up a tube of ivermectin instead?

https://wheekers.proboards.com/thread/1 ... lTo=366927

rjespicer

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:43 pm


Guinea pigs must have hay at all times. They need it for their teeth and digestion. If you have to pull their current hay you should find a replacement.
They need pellets for the Vitamin C as well.

Make sure you are using a free and clear detergent. Dont use softener or dryer sheets.

We have used Ivermectin several times and it has worked well. We got a small bottle of teh 1% topical sort from Amazon.

We use the dose calculator here

https://www.guinealynx.info/dose_calculator.html

Make sure you use the right type and concentration

For the 1% topical the dose is very small 0.05cc per Kg.

User avatar
ItsaZoo
Supporter in 2023

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:52 pm


The vet is indeed a kook. Being familiar with guinea pigs is not the same as actually being trained and having experience with exotics. It would be nice if these small-animal vets would just be honest and say they don't know or don't have the diagnostic equipment to deal with a situation like this.

Mites cause tremendous pain to these little animals, and infestation can get so bad they can have seizures and die. If it was me, I would get my hands on topical ivermectin as soon as possible. Many of the experienced people on this forum have used it successfully. It is quite safe and easy to obtain.

https://www.guinealynx.info/antiparasitics.html Here is a link to the antiparasitic page in the GL Medical Care Guide.

I would also get vitamin C supplements, since the less-expensive pellets may have skimped on nutrients and your guinea pig needs nutritional help right now.

rjespicer

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 5:58 pm


This is what we used. The price has gone up about 20% since we got it though.



If you get that one though you will also need some blunt syringes to get it out of the bottle


User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 6:05 pm


I will add that skin scrapings are notoriously inaccurate in looking for mites, and it does sound like she most likely has mites or a fungal infection or both. You can treat her for mites yourself using Ivermectin. It's safe when dosed correctly, affordable and easy to find at most farm/tractor stores or online. Do not use Moxidectin. You can order either the injectable Ivermectin (1%) or "blue" pour-on (0.5%). Both are used topically. We can help you with determining the dose, which is based on weight.

I'd also suggest that you find a new vet. Any veterinarian that would suggest eliminating hay from a guinea pig's diet is worthless.

caseyzak

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 7:13 pm


I swung by Tractor Supply and picked up some durvet pour-on, 5mg/ml. Using the dosage calculator and the dosage chart based on the pour-on solution, came to conclusion Reese weighs 685g which comes to .068(ish)cc. Chart says .07. Rubbed it in behind her ears, being careful not to let it touch me, so she got it all, went ahead and dosed her 878g cage mate with .09cc, and just for good measure another sister 925g in a different room at .09cc also. The 3rd sister never "stays" with Reese and doesn't interact with them at all, but we have kids and who knows if hand washing happens between holding the different ones.

So repeat these doses again in 7-10 days, just once? or a 3rd dose after another 7 days?

Since the only bottle tractor supply had was a big 250 ml, once we clear this up, if it is indeed mites, is there a "therapeutic" dose, or something once a month that would keep the mites away? or would they build a tolerance?

Thanks,

User avatar
Sef
I dissent.

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 8:19 pm


Very good. You will want to do the same thing in 7 days, and then a third time after another 7 days. If it's indeed mites, you should see improvement after the 2nd dose. If after 3 doses (each 7 days apart) you still see hair loss and itching, you can give an additional dose. More stubborn cases sometimes require a complete repeat, but I have seldom had to do that.

Good luck with it and keep us posted!

User avatar
Lynx
Celebrate!!!

Post   » Tue Mar 17, 2020 8:52 pm


You wondered that one guinea pig seems to have mites and the other does not seem to. Healthier guinea pigs have a better immune system so a mite infestation might not cause as many issues.

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