What does scabies look like on a guinea pig?
Symptoms of scabies in guinea pigs At first, the symptoms might not be very evident. The most common symptom is very itchy skin. Your guinea pig will start scratching. Finally, you may also see small wounds on your guinea pig from biting or scratching their skin.
Why does my guinea pig keep scratching herself?
Guinea pigs may scratch themselves simply to cure an irritating itchy spot that’s been troubling them for a while. Excessively doing so, however, could be a sign of ticks or fleas. Owners that spot this behavior are advised to check their cavy for any bald spots, flakes of skin or anything else that might indicate a health issue.
How big is the scab on my guinea pig’s back?
The scab looks like it’s healing but the patch has definitely gotten bigger and spread up to the small bald patch you can see and also downwards too. Any ideas? I’m worried the fact it’s spread makes it more likely to be mites; should I persist with the cream with only using it for a day and a half or should I take her back to the vets?
What kind of skin problems do guinea pigs have?
In my experience the huge majority of skin issues in guinea pigs falls into two categories: mites and fungal. It’s uncommon for me to see flaking skin and hair loss without it being one of these disorders. Skin mites in these pets will always cause itching, sometimes severe enough to lead to seizures.
What to do if your guinea pig has mites?
Mites can’t be seen with the naked eye, but their symptoms are fairly obvious. They can cause extreme itching, dandruff, skin irritation and scabs, and even seizures. Microscopic mites can be hard to spot, even through skin scrapings. The vet will likely diagnose the guinea pig based on symptoms alone (itching, hair loss, skin irritation, etc.)
How do you treat scabies on guinea pigs?
Common treatments include injections of ivermectin or topical spot-on products such as selamectin (Revolution) or imidocloprid/moxidectin (Advantage-Multi). Several treatments are usually needed to eliminate infestation.
How do you tell if it’s scabies or something else?
Signs of scabies are: Intense itching that gets worse at night. Rashes that have pimple-like bumps, tiny blisters, or scales. Small, raised, crooked lines on your skin (caused by the scabies mites burrowing under the surface of your skin).
Can humans catch mange from guinea pigs?
Guinea pig mites cannot live on humans. Treating the animal will also help get rid of any mites on the people around it. Humans can get mange (a skin condition) from mites.
How do I test myself for scabies?
Magnifying glass and bright light can help. Take a dark washable wide-tip marker, and rub around the suspicious bumps or burrows. Then take an alcohol wipe or alcohol-soaked gauze and wipe away the ink. If there’s a scabies burrow under the skin, the ink often remains, showing you a dark irregular line.
