hair loss

Question
Hi Pat,

Thanks for answering my question. I was wondering if you can help us with a hair loss question.  We have a female guinea pig who is at least 7 years old.  She has been very healthy all of these years, but about one month ago, I noticed her hair came out easily in small tufts with what looked like dry skin on the bottom.  Then it began falling out a lot around her left and right hind legs.  I brought her to the vet, who gave her an injection to stop itching.  She is not scratching too much though.  She is quite old and I assumed all of this was old age and she was dying.  (She has slowed down a lot, lays down a lot and seems not to hear as well.)  Several weeks have gone by and the hair has regrown.  She eats well, drinks and poops normally, but she is losing more around her ears.  Perhaps this is just a mite or fugus and she can be treated and she is not dying.  My vet is not knowledgeable about Cavys.  Is there an easy remedy to try for these sorts of conditions to make her life more comfortable? Laura

Answer
You're right, sometimes this is an age thing. Most often I suspect that in the geriatric pigs, especially sows, it's hormonal. Seven is a very old age for a guinea pig and that's tribute to good care on your part. Not all pigs age at the same rate, some age very quickly and leave us by four years old but there are a few that just keep on keeping on.

I wouldn't suspect mites given the description of hair loss around the legs. Mites usually manifest themselves with a telltale 'V' on the top of the back where they've migrated because the animal can't reach that spot, but chews on both sides trying to.

I raise Teddies and Americans and my Teddies are usually the first to show signs of hair thinning or loss with old age. They also will have periodic molting episodes when they are young, especially when the weather begins to change in the spring and early summer. They do exactly what you're describing, coming out in tufts and the base of the hair shafts look like dandruff on steroids.

A good brushing and a bath does wonders. I've also found that if I put some kind of ointment or even just mineral oil on that very dry skin it seems to lubricate the skin, then makes washing out the dandruff much easier. The hair then grows back.

I've rarely seen this in my Americans who are short smooth haired pigs. Teddy coats have always been notorious for that kind of thing, not just in my caviary but in that of friends as well. We call it the "Teddy Uglies."  

Baby Teddies will sometimes go through a molting period just about the time they're ready to wean. They look frightful. It always grows back in full coat but for a time it's hard to convince a prospective buyer that the pig doesn't have some dreadful disease.

As pigs age they go through changes just like other animals (and humans). They don't look quite as good as they did in their early years. Their heads seem to change in shape, probably because their hair is thinner and their faces not as fat and round.

Sows can also get ovarian tumors and one of the signs is hair loss around the back end and sides of the pig. Again, hormones are driving that. Ovarian tumors are seldom malignant but even if they were you wouldn't really want to put that old girl through extensive treatment that is actually harder on them than just living life out with a tumor.

If you're concerned about possible mites you can buy something like Adams spray or dip to treat her with. But from your description I'm more inclined to think this is part of her aging process. Try the oils on the dry spots to see if it doesn't give some relief. It may or may not have any effect.

I have two old Teddy girls that are both over five and are obese. Both of them have thin spots on their necks and backs and are beginning to have bald spots on their shoulders. Like yours they're eating, drinking and doing fine. They serve as nurse maids when I have to wean babies as they're both great "aunties" and nannies. They've earned their right to do whatever they want at this age and they always get the best treats first. They're like sweet old stuffed pound puppies, cuddly and quiet, minding their own business and spending the greater part of their days napping.

Your girl's appetite is the best indicator of how she feels. She taking it in and putting it out and that sounds like she feels just fine. You may start thinking about a nice spot in the garden for her someday, perhaps next to a rose bush where her memory will live on. Of course that could also be several months away.

When the time comes to bury her remember "ashes to ashes and dust to dust."  Don't put her in a plastic bag. Just lay her directly in the dirt where nature will gently decompose what is left and give new life to a rose bush under which she is planted. That way you will see her bloom for many years to come. It's a wonderful way to remember a faithful and beloved pet.

In the meantime I don't think I'd put her through much else. It doesn't sound as though she really needs treatment other than lots of love.