scratching

Question
My guinea pig keeps scratching himself raw and I am at a lose, he has been checked and is negative for mites, I have upped his vitamin c, nothing has changed so allergies seem unlikely and I bath him regularly which seems to help but he still scratches, and I hate to see him suffer any suggestions?

Answer
I'm assuming when you say he was checked for mites that the vet did a skin scraping? The description of his scratching sounds like a heavy infestation. Even a skin scraping doesn't always reveal them, so I would go ahead and treat him regardless.

Mites are invisible to the naked eye and I've seen animals with mites be negative on a skin scraping. If they're not right on the spot they scraped they don't show.  So you need to treat him. The best treatment is Ivermectin Horse Paste 1.87%. It will not say anything on the label about mites but cavy breeders have used this for many many years because it's safe and it works. It's what is known as experience based. It's the treatment of choice for most breeders.

Ivermectin is available at most pet stores, all feed stores and all vet supplies. It's also available online.  I order mine that way because I have a large herd and get a better price that way.

You will give amount equivalent to the head of a match. Hold him up against you with his back touching yours. Gently pinch his cheeks together and he will open his mouth. When he does that you just pop the paste in by scraping it against the roof of his mouth. Use a small popsicle stick or the end of a Q-tip (without the cotton).

Repeat this in one week, then again in two weeks.  After that once every six or eight weeks is sufficient to keep them from being a problem.  All cavies get mites. We don't know where they come from, but they're there. Denying that your animal could never get them is like saying, "My dog can never get fleas."

Lice are visible and look like tiny thin grains of rice. You spread the hair and you can see them moving. Again, easily fixable. Get a dip made for puppies and kittens that is made from Pyrethrins or Premethrins, which are non toxic and are made from a food product.  Mix according to directions. Put the mixture in a small bowl (I find a plastic shoe box the easiest thing to use). Pour the solution over the pig making sure he is soaked. Avoid the eyes and ears of course. Then put him on a towel and let him drip dry. No hair dryer.

The Ivermectin breaks the breeding cycle of the mites, which is why you do three treatments when you have a real itching problem like your little guy.  Once you've go him under control treat every six to eight weeks.  That will keep the problem away.

You made no mention of scaly skin or anything that sounds like fungus, so I really think you are in fact dealing with the illusive mites.

Vit C helps maintain immunity. It doesn't treat anything. It must be taken on a daily basis to have any effect on us.  Those who think taking large doses when they have a cold are most likely the same people who push the 'walk' button twenty times thinking they can make the computer generated traffic lights change faster.  That doesn't work either.