one problem after another

Question
Hi again!  Well our piggy is now biting himself so much, he has scabs about the size of a quarter (USA coin)!  Mippy is 7 months old.  He recovered from his injuries after jumping out of his cage, and the vet thought he developed mites due to his pain-induced stress. (his back end is naked-no hair) He has had 1 dose of ivermectin which we saw results within a few days.  He is due for another shot in a couple of days. The vet wants to give him up to 4 doses just to rid him of the mites.  Is this OK?  I live in an area that doesn't really specialize in cavies, so I am at the mercy of the vet who seems to want to help him. Mippy is slowly returning to himself.... but now he is biting and pulling at his scabs!  He is extremely content to be held or run around.  He is starting to "talk" alot!  What in the world can we do to get him to STOP chewing himself? I even made a cone to go around his neck, but that really stressed him out, so I took it off.  ....And one more question (sorry)  He will NOT eat any fruits or vegtables except carrots!  Do you think he has vitamin or mineral defficiencies?  Thank YOU!

Answer
Hi Karen,

Yes, it's ok for the veterinarian to give him up to four doses of ivermectin-that is ONLY if they are spread out over a period of 7-10 days between doses. So he will get one dose once a week for the next three weeks, not four doses in one time(overdoses can be fatal).

Yes, he could have a vitamin deficiency if the only veggie or fruit he will eat is carrots. Continue to offer him a variety of fruits and veggies, especially green, leafy ones like red and green leaf lettuce, parsley, cilantro, romaine lettuce, and bell peppers. You should also talk to his veterinarian about this problem, you may need to supplement your guinea pigs diet with a pill or medication if he will not start eating more fruits and veggies. Another thing I've found helpful is introducing another guinea pig to a guinea pig that refuses to eat fruits and veggies will often cure the pickiness! If your guinea pig sees another guinea pig eating the fruits and veggies he will know it's ok and that they're yummy, so you may want to consider adopting a cagemate/cavy companion for your guinea pig, it often helps wonders! If you want more information about adopting another guinea pig, or if you have any questions about it, don't  hesitate to ask me. Please remember not to buy while many homeless die as well, in other words, rescue or adopt, don't buy from a breeder or pet store.

Feel free to contact me if you have any other questions!

                                                          A.Jones