??Mites

Question
Hi there, I have a sow and boar who live together very happily. The boar is albino and on a few occasions he has got hay mites, this makes him scratch a lot so I get stuff from my vet which helps in a few weeks.  But recently for the first time the sow has gotten them.  She started scratching about 4 weeks ago and has scratched bleeding sores down her left hand side from head to bum.  She has hair loss at her back end.  I have treated them both with the stuff from the vets twice but she seems to be getting worse.  I have been bathing her and putting kamilosan cream on her and putting a tubifast stocking around her to stop her scratching.  This has worked to a certain degree but I don't think I am solving the problem.

Is it hay mites?  I feel helpless now I have tried so much with her. What can I do?  I am so worried about her, she has been getting quite lethargic although she is still eating and drinking.

Answer
Hi Laura

lets bathe them in a shampoo called SELSUN or nit shampoo called PRIODERM
They are both safe to use on guinea pigs.
Try to leave the lather on for 3 minutes with each piggy and rinse very thoroughly.
Only when they are totally dry can you put them back in their living area.
Bath them 3 times a week for 2 weeks.
Keep on with the Tubifast but only put the Kamilosan on very thinly.
Check with the vet that he is using IVOMECTIN to treat the parasites as this is usually very good.
I think the treatment is killing the adults but not the eggs which is why there is a gap between the skin looking ok and becoming a problem again.
Please dont hesitate to get back in touch if you need to :)