Mites? Lice?

Question
Hello,
I recently adopted a guinea pig from the SPCA a few days ago (june 10th 2008). This morning (june 15th 2008) my brother noticed a scab on his back. I checked a couple of websites to try and figure out whats wrong, and the closest thing it sort of resembles is mites or lice. He is not constantly itching himself however. He seems to only scratch every once in a while, extremely hard, as if biting himself to try and get something off. I've noticed one more wound directly above one of his front legs. I've never seen him scratch the one on his back... only the one by his leg. Do you think this is mites... or something else?(stress because we just got him?)

Answer
Hi Demi,

Well done on adopting a piggy :o) I'm sure you'll be very happy with your new pet - they are such lovely creatures.

A scab can be the result of many things. Usually mites, but also an allergy, a fight wound, or stress. Did the RSPCA tell you anything about where he came from and if he was suffering from any ongoing medical conditions?

Have a close look at him. Can you see very small dandruff-like specks in his hair? If he's a dark piggy they'll be pale, and if he's a pale piggy they'll be dark. If you can, then he has common mites, and the good news is you can treat him at home. Head to www.gorgeousguineas.com and grab yourself a trial size bottle of Lice and Easy. This is more effective and more gentle on the skin than the insecticidal shampoos you can buy in pet shops, and much less cruel than an injection. Piggies can't swim so it's more a case of washing than bathing - put him on a towel and use a jug to pour warm water on him. Hold on tight as he'll try to run away and be careful not to get his face wet. You'll need to wrap him in a towel and let the shampoo do its business for about three minutes before you rinse it off. Make sure he is completely dry before you return him to his cage (and make sure you clean this out, as some mites will be living in it). Towel dry him, and finish him off with a hairdryer if he'll let you - some piggies like hairdryers and others hate them so you could have to use a towel all the way.

If you can't see mites like these, check for lice. Does he feel hot to the touch or has he been fitting? If he does or has, he could have mange - this needs vetinary attention as it is eventually fatal. It can develop from a nasty case of mites or lice that has been left untreated. The usual treatment is an injection of ivormectin - painful, but necessary.

Have you noticed him sneezing or does his breathing seem laboured? If so, he is probably suffering from an allergy. This is likely to be due to the bedding you're using. If it's different to what the RSPCA used, switch back. I used dust-extracted wood shavings for my piggies, but with piggies with allergies you will need to use medibed or megazorb - both are available online and in large pet shops.

If you suspect the scabs could be from fight wounds or are self-inflicted stress injuries due to his history, then you just need to treat them. There's lots of lotions at www.gorgeousguineas.com - read the descriptions to find what you think will work best for him. And keep doing your best to make him feel safe and loved :o)

If you are worried about him and none of the above works, take him to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet, or call Vedra from the Cambridge Cavy Trust.

Hope this helps but if you need anything else ... ask!

Jenny.