skin complaint

Question
i have 2 Guinea pigs that live in separate cages.  I have owned a rabbit in the past but never guninne pigs. i have recently seen a bald patch on the short haired one, along with a raw patch and very dry flakey skin on the surrounding areas. i have used a flee and mite spray but not sure if this will cure this alone. i am not sure of there ages as they did belong to my niece. i would be very grateful of any advice you could give me.

Answer
Hi Sarah,

Please don't use a flea and mite spray unless it says it's specifically for guinea pigs, otherwise this will just be making the problem worse.

It sounds like she could be allergic to something (probably the bedding) or suffering from mites. Does she seem to be sratching, and does your other piggy too? If so, it's probably mites, and you can treat them with lice and easy from www.gorgeousguineas.com. If not, she could have an allergy to the bedding (try changing the brand or type) or another skin complaint.

If it's not an allergy or mites, you'll need to take her to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet to diagnose the problem. If she seems lethargic and/or feels hot the touch, she could have mange, which is fatal if left untreated, so please take her to a vet ASAP.

Hope this helps, good luck, and if you have any other questions just ask.

Jenny.