Cheyletiella parasitivorax ( Mites/Lice)

Question
I believe my guinea pig has Cheyletiella parasitivorax there about .3 mm in length and look like moving dandruff and are like little worms and I was wondering if there is anything i can do about it.. any recomended products and what sort of affect will it have on her?

Answer
Hi Troy,

I don't know anything about the specific types of lice and mites. I do know how to treat the common kinds that make your piggies itch. So what I suggest is that you follow this advice, and if your piggies don't seem better, then take them to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet. If she has an advanced case of parasitic mites then she may need a course of injections from a vet.

You can use an aromatherapy treatment as it is kind to a piggy's skin and I actually find it the most effective treatment for mites! The best stuff to use to get rid of them is a remedy from www.gorgeousguineas.com called "Lice and Easy"; it's brilliant! It does a much better job of getting rid of mites than the stuff from pet shops, and will leave your guinea pigs smelling lovely. They also deliver quite quickly; so order today and they will receive your order and dispatch it ASAP; you should have it by Thursday.

Does she feel hot to the touch, and sometimes fit after scratching? If so, she could have mange, and will need to be taken to the vet for a course of injections (most likely Ivermectin). A guinea pig can cope with fitting for a long period of time, but mange is eventually fatal if left untreated so if you think she might have it, pop to a specialist small animal or exotic pet vet.

Here's the instructions for bathing your piggy in Lice n Easy:

Guinea pigs do not like being bathed and it is always a tricky process; you will need someone else to help you.  The best thing to do is to find a large, clean bowl (like the one for washing up) and line it with a flannel. Get someone to hold your piggy in this bowl. Wet her with warm water (test it first) by either pouring it over her gently (not on her face!) or squeezing it over her using another flannel. Rub in the required amount of shampoo being careful not to let your guinea pig lick herself (for this bit, you can take her out of the bowl and get your helper to hold her on a towel on their lap) and then wrap your guinea pig up in a towel (to keep her warm, and stop her licking) for five minutes. Then return her to the bowl and rinse away the shampoo; the mites should fall off too! Dry your guinea pig with a towel, and once she is just damp, you can finish off drying her with a hair dryer if you like (some piggies love this, some hate it). Give her a nice groom and pop her back in her cage (but only once she is clean and dry).

You will need to clean out the cage (and spray it with a general safe animal cleaning spray) before returning her to it, as some of the mites will be living in there too. Please do not use a bleach solution; there is a safe animal cleaning spray available from most pet shops and supermarkets that comes in a variety of fragrances, that doesn't leave behind any smells that could be harmful to your piggy. Make sure it has fully dried (you can wipe it off after a few minutes if the cage is plastic) before you put her back in. The mites should then be gone, but if it's a bad case, she may need a second bath. Or, as I said at the start, a trip to the vet may be needed.

If you have any other questions ... just ask!

Best wishes,
Jenny.