my daughters pig

Question
our guinea pig has several small sores on his back. he scratches quite often and the air in our home is kind of dry could he have dry skin? my wife checked him for fleas and lice and found nothing.  

Answer
Hello Kevin,

It sounds like he has an early case of mites or a fungal infection. He'll need to see a vet for diagnosis. Mites could kill him if left untreated so the sooner the better. Mites are treated with ivermectin and a fungal infection can be treated with a variety of shampoos, creams, and ointments. Fungal infections are contagious to humans so be careful while handling him. Dry skin can cause dandruff and slight itchiness but it doesn't generally cause sores as the scratching is typically not severe enough to damage the skin.

-kkat
www.geocities.com/abyssinianguineapigs