Guinea Pig Skin Condition

Question
We have an adorable Abyssinian guinea pig that we've had for two months. He's approximately six months old.  When we got him he had a slight scab on his neck.  It now appears a skin condition is spreading to other parts of his body.  It appears as a scab with some cracking and is very sensitive to the touch.  We examined him closely and do not see any insects.  Please advise us on what to do for our sweet guinea pig.  He used to love for us to hold him, but now is so sensitive to our touch.  Thank You!!!

Answer
Hello Jane,

It sounds like your piggy has mites or possibly a fungal infection. Manga mites are microscopic arachnids that you can't see without a microscope so even though you didn't see bugs, he may still have them. My advice is to take him to the vet to identify whether it's mites or a fungal infection (fungal infections can be contagious to humans so be careful). If it's mites, he'll need to be treated with ivermectin a few times and if it's a fungal infection he can be treated with a wide variety of antifungal shampoos, ointments, and/or creams. Mites can kill him if left untreated, so he really needs to see a vet for treatment.

-kkat
www.geocities.com/abyssinianguineapigs