Very dry skin & constantly scratching

Question
I bought my pig from a pet store 2 days ago they said she is about 8 weeks old. She is constantly scratching & itching so much she can't take 3 steps without scratching on something. Since I got her I have been itching also in certain spots. She loves to be held & she loves sleeping in my lap so I'm standing if it could be from her that I'm itching so much. I feel so sorry for her because I know it has to be annoying scratching so much. She has made scabs on her sides & hips & makes herself bleed. Her skin flakes off also real bad. Thank you in advance for any help & advice you might give.

Answer
Some mild itching and flaking is normal in piglets, but what you are describing is not normal. I suspect your pig has mange. The mange mites are species specific, and can not survive long unless they are on a pig. They lay eggs only on the pig, and will not infest carpets or furniture the way fleas can.

I suggest taking piggy to a vet for a thorough examination. The vet will check for mange by examining a skin scraping. Mite eggs take two weeks to hatch, so treatment usually requires two doses of medicine. The first dose kills all living mites. The second dose, given two weeks later, kills any mites that hatched from eggs after the first dose. In severe cases, a third dose may be needed.

The store where you got the piglet is clearly unaware of proper pig care, because when a pig scratches herself until she bleeds, there's a problem. Because the store is uninformed (or simply doesn't care) about piglet health, there may be additional health issues or other parasites.

There's a list of vets that treat pot-bellied pigs at www.farec.org