The Squidgypigs Guide to Guinea Pig Mange Mites

Having recently discovered that a number of our beloved Squidgypigs had the start of a mass Mange Mite infestation I thought I would share what I’ve learnt about Mange Mites. 

What are Guinea Pig Mange Mites?:

• Tiny mites that burrow into the skin of infected animals.
• Not to be confused with static lice.
• The mites causes pain and hair loss.
• The distress from this can cause dehydration, anorexia, seizures and ultimately death.

Symptoms:

Any of the following…

• Itching / scratching.
• Hair loss (mild at first).
• A “V” shaped bald patch on back.
• Dandruff type skin flakes.
• Wheeking or crying when itching.
• Scabs and sores (can be bleeding).
• Wheeking or crying when you touch them.
• Weightloss.
• Dehydration.
• Seizures.
• Death.

Guinea Pigs can show no symptoms but be carrying mites. 

Causes:

• Stress.
• “Dirty/dusty” hay.
• Grass from areas that other animals use.
• Contact with infected animals.
• Mites can live asymptotic on pigs and only start trouble when the pig is stressed.
• Crowded environments can ease the spread.
• Washing a Guinea pig silently infected with mites can cause the mites to dig deeper into the animal’s skin.

We believe this case of mites originated from a bale of dusty farm hay I used for bedding that I now know what stored where other animals were brushing up against it.

Treatment:

• Ideally you should consult a vet who will likely treat with Ivermectin injections.
• Alternatively some success is reported with topical ivermectin sprays but I wouldn’t recommend this unless you are 200% sure what ailment you are dealing with. Ringworm can look similar and can occur as a result of the stress of mites. 

Prevention:

• Good living conditions.
• Lack of stress.
• “Clean hay/bedding”.
• Precautionary treatments…

I’ve heard really good, positive things about using Beaphar Anti-Mange Spray 75 ml as a precautionary treatment and will be definitely using it in the future to prevent outbreaks.

So what happened to the Squidgypigs?:

• I was really shocked at how quickly the infestation took hold.
• 1 day I noticed a lot of scratching from some of the girls.
• The next some of them had visible bald patches. 
• We sought treatment at this point for everyone (even 6 girls that showed no symptoms).
• We also separated all pigs into cages according to the severity of the symptoms.
• I’m happy to report that the majority made good progress after the first treatment . 

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• Unfortunately 4 of our more  immunosuppressed girls didn’t respond to the initial treatment  and then started showing symptoms of stress induced ringworm.

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• I am now really happy to report that everyone seems to be very happily on the road to recovery.
• I will definitely be treating with the Beaphar Anti-Mange Spray in the future to guard against these awful parasites.