One of my guinea pigs is losing her hair. There's a bald patch on the midle of her back, and her flanks are just about naked. I can see no parasites, and she's not scratching at all. Her mother, who shares her hutch, isn't affected at all. I've given her an anti-mite bath just in case of something microscopic. Is it likely to be dietary? I've read that if their diet is over-rich they can lose their hair, but they eat mainly grass (but with a little g-pig mix and veg), with soluble vitamin C in their water.

Is there anything else I should do? It doesn't seem to bother her at all.

Hi JG, we had this problem with our guinea pigs a few months ago. Took them to the vet who gave them two injections 7 days apart and that cured it. No more problems since. Some sort of mites I think.
Lorna

Jeangenie, you need to go to the vets i'm afraid.
It's mites. If left untreated the guinea pig can die. Also you need to treat all others that are housed with her.
Ivomectin the treatments called. For severe mites you would need the injection (which is painful to piggies and doesn't half make them squeal). For less severe cases you can just put a few drops onto the back at weekly (i think) intervals. Much nicer for the piggie.
It's a very common problem in guinea pags and is easily treated
Hope this helps.

Thanks (I think!).
Any idea why it would affect one and not the other?

Yep if one's run down or a bit off colour it can flare up, leaving one with the symptoms and not the other. But they really do, both need treating.
I've had loads that have been affected over the years.
The last two, came to me, as babies, with no hair and huge bleeding sores because of it. This is what happens when it's left untreated.

Ours started off with one pig but the vet thought it better to treat them both as they live together. You're right, it did make them squeal and one went quite quivery and 'faint'. Have to say they're both thriving again now and good coats.
Lorna

Glad they're ok now.
I've never heard anything like the sound a gp makes with the injection. It's awful.

It's awful isn't it - makes me feel quite guilty :(

They have quite a thick skin, i believe that's the reason they squeal like that.

Lindsay

my gp's are hysterical big girls blouses at the best of times....but when we went to the vet . I don't know who was more embarrassed, me or the vet, when my mum was getting all upset and stroking the (female) guinea saying "its alright brian, it'll all be over with soon" :rolleyes: :D

Hi JG

I had two Guinea Pigs; Colin and Roger, Roger had similar symptoms to your 'pig', but Colin was unaffected. Took them both to the vets, who gave them both a jab (and yup..they squealed the place down) Roger went on to make a full recovery, and Colin never became infected by the mites. Sadly some months later Roger 'expired' :( in his sleep, with Colin next to him.
Two years on Colin is still fine, a normal, sqeaky, greedy G.P. :) :)

Good Luck with yours

liberty :)

I love hearing the ridiculous names people give their guinea-pigs!! :D What is it about the species that causes this? Mine are Pandora and Sharon (I used to have George and Paddington, too).

It sounds like a vet trip on payday, then. What sort of mite did Roger have, did the vet say? I've got some scabies/sarcoptes lotion.....
:)

Hi JG

All the Vet said was that it was a mite that lives on GP's, and would cause the skin to flare up if the pig was stressed etc, not really much help am I :)
Pandora and Sharon fab names, a friend of mine had Bob the bunny, Clive the hamster and Bert and Ernie the GP's :D :D

liberty