Scabies In Guinea Pigs: Causes, Symptoms And Treatment
Mange in guinea pigs is more common than we think. It affects thousands of animals every year and it is important to know what it is to be cautious. Do you know what scabies is? We tell you everything about it, its causes, symptoms and treatment.
Everything you need to know about scabies in guinea pigs
What is scabies
Scabies is a disease that produces mites that act as parasites on the animal’s skin. It makes the animal want to scratch and even injure itself while doing so. When the mite enters the skin of the specimen, it begins to lay eggs that later become other mites; thus the same cycle is repeated over and over again.
The speed with which they reproduce is abysmal, so in less time than you imagine your guinea pig could want to scratch its entire body all the time. If you have more than one guinea pig, you will have to separate them, since this disease is contagious on contact with the skin or any object that the infected guinea pig has been able to touch.
Causes of scabies in guinea pigs
It is strange that scabies in guinea pigs appear without more. It usually happens because there is an infected animal that has been in contact with yours. It would not necessarily have to be a guinea pig, it could be a dog, a cat, a hamster or another.
It is also possible for a guinea pig to become infected with scabies from living in unsanitary and unsanitary conditions, something unlikely in someone who owns and appreciates a pet.
Symptoms of scabies in guinea pigs
At first, the symptoms may not be very obvious. The thing that causes the most is itching and itching of the skin. Your guinea pig will begin to scratch, but if the disease is in its first phase, you may not give it more importance, since the eggs will only be in one area of the body.
As they do ‘their job’, the itch will spread to more areas of the body, which will start to notice that your guinea pig is scratching compulsively everywhere. Over time, your pet’s hair will start to fall out and your guinea pig could lose weight, as the discomfort caused by the disease will take away his appetite.
You may have a kind of dandruff caused by scratching more than usual, which can happen especially at night. Small open wounds may also be seen from having bitten the skin.
Treatment for scabies in guinea pigs
Treatment of scabies in guinea pigs is similar to scabies in other animals or humans. The main objective is to kill the parasite that is literally eating the animal from the inside. This is done with injections of a drug called ivermectin .
The selamectin could also get this job done and the vet will tell you how to apply it . The treatment time, regardless of whether it is one or the other, is determined according to how advanced the disease is, although normally it will never be less than fifteen days.
The doses must be correct and never exceed them as they could kill the animal. Therefore, always follow the instructions, advice and recommendations of the veterinarian to the letter.
Scabies is not a fatal disease, but it could make your animal suffer a lot in addition to seriously deteriorating its appearance and health. Therefore, as soon as you see a change in their behavior that indicates the symptoms indicated above, do not hesitate to go to the vet.
