Hair Loss: scabs and flaky skin ... Do NOT start multiple threads for the same guinea pig. She has had it for a long time but I always thought it was normal. Humans can also see small red itchy spots upon contact with an infected guinea pig. This mites are relivatley large, are pale white to yellow and can grow to 0.3mm. Guinea pigs can sometimes chew off each other’s or their own hair, in a behaviour known as barbering. A while ago, a guinea pig was brought to our hospital with a small area on her side that did not have any hair present. Skin irritation and hair loss result but with a treatment provided by your vet your little guinea pig should be right as rain before long. One parasite in particular, called C. caviae, is a mite that attaches to the actual hair. When a guinea pig has “dandruff,” this constitutes a medical condition. The tumor presents as a slow-growing, oval mass varying in diameter from 0.5–7 cm and located predominantly in the subcutis of the dorsal lumbar or sacral region, or in the lateral femoral and lateral thoracic area. Fleas and lice can also affect guinea pigs, and treatment is simple and effective, using sprays or baths. If you have something NEW to talk about for a pig, please update your OLD thread for this pig. Check Guinea Lynx forums for a detailed account of her experiences. Fungal infections. i noticed about a week later hair loss on his forehead and mid back and a lot of itching. Hello, I noticed a couple of days ago that penny was itching more than usual so I had a look at her and I noticed that her skin was a bit flaky. you dont have to do it daily, but do it a few times a week until you see him getting better.. and then do it less and less. Prognosis: good for most cases of acquired alopecia. If you suspect any of your guinea pigs have mange please take them to a knowledgeable cavy vet remember to get treatment for all of your guinea pigs even if they are not showing signs. I think it was a piece of bone and I saw some blood too. Other causes of skin problems include mite infestation and ringworm. my guinea pig had a very similair problem and its really unhealthy! but its nothing you did wrong, its a disease they can get. Once hair-covered areas are effected, hair loss is imminent and can occur slowly or quickly. I'm sorry to hear about your guinea pig. here's what you need to do.. get a shampoo for him and bathe him in the sink with it! Regular inspection of the guinea pig’s hair, skin, ears, nose, mouth, feet and body, together with an awareness of what is normal scratching, will help identify skin problems sooner rather than later. Use some small scales, like kitchen scales, to check their weight – usually adult males weigh between 800-1200g, females 800-1000g While your guinea pig's symptoms seem to match the criteria of a parasite or a fungus, it does not necessarily mean that he has one. Hi, I have a short haired male Guinea pig. Mange Mites Can Kill . Your guinea pig’s life expectancy. I can see the skin like a V shape and today, I think I felt something hard. 2. Treatment: depends on diagnosis. It is 1 year and about 2 or 3 months old. Dandruff refers to a specific skin condition, but it may be that your guinea pig has one or more reasons for debris on the skin that appears to flake off. Guinea pigs skin problems is the most commonly reported issues. If left untreated, hair loss can become severe, and the constant scratching can lead to … Mange, Mites is a microscopic mite that burrows under the guinea pigs skin causing severe pain, itchy skin, Hair loss, open wounds and in server cases seizures.. Causes of Guinea Pig Hair Loss. Barbering also causes irritation of the skin and hair loss. Even if they are healthy, it may still lead to having patches of hair loss in their bodies, which is called “barbering.” Nonetheless, there are still other reasons that can cause your guinea pig to experience hair loss. The most common hormonal problems leading to hair loss in guinea pigs are related to the ovaries. The turn around was almost immediate. Guinea pig losing weight and hair. Fungal Infections. Fungal infections are also a significant cause of hair loss in guinea pigs. Fungal is most commonly found on the nose, ears, paws and backs of guinea pigs. I'm not sure if it’s a fungal infection or not but my 1 year old female guinea pig has a small patch of dry scaly skin behind each ear. Flaky Skin or Hair Loss. How do you treat it? This bald spot will grow rapidly over the next few days, often with dry, flaky skin. Excessive hair loss (possible in patches, or general hair loss): Combined with excessive itching could indicate guinea pig mites (parasites which are extremely common and very painful, but treatment is easy. She finally suggested treating with ivermectin in case it was mites. This is known to cause flaky, dry skin, itching, excessive shedding and hair loss in some areas. Trichofolliculoma, a benign tumor of the hair follicle epithelium, is the most common skin tumor of guinea pigs. My Guinea pig has been scratching his back a lot every single day. Lice or mites can be easy to avoid and treat. In these cases you will see symmetrical hair loss over the flanks and sides with no itching, scabs, or flakes. The Miami Herald/McClatchy Newspapers . ... hair loss, and other issues in guinea pigs. Any hair loss in an older guinea pig should be investigated. Ideally bring your guinea pigs indoors and sit them on a towel so they are comfy. Ringworm is also contagious to people. Owner should treat mites as soon as possible.) Mites may be seen under the microscope after skin scrapings are taken, and treatment may be topical or injected. There will be hair loss, crusty skin and scaly skin. 11 Signs A Guinea Pig Is Sick or Dying? When pulling loose hairs from a guinea pig with fungal, the dandruff-like skin will be visible at the end of the hairs where they were attached to the skin. It’s a good idea to always treat with ivermectin first, unless you can tell that the cause is lice or fungus. Both of these conditions may lead to hair loss and itchy, flaky skin. Itchiness and patchy hair loss in guinea pigs may be due to fungal infections. The bacteria can also enter a guinea pig’s body through cuts or scrapes in the skin or through inhalation. Fungal infections are a close runner-up.. Old age does not cause hair loss. Guinea pigs that develop skin swellings should be examined for abscesses or tumors. 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