# Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide — Quick answer

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/guinea-pig-mites-uk): Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide — Quick answer. Mange mites (Trixacarus caviae) burrow into a guinea pig's skin, causing intense itching, bald patches and scabs — and in severe cases seizure-like scratching fits that are an emergency. There is no safe home cure: your vet prescribes anti-parasitic treatment and tells you how to decontaminate the cage.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/guinea-pig-mites-uk): Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide — The mites that affect guinea pigs. | Mite | Behaviour | Severity | |------|-----------|----------| | Mange mite (Trixacarus caviae) | Burrows into the skin | Severe itching, hair loss, scabs; can trigger seizure-like fits | | Static/fur mite (Chirodiscoides caviae) | Lives on the hair and skin surface | Often mild or unnoticed; flares when the pig is run down | According to the PDSA, skin problems in guinea pigs — including mites, infections and ringworm — are uncomfortable or painful, and tend to get worse over time, so even mild signs deserve attention.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/guinea-pig-mites-uk): Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide — Symptoms. - Intense scratching — the standout sign of mange mites - Hair loss and bald patches, often starting on the back and shoulders - Scabs, crusts and flaky skin; red, sore areas - Thickened, damaged skin in long-standing cases - Weight loss and misery — severe infestations stop them eating properly The PDSA also lists the general signs of skin conditions to watch for: bald patches, sore red flaky skin, lots of scratching or over-grooming, scabs and crusty skin, black specks in the fur, and visible insects.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/guinea-pig-mites-uk): Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide — When scratching becomes an emergency. Severe Trixacarus infestations are so irritating that guinea pigs can have seizure-like episodes — falling onto their sides and thrashing as they try to scratch. If your guinea pig does this, see a vet immediately, the same day. Fitting pigs can injure themselves, and the infestation driving it is advanced.

PETHEALTH+ (https://pethealth.org.uk/health/guinea-pig-mites-uk): Guinea Pig Mites — UK Treatment Guide — Diagnosis and vet treatment. Your vet will usually examine the skin and may take a skin scraping to look for mites under the microscope. Treatment is then prescribed — typically an anti-parasitic medicine such as ivermectin or selamectin, given as a course: - Never dose these yourself — they must be calculated precisely for your guinea pig's weight, and your vet will set the schedule - Treat every guinea pig in the household as directed — mites spread between pigs - Never use shop-bought dog or cat spot-ons — products safe for other species can harm guinea pigs - Any secondary skin infection from scratching may need treatment too

Source: https://pethealth.org.uk/health/guinea-pig-mites-uk