Sarcoptic mange

Guinea pigs are prone to skin and mite infestations. Sarcoptic mange (scabies) is one of the external parasites that is often diagnosed and can be extremely serious.

The mite, Trixacarus caviae is responsible for causing Sarcoptic mange in guinea pigs. The mites bury into the skin, laying eggs and continuing the cycle of infection.

Some guinea pigs can carry the mite with no outward sign of infection; these are known as asymptomatic carriers. When the guinea pig is healthy and not under stress, their immune system and normal grooming keeps the numbers to a level that do not cause any clinical signs for the guinea pig. If the guinea pig is ill for any other reason or stressed (such as the loss of a companion, lack of vitamin C in the diet, change of environment, extreme of hot/cold environmental temperature, etc) mite numbers will begin to multiply, and clinical signs will become evident. These guinea pigs, either when actively showing signs or if they are asymptotic carriers, can infect other guinea pigs.

The most common sign that guinea pigs show is intense irritation and scratching. Due to the constant scratching, severe self-trauma often occurs, which may then be followed by secondary bacterial infection of the skin. In some cases, the guinea pig may also start to seizure, caused by the intense irritation.

The fur loss and skin lesions are usually found on the back of the neck and back, but once the mite becomes widespread, they may be found almost anywhere on the guinea pigs’ body. The appearance of the skin lesions will be crusty, red, sore, and scaly and will often bleed due to the trauma. If a secondary infection is present, the discharge and pus may also be evident. As well as the above, the guinea pig will show signs of restlessness and will likely lose weight and body condition.

Yes, the mite can cause dermatitis in people who handle infected guinea pigs. For this reason, if you suspect your guinea pig is suffering from Sarcoptic mange, you should always wear gloves and wash your hands thoroughly after handling them. Those individuals, who are immune suppressed, should avoid handling guinea pigs with suspected or confirmed cases.

There are lot of different parasites that can affect guinea pigs, with different treatments required depending upon the diagnosis. For this reason, it is important to get an accurate diagnosis, so treatment is effective.

Your veterinarian will perform a deep skin scrape to look at under a microscope to identify the mite responsible. This can be done with your guinea pig conscious and involves scraping the skin of the infected area with a scalpel blade. This is usually very well tolerated in guinea pigs and should not be painful.

Treatment needs to be administered by your veterinarian, after a diagnosis. Your veterinarian will use topical treatment containing ivermectin to kill the mites. The treatment will need repeating more than once due to the life cycle of the mites, to ensure all of them are killed. The guinea pig may also need pain relief and antibiotics if the skin is infected because of all the scratching. All guinea pigs who have been in-contact with the affected one will also need treating, even if they aren’t showing any signs, otherwise it is highly likely they will continue to re-infect each other.

As well as medical treatment, the underlying cause(s) will need to be identified and addressed. This may be looking at the diet to increase the amount of vitamin C in it, husbandry or identifying and treating underlying health problems.

Yes, mostly the condition can be prevented. As guinea pigs cannot produce their own vitamin C, their diet must include high levels of it. When guinea pigs become deficient in vitamin C, their immune system cannot function as well, and any mites they have will begin to multiply. Make sure their enclosure is kept clean and they have the company of at least one more guinea pig. They should have lots of places to hide in and be kept away from cats, dogs, and other predators, which are likely to stress them. Handling should be kept to a minimum to keep stress levels down also. If one of a pair sadly passes away, try and get the remaining guinea pig a suitable companion as soon as possible.