Leading Hair Loss Causes In Guinea Pigs
Guinea pigs are becoming more and more popular as family pets. The advances in guinea pig care in just the last ten years have been staggering due to public demand and the determination of vets who hate to see these cute little critters die unnecessarily. One of the main reason people have to take their guinea pigs to the vet is due to sudden hair loss. Guinea pigs, unless they are born hairless, are not meant to loose their hair. Hair loss causes in guinea pigs tend to be serious but treatable if caught early enough.
Itchy Pigs
The main hair loss cause in guinea pigs is due from parasite infestation. These parasites are specialized for guinea pigs and rabbits and feed on nothing else. However, they can ride on hands, dogs and cats waiting to be transported to another rabbit or guinea pig. Even the cleanest home can become susceptible to these mites and ringworm. Guinea pigs rarely get fleas or ticks.
Guinea pig mites are very hard to see. They look somewhat like tiny grains of rice. They tend to leave eggs in the guinea pig's hair that look like grey dirt. The hair loss cause in the guinea pig will be due to scratching. They can now easily be treated at the vet's with prescription medication. This usually involves a shot and then updates that can be given from a dropper (if the guinea pig is cooperative enough).
Ringworm is not actually a worm, but a fungus. The guinea pig will not only have bald patches, but have thick crusty material on these patches. The guinea pig scratches so much he or she usually screams. The beginning stages of ringworm are hard to detect. You need to put the guinea pig under a special black light in order to check for a glow ringworm puts off. But, like mites, this hair loss cause is easily treated at the vet's. Guinea pigs usually regain all of their hair.
Ovarian Cancer
Ovarian cancer is one of the other leading hair loss causes of hair loss in guinea pigs. There will be characteristic bald patches on the sow's sides, on the belly near the hindquarters. The prognosis is usually for a hysterectomy, but cancer in guinea pigs spreads quickly. If the guinea pig is in general good health before going into surgery the chances for recovery are great. Although this is one of the scariest hair loss causes in guinea pigs, it is not the death sentence it was twenty years ago.
