Hair loss in guinea pig can be serious and scary. If you’re lucky, you will notice some excessive shedding or obvious bald spots on your fur baby’s body. Diagnosing and treating hair loss in guinea pig are considered easy.
However, there are some exceptions regarding to the hair loss in guinea pigs. Firstly, guinea pigs do not lose hair because of old age. Then, if you notice bald spots behind their ears; that’s totally normal as all guinea pigs have them.
There are several reasons of hair loss in guinea pigs. Most of the cases are caused by microscopic issues, such as slobbers, parasites, barbering, abscesses, etc. Most of the causes are treatable at home, but it is also advisable to seek veterinary support when it is needed.
Let’s see the most common causes of hair loss in guinea pigs.
Parasites infection includes mites. Mites are rarely seen by bare eyes, but with microscope. The parasitic infection is mainly caused by poor hygiene leading to hair loss in the guinea pig.
The common symptom of parasite infection is itching on the skin and leading to wounds. Some owners may think that the wounds occur because of fighting.
If the infected animal is stressed, the animals may fight and it increases the chances of the spreading of the infection to the other animals.
To solve parasitic infection, bathing the guinea pig won’t be enough. Instead, you need to clean your fur baby regularly to avoid other infections. Make sure you know these tips on guinea pig bath, how to clean them properly.
It’s easy to treat parasitic infection, but it is even better to seek veterinary support, especially if the condition persists. Flea is also one of the causes of parasites infection. If you experience one, then you should follow these tips on getting rid of fleas on guinea pigs.
Besides parasitic infection, fungal infection is also another cause of hair loss in guinea pig. Fungal infections appear as ringworms. Don’t mistaken ringworms as types of worms, instead they are types of fungi that cause infection. The primary symptoms are itchy and dry skin, however the itchiness of fungal infection is not as intense as the mite infection.
To treat fungal infection, you should practice good hygiene as fungal infection spreads to other animals which is in contact with the infected animal as well to human beings.
It’s suggested to use some antifungal cream or clean the animal with the recommended shampoo. For the severe case, it is advisable to use antifungal medicines.
Scurvy infection is mainly caused by vitamin C deficiency. The symptoms of scurvy infection are rough hair coat, hair loss, joint swelling and lameness. It may be hard to identify those following symptoms as it suggests other illnesses indicating other conditions.
Feeding fresh vegetables daily to the guinea pig is suggested to prevent scurvy infection.
Barbering is a condition where the guinea pig pulls out hair by itself or by the other guinea pig. The causes can be fighting or boredom in the cage. The guinea pig may experience hair loss because of the wounds developed during the fighting.
Guinea pigs start to barber each other to show dominance in the cage, especially the older ones. Another cause of barbering is stress.
Try controlling this condition by reducing stress in the cage or the place where the guinea pigs live. Provide enough space in the cage, especially for hiding and maintain its hygiene as well.
Try to separate the dominant guinea pigs from the other ones if they start to fight. To solve boredom issue, you can also give your guinea pig some toys to chew.
Slobber is a condition where the hair around the jaw and neck is wet due to dripping saliva. The dripping saliva is caused by the overgrowth of guinea pig molars and premolars.
You can consult with your vet to check the lengths of the molar and premolar growth to prevent this condition. Slobbers will cause itching around the wet areas and it can lead to hair loss.
Hair loss in some parts of the body, such as the back of the ears may be normal. However, when it starts to spread all over the body then you need to be aware of it. Pay attention to the hygiene of your guinea pig by cleaning the cage regularly.
Parasite infection can be fatal if it is left untreated. Do regular checking to the vet as well once you notice any suspicious symptoms. And lastly, make sure your guinea pigs are not stressed.
Stressed guinea pigs are exposed to some health problems easily. Read these signs guinea pig is depressed. Make sure to make your guinea pig happy and healthy.
To make your guinea pig coat shiny, try these ways to make your guinea pigs shiny coat.
Get to know the other common diseases of guinea pig so you could do some prevention and make sure to feed your guinea pig with these best fruits for guinea pig: a guide of feeding.
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