My young male guinea pig is losing hair on his belly and back legs. What could it be?

He has guinea pig companion who has healthy hair growth, so we don't think it is mites or poor diet. What could be the problem?

My young male guinea pig is losing hair on his belly and back legs. What could it be?

It could be a fungal infection. They usually start on the facial areas, but they do happen in other places. This can be easily treated by a vet or with over-the-counter anti-fungal medications such as Monistat or Lotrimin (miconazole nitrate 2%). However, you absolutely MUST be sure the pig doesn't lick any of the medication off of his treated areas. This can be difficult.

I think I should also mention that mites do not necessarily have to have symptoms to be present. The usual symptoms such as scratching, hair loss, redness, etc. are not *always* present. Because one pig is presenting symptoms %26amp; the other pig is not, does not mean that it couldn't be mites. The other pig's immune system may be keeping them at bay. Mites most generally show up when the pig's immune system is compromised. It would not be a bad idea to have your pigs treated with Ivermectin just to be safe. Even if they don't have mites, it won't hurt them. I treat my pigs with Revolution on a regular basis to keep them mite-free as a preventative measure.

My young male guinea pig is losing hair on his belly and back legs. What could it be?

he most likly has mites give him a bath and spray him with site spray