My guinea pig has hair loss. Is it his bedding, diet, or health issue?

Hello, When I see guinea pigs with hair loss (usually over their backs) and weight loss, I often think of reproductive tract problems. Guinea pigs commonly get ovarian cysts and the extra estrogen production causes hormonal hair loss. Four ounces is significant weight loss for a guinea pig, and I would recommend having her checked to be sure of what is going on. I hope this is helpful.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I can see the area of hair loss around the neck/shoulder region on Winston. This can be caused by fungal infections, skin mites, or certain hormonal abnormalities. Fungal infections such as ringworm can be transmitted to people, so I do recommend washing your hands well with soap and water after handling Winston and/or his bedding. You should have Winston seen by a vet as soon as possible to determine what is going on, your vet may take some hair/skin samples to rule out fungal/mite infections and begin the appropriate treatment. You should also separate him from his cagemate to prevent transmission of the infection. I hope this helps!

Hello. Hair loss in an older female guinea pig is often related to cystic ovaries. The abnormal ovary produced hormones that cause the hair to fall out, usually on the trunk, back or belly. Sometimes, hairliss can be from over grooming, parasites, a thyroid condition, or if the Guinge is rubbing on somethin in the cage. Since she doesn’t sound itchy or inflamed, and she’s an older female, i would be suspicious of cystic ovaries. I would recommend taking Guinge to see a veterinarian who can do a physical exam, feel her belly for possibly cystic ovaries, and if needed do an ultrasound to identify and assess the ovaries. If they are indeed cystic, they can either be treated surgically with removal of the ovaries, or with injections of hormones to reduced the cyst size and activity (though these injections need to be given every 4 weeks or so). Hopefully it’s something simple! Good luck!

Hello, and thank you for your question. It is possible for bedding to cause itchiness if the pet is allergic to the material, or if the bag of litter carried parasites such as mites. I would suggest using a paper-based bedding such as Care Fresh: https://www.petco.com/shop/en/petcostore/product/carefresh-natural-pet-bedding It may also be a good idea to swap out the bag of bedding altogether for a new one, and thoroughly disinfect the cage with soap and water in case of parasites. Of course, the itchiness could also be unrelated to the bedding, so if the itchiness does not improve after making these changes, I would recommend visiting your veterinarian for a further workup. They may perform a skin scraping and provide medication if they suspect a bacterial infection. I hope this helps, and that Robert feels better soon!

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Issues with teeth are very common in guinea pigs, and do frequently result in issues eating. Dyba may have an issue with his facial nerves or muscles, making it difficult to bite/chew food. Loss of appetite can be caused by many intestinal conditions, but less specific conditions as well, such as cancer or infections. I recommend having Dyba seen by another vet, you may want to look into having him seen by someone who specializes in small mammals or pocket pets. In the meantime, you can try moistening his pellets to make them easier to eat. I hope this helps and that all is well!

I'm sorry Snuggle Bug is having trouble. Hair loss in Guinea Pigs can be from a number of things. Lice or mites are the most common and we can also see endocrine problems associated with ovarian issues. Your piggie needs to see a vet to get the right diagnosis and meds. There is not a safe over the counter option you can use.

Thanks for your question about Atom. I didn't see how old Atom is, but many times with our middle aged to older guinea pigs (2.5-7 yrs old) that are not castrated, they will have excessive production of material from the gland around their rear end. This is called the caudal gland, and it produces scent in male guinea pigs. When this gland material becomes excessive in amount, it can get stuck to the hair and make it fall out. If this sounds like it may be the case with Atom, the treatment is to wash gently with a pet safe shampoo, and you can clean the material off. After that, it would just be waiting for the hair to grow. If this does not sound like what Atom has, there are other reasons for hair loss in guinea pigs. The most common are fungal infections (ringworm), parasites (such as mite and lice), and bacterial infections. These would require a veterinary visit for diagnosis, and to get treatment. The testing for these issues is very straightforward and require a sample of hair and scrapes/samples of the skin. Please do not give Atom any human medications at home, as many of them are harmful for our furry friends. I hope this gives you a place to start, and that Atom feels better soon.