Managing the Hair Loss
Brush your guinea pig regularly. Regular brushing (at least 1-2x per week) will help reduce the amount of hair your guinea pig sheds. Be sure to brush gently and never scrape the brush over bald patches of skin. Guinea pigs have very sensitive skin and this can hurt them. Use a soft baby brush or a metal greyhound comb to remove loose hair and keep your guinea pig’s coat shiny and healthy. This is especially important if your guinea pig has long hair! If so, brush more often and make sure its hair is always tangle-free.
Invest in a de-shedding tool. De-shedding tools are typically metal combs designed to catch loose fur when you brush it over your pet’s fur. Any de-shedder will work for your guinea pig. Ones designed for small cats and kittens work especially well. Be sure to avoid damaging your guinea pig’s sensitive skin. De-shedding brushes and combs can be sharp and abrasive, so take care to be gentle when using a de-shedder.
Clean their cage regularly. Cleaning your guinea pig’s cage often is vital to their health. Since your guinea pig doesn’t get immunizations at the vet like dogs and cats do, they are more susceptible to illness if left in a dirty cage. This can cause a variety of health problems, including infections that can trigger hair loss. Avoid using harsh chemical cleaners when you clean your guinea pig’s cage. Instead, opt for mild soap and water or a solution of vinegar and water (1 part vinegar to 9 parts water). Make sure the cage has time to dry before you put your pet back in it.
Remember that guinea pigs are seasonal shedders. It’s important to keep in mind that you won’t be able to completely stop your pet from shedding. Guinea pigs, especially long-haired ones, shed seasonally, so you can expect to find more hair than usual when they lose their winter coats in the spring and early summer.
Remember that babies shed their baby fur so their adult fur can grow in. Baby guinea pigs’ fur thins out to make room for their thicker, slightly coarser adult fur to grow in. This is a natural process and cause of shedding and is nothing to be concerned about. For this stage, there are no preventative steps to take because it’s a necessary part of your guinea pig growing into a healthy adult. To minimize the mess from this shedding process, keep their cages cleaned out and sweep or vacuum your home to pick up extra hair.
Finding the Cause of Shedding
Give them vitamin C supplements. Vitamin C deficiency in guinea pigs can lead to excessive shedding and hair loss. Although guinea pig pellets are fortified with vitamin C, the vitamin C in these can degrade over time. The best way to ensure that your pet isn’t losing fur due to a vitamin deficiency is to feed them fresh fruits and vegetables that are high in vitamin C. Bell pepper is a great source of vitamin C, and so is strawberry (as a treat - too much fruit is harmful to guinea pigs!) Do not put vitamin C drops in the water! They will make the water taste funny and often cause your guinea pig to not drink as a result. Plus, the vitamin C breaks down in less than an hour, so your guinea pig isn't even getting much.
Make sure they are getting enough protein. Although your guinea pig is a herbivore, they still require protein in their diet. Too little protein can cause excessive hair loss. Aim to make 15% of their daily diet come from a protein source. If you are feeding your guinea pigs 1/8 cup per day of good pellets (Timothy based and free of sugar, seeds, and colorful pieces), they will probably give them enough protein. It's rare for it to be an issue and should only be explored after ruling out other causes.
Check for fungal infections. Itchy bald spots on your guinea pig are tell-tale signs of a fungal infection. These infections almost always cause some degree of excess shedding. Treatments for fungal infections include topical creams and oils. However, you will want to see your vet to get these medications and so they can properly diagnose your pet. Do not use an over-the-counter fungal creams for humans. They can contain chemicals that are dangerous for guinea pigs and may not help the infection. Try to keep your guinea pig’s environment cool and dry. Warm, humid environments can lead to fungal infections.
Check for parasites. Mites, lice, and other parasites can take up residence with your guinea pig, causing them to itch and excessively shed. If you check under their fur and see small black bugs, your pet likely has a parasite infestation. If you see wounds that the guinea pig is itching at, but no bugs, your guinea pig probably has mange mites, which are microscopic and burrow under the skin. They are the most common guinea pig parasite. If you suspect your guinea pig has a parasitic infection, it needs treatment. Many parasitic infections can be treated with topical ivermectin at home. You can buy pour-on ivermectin on Amazon (do not get paste). You will also need a 1 cc syringe (1cc = 1mL). Guinea pigs are dosed at .5 mg/kilogram of body weight. This is a dosage chart for typical .5% ivermectin pour-on solution: http://www.guinealynx.info/topical_ivermectin_pour-on.html. However, your solution is not necessarily this concentration, so check the package carefully! Also, when determining dose, make sure your scale is accurate (weigh something with a known weight to check). If you cannot definitely determine the dose or don't feel confident dosing your guinea pig(s), do not do it yourself. Ivermectin overdoses can be fatal. Also, only use ivermectin if your guinea pig weighs more than 340 grams (about 12 oz) If you have multiple guinea pigs, even if they live separately, they all need to be treated for parasitic infections.
Don’t use cedar or pine wood chips in their cages. Some owners think these woodchips are good for their pet’s cage because they'll keep it smelling fresh. In fact, the phenols in these products can irritate guinea pig's skin and respiratory tract, causing illness and sometimes shedding. Opt instead for bedding made of paper, which won’t cause health problems for your pet. You can also try fleece bedding, which is cheap and reusable.
Eliminate stress for your pet. Guinea pigs can shed excessively if they feel stressed out. They are sensitive animals and nervous by nature. Their stress can often manifest as hair loss if the stressor isn’t resolved. For example, if you have two guinea pigs and one is being the “alpha” and bullying the other one, this can be a source of stress for the quieter pig. Try giving them some time apart or putting a physical barrier up in their cage so they can still see one another, but the “alpha” pig cannot harass the other one. If your guinea pig is in a very loud place (such as a kitchen), try to move it to somewhere with less noise. It's good for it to be in a busy area of the house (such as a family room), but a very loud environment can stress them out.
Getting a Medical Diagnosis
Rule out hormonal imbalances. As humans, when our hormones are out of whack, we experience a variety of health problems, including hair loss and balding. Hormonal imbalances can have the same effect on your guinea pig, causing patchy hair loss and excessive shedding. Talk to your doctor if your pet’s fur falls out in clumps or you notice bare patches of skin, as this is not normal or seasonal shedding.
Have your vet check for Cushing’s disease. Cushing’s disease is a condition that affects the way adrenal glands work in the body. Enlarged adrenal glands can also lead to shedding. Guinea pigs are susceptible to this disease, and it can cause excessive hair loss and bald patches. Talk to your vet about testing your guinea pig for adrenal problems like Cushing’s disease. Testing your pet's health will consist of a physical exam and blood testing. Blood work will tell your vet whether your pet has thyroid or adrenal issues or infections. The physical exam will check the general health of your pet, such as its temperature, the quality of its coat, and the health of its eyes and ears. Penicillin-based antibiotics can kill guinea pigs. Most vets should be aware of this, but a vet inexperienced with guinea pigs might not be aware. For the safety of your pet, make sure none of your guinea pig's antibiotics are penicillin based. Typically, these antibiotics will end in "illin" (such as amoxicillin).
Consider pregnancy as a possible cause. If you have a female guinea pig who has been around other male guinea pigs, consider that pregnancy might be the cause of her shedding. Just like with human women’s hair, female guinea pigs experience changes to their fur while pregnant. Your pig’s shedding problem might resolve itself once she delivers her babies. If you suspect your guinea pig is pregnant, take her to the vet. Pregnancy is very dangerous for guinea pigs (up to 25% of sows die), and a vet can make sure she is healthy and help you know how to care for her.
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