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Diagnosis: Trixacarus caviae Infection

Lab Animal volume 33, pages 22–23 (2004)Cite this article

Treatment of Trixacarus-induced mange involves ivermectin7,8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16. Various authors recommend either 200 μg/kg s.c. repeated at 10–14 day intervals or 300 μg/kg s.c. repeated three times at 3-day intervals. In clinical practice settings or with valuable research animals, the guinea pig should also have a whole body washing with fipronil (Frontline Spray or Frontline Top-Spot, Merial, Duluth, GA)17. Fipronil in guinea pigs appears to be well tolerated and there are no reports of the problems observed with fipronil in rabbits (e.g., death, toxicity). Using fipronil spray regularly, especially to treat the guinea pig's environment, is becoming popular with pet guinea pig breeders for keeping T. caviae under control.

Other treatments reported in the literature that were effective at eliminating T. caviae include permethrin (e.g., Sectrol, Pyractone), a synthetic pyrethroid that is often used as spray (0.1%)8; 0.15% trichlorfon (e.g., Neguvon), an organo-phosphate applied topically on three separate occasions18; two immersions in 0.1% gamma benzene hexachloride, an organo-chlorine insecticide (e.g., Lindane, Kwell) a month apart6,11; and weekly washes of 2.5–3% lime sulphur (calcium polysulfide) for 3–6 weeks19,20. Permethrin is the most common topical treatment for scabies, a skin infection in humans caused by the closely related sarcoptid mite Sarcoptes scabei21. In guinea pigs, mice, rats, and humans, permethrin provides a good margin of tolerability because of its low inherent toxicity and low percutaneous absorption22. Lindane was once used to treat human scabies, but has been discontinued21.

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Figure 5
Figure 6: A high-power image of skin section from a guinea pig infected with T. caviae.
Figure 7: A low-power section of T. caviae infected guinea pig skin showing hyperkeratosis and exfoliative dermatitis (1), acanthosis of the epidermis (2) and mites in the epidermis (black arrowheads).

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Acknowledgements

All images were kindly provided by Henry Collins, Senior Lecturer in Veterinary Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney and Michele Cotton, Director, Post Graduate Foundation in Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, Australia.

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Diagnosis: Trixacarus caviae Infection. Lab Anim 33, 22–23 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0704-22

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