My guinea pig started losing chunks of fur around her sides about two weeks ago. She's still eating and playing normally, but I'm getting worried. I checked for mites online and now I'm not sure if I should take her to the vet or if this is just seasonal shedding.
I had a guinea pig years back who went through some patchy fur loss, and it turned out to be mites - something I wish I'd caught sooner. While guinea pigs do shed seasonally, losing fur in actual patches (not just general thinning) is usually a sign something's off, whether that's mites, fungal stuff, or dietary issues. Since she's eating and active, it's not an emergency, but I'd honestly get her to a vet sooner rather than later; they can do a quick check and rule things out, plus if it is mites you'll want treatment started. What does the affected skin look like - is it flaky, red, or does it look totally normal underneath?
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