syrian hamster care

Question
Hello,
I was wondering if you can give our family any insight to our problem.  Our son has a pet Hamster named Roly. She is about 13 months old and just recently (overnight really) developed a type of rash/infected area right near her right ear.  It appears to be from excessive itching.  We took her to a vet who specializes in small animals and he wasn't sure what it was.  He did tell us it could be a type of skin cancer or possibly mites that caused her to scratch so bad as to rip off her fur and cause her to bleed.  They gave her a shot and gave us topical cream to put on twice a day.  We were wondering if you had any insight or have experience with this type of problem with other hamsters.  Our son would be very sad to see her go.  
Please, we would appreciate any advice or comments you may be able to provide us with.

Sincerely,
The Devine family

Answer
Hi Dan,

This really sounds like mites with the location, execessive itching and hairloss. There is a treatment for this which most pet stores will have. It is mite spary for birds and small animals. Just follow the directions on the can. Be very careful, givin the location on your hamster, not to get it in Roly's eyes. Also the cage and bedding will need to be sprayed. There is also a homemade anti- mite spray that works very well and will not harm your hamster. Take about 1 pint of room temperature water, 1 tablespoon of witchhazel (which can be found at your local drug store)and 1 tablespoon of listerine mouthwash (not flavored) put into a spray bottle (or on a washcloth) and spray your hamster with it being careful to protect the eyes, nose and mouth. After you treat the hamster it is important to clean your hamster's cage and accessories thoroughly, change the bedding and spray the solution lightly in the cage and on the hamster's toys and accessories. This should be done once a day.
If you have anymore questions please write again.

Thank you for your question and best of luck to your family and Roly!