GUINEA PIG BALDING

Question
Hi,
I have an 8 year old guinea pig called piglet. She weighs around 1.5kg (shes quite chubby) and lately she has been loosing hair on her back. (Almost like she is malting). I called the vet and she said it could be a hormonal change from a change of diet (We are using different hay) or it could be mites lice or a fungal infection. The first thing i did (On wednesday) was clean out all the cages and wash off the pigs in malaseb (for fungal infections) Fidos free itch shampoo (For lice) and i treated them for mites with oral ivomec. Although i dont think it is getting any better, but she is not loosing as much hair anymore. Her skin looks a little bit flakey. Should i be doing anything else? Because i am going to repeat the whole washing/ cleaning cages thing tomorrow and i am going to treat them all with ivomec again tomorrow beecause it has been almost a week and i dont think it can hurt. they hate it though.

What else should i be doing. I think it might be mights, or she could be getting old .Do pigs loose hair just before they die? She is still eating and stuff and she is the most dominate pig so i dont think her 2 cages mates are giving her any trouble.

Our other pig. (Bubba Munchy) is about 2-3 years old and she has a little fungal lookign thing on her back but it has been there for over a year now and it is not gettign any better or worse although i have treated her for fungal infections. I think it might just be scar tissue from fighting? im not sure.

Should i be doing anything else for piglet?? What do you think. If it does not get any better soon i will take her to the vet, but still. :D

Thanks so much,
maddy :D

Answer
Mange is the most probable thing, if that is the case then you will have to treat all of the piggies not just the one affected.

I would be inclined the beleive what the vet says it is though, they do tend to know best. if you are worried about its skin being a little dry and uncomfortable then you can treat it with tea tree oil cream, you can get it in most pet shops, this will help to sooth irritation and moisturize the skin. if the change has not cleared up in a week or two or if the other piggies start displaying symptons then get in contact with the vet again and follow their instructions.  

guinea pigs do not really loose their fur in that way before they die, sometimes in long furred breeds it thins slightly, though never balds.

if it does turn out to be mange or mites then look back in my previous answers i give a step by step guide in how to treat it

hope this helps ; )