hair loss/vet trip

Question
thanks again for all of your help!  when i was brushing her the other day, i saw it falling out in clumps from the roots.  it looks like the hair was falling out with pieces of driend skin on it at the root of the clumps.  the dr did say it was a fungus.  so when i came home last night from the vet i did give her .25 ml's of clavamox without going on the internet first to research it, now i feel bad!  hopefully that little bit of it didnt do too much harm but she does look worse today then yesterday :(  right now i have her wrapped up in a blanket on my lap.  she'll only drink water (w/ vitamin c drops that i always put in there) that i hold for her in her bottle.  its like she cant get up to get it herself :(  and shes not eating anything i put in front of her :( i was thinking about giving her a bath but i dont know if that will make her better or worse :( let me know what u think, and thanks so much again!!
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I noticed my piggie (carmella) was losing hair on her back and it was coming off in clumps along with flakes of skin, so i took her to the vet today and he prescribed clavamox which i read on the internet when i got home from the vet that it is bad for her to be treated with that.  He said that she has a skin fungus and it will be cleared up in a week with the medication.  but now i dont know weather or not i should give it to her because of what i read on the internet.  what should i do? please help! thanks in advanced for your help :)
Answer -
NO CLAVAMOX! I'm so sorry I didn't answer you sooner! NO NO NO! It's the generic form of Amoxicillin which is toxic to guinea pigs! Any medicine which is penicillin based, such as amoxicillin is deadly. I believe they have an allergic reaction to it. Forgive me for saying this, but your vet doesn't know his butt from a hole in the ground on guinea pigs. Did you take your pig to see a vet who treats "exotics?" It's not that a cat or dog vet is unqualified, it's just that is mainly what they practice. A cat can take amoxicillin (I know I've had to administer it to my own) and dogs too. Most vets need to take extra seminars, and classes which some don't because they're not required. Also, not a whole lot of people take their guinea pigs, rabbits, hamsters, gerbils, etc to see the vet. What I suggest you do, is either 1.) Call the vet and tell him you found out Clavamox (Amoxicillin) is toxic to guinea pigs. (S)he may not take this very well so I'm suggesting you get a second opinion. Go to a vet who specifically treats "Exotics" or guinea pigs specifically. Look in your phone book. Most have down they treat guinea pigs or exotics pets. There is a website I'd like you to look at. You may have already looked at it, but I believe this could help you save money instead of ending up with another dose of medicine you probably had to pay an arm and a leg for.

http://www.guinealynx.info/dangerous_medications.html

As it says in the web address, it contains a list of dangerous medicines. I hope this helps you. I'm wishing you the best of luck! Please keep me updated on how Carmella (Such a cute name :)) is doing. I wish you both a lifetime of health, happiness, and love. And remember, if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask :) Have a nice day!

thank you so much for ur help! i really appreciate it! i called my vet and i dont think he is to happy with me at the moment but i told him to prescribe me something else instead.  he also told me that the amount he prescribed will not do her any harm, so i dont know.  i dont think carmella is doing very well though because when i woke up this morning she was just laying in her hut and wont come out to greet me like she usually does.  it looks like she doesnt want to move.  i put her water bottle by her so she doesnt have to move and she did drink from it.  i put food by her also but shes not eating anything.  i also put a little towel in her hut to keep her warm and she snuggled up to it, so maybe she is cold from losing all of her hair :(  if u have any other advice id greatly appreciate anything you have to offer at this point, im desperate :(  thanks again in advance!
Answer -
I'm sorry your vet has such a bad attitude. There are many know-it-all doctors out there who don't think they could possibily be wrong. It's such a shame too, because they put the patient's life at risk (this goes for human doctors too)! I really think Carmella needs to be on some kind of medicine. It sounds like she is starting to go down hill :( If your vet is going to have that kind of attitude, it may be wise for you to seek treatment else where. I'm not telling you to drop him/her though! I'm merely stating what I would do. I would really hate for something to happen to your guinea pig :( Only a couple of days without eating and drinking properly can take its toll on a pig, even resulting in death. Inactivity is almost always bad. A guinea pig is a prey animal. Even though she is in no danger, in her DNA is written to hide all signs of illness so a predator doesn't try to eat her. Try giving her her favorite fruits and vegetables and large amounts of hay. This may encourage her to eat. Another suggestion is for you to hold her frequently so she can absorb your body heat. I was wondering, did Carmella's hair come out at the roots or was there still SOME hair left? If you feel like describing more to me about her skin and hair, what color her skin is, whether her hair is greasy or not, etc I will try to figure something out for you. I'm not a vet but I'll try to see if I can help in some way. If I find any information, I will make sure to forward it to you. Don't give up on Carmella! With your love and support, I know she's going to pull through! Please ask me anything else you need, I'm a mouse click away. However, right now I have a really messed up sleep schedule, and I'm sleeping at odd times during the day. I will make sure to check e-mails frequently. Let me know if anything changes. Think happy thoughts, and have a nice day :)And remember, cherish your pig!  

Answer
A bath could help :) Did the vet give you any more medicine or advice or anything? For the bath, I suggest you fill a sink or bathtub with a couple inches of warm water. You can get a shampoo especially formulated for guinea pigs, a baby shampoo, or even an anti-bacterial soap such as Dial. Rub her skin, and massage her gently. Is she having any diahrea or not passing any waste at all? Make sure to dry her off thoroughly, and maybe even try using a blow dryer on her. Keep it a couple feet away from her though, and wave it around wildly as you could burn her skin. Use the cool setting as well.  Don't let her back into her cage without completely drying her off. Keep her snuggled up very well. A bath couldn't really hurt unless she is set back in her cage wet. If she for any reason is upset or scared by the blow dryer, stop. I have a couple pigs who love it, and a couple who hate it. Some lavish the warmth. I usually bunch up a couple of towels on the bathroom floor when I blow dry them. If she crawls under the towels or keeps making an effort to do so, give her a break from the blow dryer or stop completely. Keep trying to feed her. Please, if you can't get her to eat anything, take her back to the vet. I'd hate you to lose your guinea pig because it is extremely painful. Let me know if you need anything else, and keep me updated on her! Keep up your good spirits! Carmella needs all of the support and love you can muster to give her. :)