I think that no matter what pet you own it's important to research into the common illnesses
and diseases that they are prone to that way you are going to be able to recognize the symptoms a
lot easier and when you end up going to the vet with them you're not going to be blindsided by
what the vet is talking about you have a little bit more insight into what they're
trying to explain to you
so today I'm going to be talking about some of the more common health conditions hamsters are prone to
number one wet tail
now this is something that you've likely already heard maybe even before getting your hamster
now wet tail was once used as a term to describe a specific illness caused by a bacteria called Lawsonia Intracelluaris
this is an illness that has been found to affect only young Syrian hamsters
this is because one of the main symptoms is diarrhea which in turn causes the hamster to have a
wet tail
nowadays the term wet tail is actually used as a blanket term to describe any hamster with those same symptoms
because there are many bacterias and illnesses that cause the same sort of symptoms as the traditional wet tail
now keep in mind diarrhea alone can be caused by many different things
something as simple as feeding your hamster a new food could easily cause them to have an upset stomach leading to diarrhea
but if they are still eating drinking and active
they don't necessarily need medical attention unless the condition persists
but a hamster who has just come home for the first time that has diarrhea, is lethargic, isn't wanting to eat or drink
and is losing weight
needs to see a vet immediately
you may often see pet stores selling wet tail drops or they may even force you to purchase
some with your hamster in order to prevent wet tail
but these drops do not treat or prevent bacterial wet tail
so it's important that if you suspect your hamster has a wet tail that you visit your local exotic vet
they likely will prescribe you with some antibiotics and depending on the severity of the case
they may also administer some fluids to rehydrate your hamster
congestive heart failure
this is when the heart begins to weaken and when your heart begins to weaken
it no longer can pump blood as well as it used to be able to
this is something that typically happens in older hamsters
often the symptoms are easy to miss but if you notice your hamster seems to be more fatigued
they have more of a rapid breathing,
their heartbeat is irregular
and their skin starts to have more of a blue tint
it's possible that they have congestive heart failure
unfortunately, there is no treatment in hamsters
but your vet may be able to prescribe some medications to help manage the condition
mites
the most common mites found in hamsters are actually already typically on a healthy hamster
this is because these mites actually serve an important purpose of breaking down organic material
and yes humans have mites
all over us as well and they do the same thing for us
now these mites only start to become an issue when the hamster is either ill or very stressed
and their body is unable to keep the number of mites down
therefore leading to an infestation
hamsters also can be affected by tropical rodent mites and these are visible by eye
signs of mites include inflamed scaly and dry skin
so if you notice your hamster is uncomfortably itching,
losing hair and their skin seems inflamed it's best to see your local exotic vet
and they will prescribe typically a topical treatment to get rid of them
ringworm
ringworm actually isn't what you think it is and it has nothing to do with worms
ringworm is actually caused by a fungus
so a hamster may develop ringworm if they come in contact with an already infected animal,
humans, infected bedding or even things inside of your home that have been infected by the fungi
this fungi thrives in warm and humid environments so it's important to keep your hamsters enclosure dry
some hamsters may not show any symptoms at all but typically you will notice your hamster losing patches of fur
and in these patches they may be crusty with a red ring along the edge
if you believe your hamster has ringworm it's important to visit your exotic vet that way they can do a skin culture
which then can confirm if it is in fact ringworm
and then they can prescribe you with some anti-fungal medications
ringworm is contagious to humans and other animals so if you suspect your hamster has ringworm
make sure sure that you are thoroughly washing your hands anytime you're handling your hamster
respiratory infections
hamsters have pretty sensitive respiratory systems
so there are many things that could cause a RI including things like
unsafe beddings like Pine, Cedar, scented beddings,
chinchilla dust
as well as if you have a safe bedding but it is really dusty that could even cause a respiratory infection
if your hamster has a respiratory infection you are going to notice some discharge from their nose and possibly the eyes
as well as they are going to have very labored breathing
they also will be lethargic and likely won't be drinking much
in 2014 my dwarf hamster Pop Tart had actually developed a respiratory infection
and in this next clip you can actually hear what he sounded like
a respiratory infection is best treated with antibiotics prescribed by your exotic vet
and additionally, you can also use the herb thyme to help with their breathing
urinary tract infections
the first thing we need to note is that hamsters should never bleed from their privates
even in females as they do not menstruate like humans do
a UTI usually happens when bacteria enters the urethra and then infects the urinary tract
the signs of a UTI in a hamster may include frequent peeing,
frequent drinking as well as sometimes there is blood in the urine
your vet typically will do a urinalysis to confirm it and then for treatment they often will prescribe antibiotics
pyometra
pyometra is an infection in the uterus and this is typically seen in older female hamsters
there are two types of pyometra there is open pyometra and closed pyometra
now with open pyometra, you'll likely notice blood and pus coming from their private areas because these cervix is open
usually because you can notice these signs faster there is a better chance at treatment
with closed pyometra the cervix is closed so all of that blood and pus is going to build up within
and this may cause your hamster to have an abnormally large abdomen
and because of this it may be harder to notice
and once a lot of people start to actually notice this, it is not diagnosed until it's in its final stages
treatments for pyometra depend on the severity your vet may decide to try antibiotics
or they may have to go ahead and do a spay removing the uterus altogether
so as soon as you notice your hamster has any blood, pus, bloating or increased drinking
it's important to visit your local exotic vet
a common issue among hamsters is lumps and bumps on the skin
which can be caused by many different factors
starting with tumours
so a tumor is a solid mass of tissue and tumors can affect bone,
skin, organs and glands
if you notice a tumour on your hamster it's best to get it checked by your vet
in some cases, if the tumour is not growing and it's staying the same size
your vet may opt to leave it and in other cases if it is continuing to grow
your vet may choose to surgically remove it
and even once a tumour is removed there is still a chance that it could come back
now onto cysts
a cyst is a Sac that forms in the skin or in the body
and oftentimes they contain fluid but sometimes they can contain more of a solid material
oftentimes cysts are harmless but if they begin to grow too large
this can obviously start to affect the hamster in many ways
your vet can drain the cyst but unless the cysts Sac
is removed the cyst will continue to fill up
abscesses
an abscess is a collection of pus usually caused by a bacterial infection
now this could happen if your hamster accidentally cuts themselves in their enclosure
or if they get a wound it really doesn't even have to be that large of a cut
anytime you have an open wound in your skin even if it's a tiny scratch
that can lead to possible infection if your environment isn't staying clean
if you notice an abscess on your hamster please do not pop it yourself
visit your vet so that they can properly drain it and administer antibiotics to treat it
warts
these are small growths on the skin and these seem to be more common in dwarf hamsters
and particularly in the ear
while a wart is usually harmless depending on the size of it and the area that it has grown
it could cause your hamster to be uncomfortable
so talking to your exotic vet can help you determine whether or not it's right to remove it or not
so those are just a few of the common hamster health issues that we see
obviously there are plenty more but those are are just the more
common ones you tend to see when owning a hamster
please remember the longer something is left untreated the less likely they are of recovery
so it's really important to go to your vet as soon as you notice something is up
so I will see you guys in my next video bye