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Health Problems Of Hamster
By peace | November 11, 2006
Because hamsters are very small, nocturnal (night- active) and not closely observed, the early signs of illness are frequently overlooked or not noted at all. Hamster owners must be constantly vigilant for signs of illness and must seek immediate veterinary assistance when illness is suspected.
Sick hamsters often become irritable and frequently bite. They are usually reluctant to move about and walk stiffly when forced to do so. Their eyes often look dull and sunken, and frequently have a discharge. Sick hamsters often stop eating or greatly reduce their intake of food. Consequently, weight loss is a common sign (not necessarily an easy one to recognize) of illness in hamsters. Fluid losses from diarrhea also may cause marked weight loss.
Sudden intestinal disease (with accompanying diarrhea) is the most common illness of hamsters, especially among those being weaned or recently weaned. If the serious accompanying dehydration is not recognized immediately and corrected with appropriate fluid therapy at the direction of a veterinarian, death is probable.
Common health problems
In general hamsters are healthy, hardy animals and only need to see a veterinarian if they get ill or hurt.
There are no known ailments that effect only hamsters. A number of ailments that can affect hamsters from time to time though are listed below:
1. Skin Damage: Small cuts and other wounds to the skin can usually be taken care of by the hamster himself. They will generally lick the area to clean it and it will heal nicely. Only large gaping wounds need the attention of a veterinarian.
2. Teeth: Hamsters teeth will continually grow and therefore you need to keep a chew stick or hard dog biscuit in the cage for them to gnaw on. Actually they will gnaw on just about everything including the cage, so the chew stick is just directing their natural tendency to chew. Their teeth can become broken or chipped in which case you can trim them with a nail clippers or a small file.
3. Hair loss: Hair loss is normal for hamsters over 10 or 12 months of age. They will gradually lose hair starting at the rump and moving forward as time goes by. If your hamster is losing hair before it is 5 months old you should consult a veterinarian.
4. Salmonellosis: A rare pet disease which comes from wild rodents, dirty water, or spoiled foods. Salmonellosis is an intestinal tract infection that will require veterinarian help. The signs of salmonella is a ruffled coat, loss of appetite, and weight loss.
5. Pneumonia: A serious lung infection whose signs are ruffled coat, lack of appetite, runny nose, coughing, and sneezing. The animal needs to be taken to the vet if these symptoms occur.
6. Colds: Symptoms are lack of activity, ears laid back, runny nose, sniffling, and sneezing. Try not to handle your hamster if you have a cold but if it does get a cold make sure to sterilize all water and food bowls and keep the bedding real clean. Make sure there are no drafts on the hamster. Offer plenty of good foods and supplement them with cod-liver oil to help your hamster get over it.
7. Wet tail: A bacterial infection that causes diarrhea, ears laid back, loss of appetite, and a fluid like discharge from the vent. The animals’ hind quarters will appear dirty and wet. There is a broad spectrum antibiotic called Drytail which can help this condition if caught soon enough. Most pet stores should have it, otherwise take the animal to a veterinarian.
8. Diarrhea: Different from wettail, diarrhea is not an infection and is usually caused by overfeeding vegetables and fruits or maybe contaminated foods. Quit feeding fruits and vegetables for a couple of days to see if it clears up. If it doesn’t, take the animal to a veterinarian. Another cure that works on Chinchillas is to feed them shredded wheat biscuits. Again, the condition should clear up in a few days.
9. Constipation: A condition that can also indicate wet tail, constipation can also result from feeding pellets without adequate water. Apparently the pellets will swell up in the intestine causing blockage if not enough water is available. The cure is to provide plenty of water and to feed carrots, carrot tops, and other fruits and vegetables. A cure used with Chinchilla’s is to feed the animal raisins.
10. Mange: Symptoms include the hamster shaking its head a lot, scratching at its’ ears, severe hair loss, and general poor appearance. Soon after this gray scabs will appear on the nose, ears, and genitals. Take the animal to a veterinarian who can prescribe a medicated bath. Make sure and sterilize everything (cage, food dish, water bottle, etc.) while treating this condition.
11. Fleas, lice, other skin disorders: Since hamsters spend a lot of time grooming themselves, skin parasites are a rare problem. Generally dirty conditions may provide breeding places for these types of pests so make sure and provide a dry, clean environment. Fleas and lice can also be passed on to the hamster from other pets like dogs and cats. A good flea powder should eliminate this problem. Change the bedding just before using a flea powder so any eggs that are about to hatch will be discarded.
12. Overgrown nails: If your hamsters’ nails become too long, simply trim them with fingernail clippers and emory board. Make sure not to trim them too close since they have a blood vessel that extends a short ways into the nail (similar to a cat).
13. Watery eyes: Any excess water around the eyes may indicate problems in the rear of the cheek pouch. You may need to wash out the pouches with an eye dropper or syringe (without the needle). This will remove any soft food that may be caught in the back of the pouch. Also try to keep the hamster from storing food in the pouches for awhile by feeding only soft foods and not too much of them.
14. Lumps: Any lumps or bumps should be checked by a veterinarian.
15. Paralysis: This seems to be common among hamsters and is usually caused by a lack of exercise, a spinal injury, or lack of vitamin D. Provide plenty of exercise toys and supplement the diet with wheat germ and wheat germ oil if your hamster seems to be losing the use of its’ limbs. If it becomes advanced, take the hamster to a veterinarian
16. Intestinal Parasites
Hamsters frequently harbor tapeworms within their small intestines. Heavy infections may cause weight loss. Lighter infections usually go undetected unless pieces of the worms pass out of the hamster’s anus or appear in the feces.
People can become infected with the same organism. Tapeworms can be transmitted to uninfected hamsters (or people) when feces harboring tapeworm eggs are inadvertently eaten. This underscores the importance of restricting access to hamsters and their enclosures by very young children. All such encounters should be carefully monitored.
Hamster owners suspicious of this parasite problem should submit a fecal sample to a veterinarian for analysis. The presence of tapeworm eggs in the sample (noted microscopically) confirms the diagnosis. Treatment can be instituted by the veterinarian.
Pinworms are a less common intestinal parasitism of hamsters. These extremely tiny worms reside within the large intestines and usually cause no signs at all. Pinworm infections can be diagnosed by a veterinarian by microscopic examination of the feces. Pinworm eggs passing from the anus of the hamster sometimes cause intense itching in this area. A veterinarian may be able to detect the presence of pinworm eggs by pressing cellophane tape to this area and examining it under the microscope. Pinworms of hamsters do not cause disease in people.
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