|
ILLNESS |
||
|
Illness
|
|
|
| Many books state that hamsters are generally robust little animals with few health problems. You might be lucky (especially if you've got a Robo or Chinese hamster) but sadly, Syrians in particular, can be affected by a number of illnesses. See Hamsters in Sickness and in Health. | ||
| Some conditions can be deadly for the hamster if not treated immediately, or can be passed onto other animals or humans. Therefore, if your hamster appears unwell it is worth getting them to a vet quickly. | ||
|
The main ways to prevent illness are to ensure
your hamster is cleaned out regularly, has clean water and is given a well
balanced diet and any mouldy food is removed from its cage daily. Common illness Sadly a lot of hamsters (when they are around 2 years of age) get tumours. Often you don’t know they have them until the tumour is quite developed. The first tell-tale sign is that the hamster starts to drink a lot of water. Their body shape starts to change into a ‘pear shape’ and they can waddle or struggle to walk. Sometimes their body is so out of proportion they will fall over. If left, the hamster will start to remain in its nest, soil itself and stop eating. They might have blood/pus coming from their rear. Tumours like these cannot be treated and if there is any sign that the hamster is suffering then they should be taken to a vet and put to sleep. Hamsters have a very high pain threshold generally and a strong will to live and therefore if they look dull, hunched, not wanting to come out of their nest you know that they are in a lot of pain and the kindest thing is to put an end to it. Your vet will be able to advise you on this and your options. Euthanasia Not many people talk about euthanasia, but this is the one thing we can do out of love to help our pets who are suffering. If you need to have your hamster put to sleep you should discuss the process with your vet as this will put your mind at rest and you will know that your pet won’t suffer at all. My preferred process is for the vet to give the hamster a quick sniff of gas which will make them sleep. Then whilst they are sleeping they inject them with an overdose of anaesthetic. This way they don’t know anything about it and pass away without any stress. Some vets don’t automatically administer gas first, therefore it is worth checking with them to see if they will do this for your pet. ‘Mistaken illness’ Hamsters have scent glands that are symmetrical and situated in their hips. On some hamsters these are prominent and appear as small dark brown spots, sometimes the fur is a bit thin around them, and some hamsters like to wash them a lot meaning that they often have damp patches on their sides. This is perfectly normal. Tumors of the rear end (testicles) – When a male hamster reaches puberty (2-4 months) their testicles start to grow and in some hamsters they can become very prominent (especially in Chinese hamsters). They can appear odd shaped, or even change shape – this is all perfectly normal. Hamsters can get testicular cancer but it is very unusual around this young age.
|
||
| Also, their cage/tank should not be in direct sunlight as they can suffer from heat stroke. The temperature should remain constant around their home - if it is too cold they could go into hibernation. They should not be exposed to fumes, e.g. in garages, air fresheners, etc. Nor should their cages be put in a stressful place - by stereo speakers or near other animals that might torment them. | ||
| Campbells are prone to diabetes. Apart from being told that diabetes is in the family, the first sign of it is likely to be them consuming vast quantities of water. In this case you can test their urine with a Diastix (you can get this from your vet). Due to their small size not much can be done for them in this case, except to ensure there is always enough water. You may need to put a second water bottle into their cage as their water consumption can be incredible. They will need cleaning out daily as their bedding will become wet very quickly. Also, include essential fatty acids in their Diet. | ||
.jpg)
