Expert: Charlotte Sherrell, DVM - 7/30/2008

Question
My hamster just recenty and rapidly got extremely fat but only in her stomach I can still feel her ribs and I didn't change her diet and she gets the same ammount of excersize. She can't possible be pregnant because i have no other hamster, mice, gerbils, ect. unless a hemster can get itself pregnant, anyway She still acts normal and her droppings are normal. What do you suppose is wrong.

Answer
Nikki -

Because I am not able to examine your hamster, I cannot offer a diagnosis to you.  Have your hamster seen by her veterinarian.  The enlarged abdomen can be due to several things such as neoplasia or an abscess.

Your veterinarian can take radiographs and do bloodwork to  help determine why her abdomen is enlarged.

Best Regards,

Charlotte Sherrell, DVM