AboutSheila Adby Expertise Syrian hamsters are my specialty, however, I have kept Campbells,Winter Whites and gerbils in the past. I can advise on most subjects associated with hamsters, including housing, bedding, feeding, handling, new borns and catching escapees. I have had some experience of various health problems with hamsters and can offer my opinion and advice on basic health issues, however I am not a qualified vet and therefore cannot recommend drugs etc. My website is www.thehamstersite.com
Experience I have been keeping hamsters and other small animals for more than 12 years. My favourites are Syrian hamsters and I foster litters and 'difficult' hamsters for a rescue centre. My job is to tame hamsters ready for re-homing, which is extremely rewarding. I also enjoy looking after new litters and raising the pups. I have co-written a book on hamsters with my local vet and have a website: www.thehamstersite.com
Publications Hamsters in Sickness and in Health - Sheila Adby and Dan O'Neill ISBN186163218-5 (Capall Bann Publishing)
Education/Credentials Educated to A Level standard in the UK.
Question QUESTION: Dear Sheila,
I have a problem. Our dwarf hamster has been losing fur. At first it wasn't too bad, but now almost half of her is bald. The bad part is that she also has feces stuck to her. We have taken her out and washed her, put hamster-special bath powder in there for her (which she won't use), and have kept her cage clean. For some reason her fur gets matted and I find her feces caked along her paws. What can we do for her? We can not afford taking her to the vets unless the pay is under $20, as we are have some serious financial even supporting ourselves right now. The dwarf hamster is about 1- 1 1/2 years old. She started losing the hair about 2 weeks ago and stopped taking care of herself about 5 days ago. We try to keep her on a healthy diet, but she recently stopped eating the vegetables and protein we give her.
Your response is greatly appreciated.
PS if needed, we may have a vet that we could call for free advice over the phone
Thank you again
ANSWER: Hi Leonna
Sorry to hear that your hamster isn't her usual self.
The loss of hair doesn't concern me particularly as this can happen. Often it is during old age - anything from 18 months or older as it is normal for the fur to start thinning then. However, hamsters can lose their fur at other times and sometimes it is hard to know the reason why. Mites is one reason - with this you usually notice scratching and dry skin, but this isn't always the case. If you haven't given her an anti-mite treatment it might be worth doing this - it shouldn't do any harm if she doesn't need it. You can buy this from pet shops or On-line - Beaphar make one called Anti-Parasite Spot on for hamsters and gerbils. It contains a drug called Ivermectin and this will kill any mites. You apply a drop externally to the back of the neck and repeat this a few weeks later.
Hair loss can also occur due to hormonal changes or allergies. These are often hard to pinpoint. I had a hamster once who lost all his hair - he looked very strange but didn't seem to mind.
The fact that she has stopped taking care of herself and she is often dirty is more of a concern. Her feces should be quite hard and therefore shouldn't stick to her. If they are sticking then they are probably wetter than usual. Is there any sign of diarrhea? If so, this needs treating urgently. Hamsters are usually incredibly clean creatures, so when this happens there is a reason. If she doesn't have diarrhea but keeps soiling herself, then the thing to consider is that she has a tumor or illness that is making her feel pretty ill. Tumors are very common in hamsters, sadly, and these tend to occur when they are reaching old age.
Has she been drinking any more than usual? Has she lost any weight recently? Dwarf hamsters (Campbells) are prone to getting diabetes - the usual sign of this is a huge increase in the amount of water they drink and their urine tends to smell sweet. In cases such as this the hamster can sometimes regulate their sugar levels but it is vital they are not fed any foods that contain sugar - such as fresh or dried fruit, hamster treats etc. They should be given a mix of linseed, pumpkin seed, sesame seed and sunflower seeds as these contain vital fatty acids and can help regulate their sugar levels. In addition, the usual hamster mix (with any dried fruit) removed should be given.
I think it would be a good idea to have a good look at her - check there are no unusual lumps or bumps on her. Check there is no blood or pus coming from her rear end (female hamsters can get infections and these can be very painful and make the hamster quite dull). Check there is no sign of diarrhea. If she has diarrhea she will urgently need a probiotic and oral rehydration. You can give the human oral rehydration powders (that you buy in chemists) - mix according to the instructions and feed her this through a dropper. You can buy Avipro which is an animal probiotic. If you can't get this, buy some acidophillus capsules (that have powder in them) and open up a capsule and dissolve in water - again this should be given by dropper and both medicines can be put in her water bottle. This should be continued until there is no sign of diarrhea.
Please get back to me if there are any other symptoms and I'll see if I can shed some light on them. If she does deteriorate then she really ought to see a vet - or at least you should discuss her with a vet if you can as they may be able to prescribe the correct medication.
I hope you get on OK.
Regards
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: First, thank you for your response. Our hamster doesn't have diarrhea, and no lumps or bumps that we could find. She has been sleeping much more in a certain corner of her cage. Her fur loss is also only on her bottom half- her stomach, neck, armpits, and up to her mouth. Today I picked her up and it appeared as if her mouth was almost swollen. I don't think it is swollen, but it looks like it. Is it possible for her to have cancer without a visible lump?
Once again, thank you for your time
Answer It does sound as though she is very sick, I'm afraid. Cancer can affect hamsters in different ways - sometimes the lump is internal and you can't really feel it. Internal tumors can put pressure on organs and have all kinds of effects - causing difficulty breathing, moving around etc.
Is there any way she has eaten something that has affected her? Whereabouts is her cage - is it near any plants that she might have ingested. Has anything (like perfumes, insecticides etc) that might have been sprayed nearby? I'm just wondering if she has come into contact with something that has created a severe allergic reaction. I'm only guessing as it is very hard for me to know without seeing her etc. But a swollen mouth and listlessness might indicate some form of toxicity. Alternatively she might have some sort of infection that will need treating with antibiotics. Can you get some fluids in her so that she doesn't dehydrate? If you can get her to take something this would be good and may help her feel a bit better. You could also try feeding her baby food as this is moist (if you get the packet varieties mix with water).
I really think you should speak to a vet and see if they can advise you - I appreciate that vet bills can be ridiculously high at times but if you are able to find a vet who is more sympathetic you might be able to negotiate a fixed fee for them to examine and treat her - it might be worth asking.
