If you find that the hamster has abnormal conditions, you should pay more attention to observe their status. If there is a disease problem, it must be solved as soon as possible. Don’t procrastinate, as this is likely to delay an otherwise easy-to-treat ailment into a major problem.
- Tumor
Symptoms: Significant protrusions appear on a certain part of the body, and the protrusions become larger and larger over time.
Features: Hamsters can develop tumors just like humans, and they also have benign and malignant points. When a tumor is found in a hamster, a biopsy of the tissue is necessary to know whether the tumor is benign or malignant. If the tumor is malignant, surgery is needed to remove it; however, after surgery, there is still a chance that the bad cells will metastasize to other sites.
Treatment: If a tumor is found on the hamster, consult a veterinarian immediately. If the tumor is benign, it can be cured after excision; but if it is a purulent tumor, it is necessary to clean and disinfect the tumor site after incision, and then give antibiotics; Cancer drugs can also cause side effects during treatment.
- Skin disease
Symptoms: The skin appears red, swollen and fluffy.
Characteristics: Hamsters may experience hair loss, scratching and other related problems.
Handling: First, the environment must be kept clean and dry. It is necessary to check what kind of skin problem it is, and then apply the corresponding medicine.
- Heart disease
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, poor mobility, and difficulty breathing.
Treatment: If a hamster is suspected of having a heart attack, it should be taken to a veterinary clinic for further examination. The veterinarian can check whether there are diseases such as ventricular hypertrophy through X-ray examination. After the condition is confirmed, in order to stabilize the condition, the veterinarian will use cardiotonic, urine, and vasodilator methods to treat it.
- Malocclusion
Symptoms: Drooling, inability to close the mouth completely, loss of appetite, etc.
Features: Since the teeth of hamsters will continue to grow, the owner needs to buy some hard food for them to grind their teeth, otherwise, malocclusion will easily occur. Most of the hamsters bite the cage frequently, resulting in deformed or broken teeth; in addition, some hamsters are born with malocclusion.
Treatment: To prevent malocclusion in hamsters, you should often buy some hard food or mineral stones to grind their teeth. When a hamster is found to have a malocclusion, seek a veterinarian to grind its teeth.
Common diseases and treatment of hamsters
Identify problems early
- Constipation
Symptoms: The number of bowel movements is significantly reduced, or even no bowel movements.
Features: When the breeding environment changes, hamsters may experience constipation; in addition, hamsters may also be infected by bacteria, viruses, or parasites, resulting in constipation.
Handling: Cages should be kept clean, fed fresh and fibrous food, and given adequate water. Severe cases require medical attention.
- Cold
Symptoms: drooping ears, lack of energy, wet nose, and reluctance to move.
Treatment: In order to prevent the hamster from getting a cold, you should buy some food containing vitamin C to feed it, and take corresponding measures to keep warm. Do not place the cage in a windy area. Once the hamster catches a cold, it must not be delayed. It should be dealt with as soon as possible. If the problem is not serious, you can try to use some anti-inflammatory drugs to deal with it. But be sure to control the amount.
