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Hamster Illness: Prevention, Recognition and Care

By Alison Wood

Republish: EasyPublish™ Published: 14Sep2011 Word count: 619 Viewed: 330 time(s) Get Free Content For Your Site

Hamsters are lovable little creatures, so keeping them safe and healthy is a top priority for hamster owners. Since hamsters are such small animals, any little illness can turn into a big deal fairly quickly. Hamsters don't have the strong immune system that larger animals have, so treating any hamster illness quickly and effectively is important to guarantee the health of your hamster.

The following are some common hamster illnesses and the treatment that needs to be given to cure the illness:

Wet Tail: Wet tail is a serious hamster illness that should be treated with extreme caution and immediate action. The condition is caused by a bacterial infection that quickly spreads to the hamster's digestive system. It's often caused by stressful situations (i.e. a hamster that has just been moved to a new home or has just been weaned will sometimes get wet tail). You'll notice that a hamster has wet tail if they start to have severe diarrhea that is pale and mushier than usual. The anal area around the tail will look wet, which is how this illness got its name. Hamsters that have wet tail will be lethargic and often visibly in pain, as well as suffering from dehydration. It's very important to contact a veterinarian immediately if you notice symptoms of wet tail. Keep the hamster hydrated until help is available. Veterinarians will often prescribe wet tail medication and wet tail supplements. Also note that wet tail is contagious, so other hamsters should be moved out of the cage immediately as to not become infected.

Ringworm: The main sign of ringworm in a hamster is a small circular ring or missing fur. If you notice this on your hamster, call a veterinarian immediately to get treatment. Ringworm is extremely contagious, so you'll also want to remove the infected hamster from the cage if other hamsters are living in the same cage.

Constipation: Constipation can happen when a hamster is dehydrated or is eating mostly dry pellet food and not enough fresh fruits and vegetables. You'll notice that your hamster might be constipated if it is not defecating as often as normal, or if it appears to be hunched in pain. To cure hamster constipation, make sure that your hamster has plenty of fresh water at all times. Also, be sure to feed your hamster fresh fruits and vegetables regularly. Vegetables with high fiber content are especially good for hamster constipation because they will encourage regular bowel movements.

Mites and Ear Mites: Mites can attach themselves to hamsters just like many other animals. Skin mites cause hamsters to scratch continuously, resulting in loss of fur in an infected area. Mites can also infect a hamster's face and ears. In this case, the hamster's skin will become crusty and dry. A hamster will scratch the itching spot, causing cuts and loss of fur. Because the scratching can get severe, it's necessary to contact a veterinarian for anti-mite spray, injections and other remedies to cure the illness.

Colds: Hamsters can catch common colds from drafts, or from another animal (or human) that has a cold virus. Symptoms of hamster cold range from sneezing to heavy breathing. A hamster might also remain hunched over or have a wet nose if they have a cold. To make sure your hamster does not catch a cold, place their cage out of the way of drafts from doors and windows and never bathe your hamster. If your hamster does catch a cold, make sure that it has plenty of fresh water and soft food until they recover.

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