Hamster Health
All About Hamster Health
Most hamsters lead very happy, carefree lives, but the owner of a hamster must be aware of common hamster health problems, so that they can be recognized and treated quickly should they develop. Teddy Bear hamsters and the newer genetic varieties tend to be more susceptible to infectious diseases and sensitive to antibiotics than the common Golden hamsters. Because of this susceptibility, hamsters are routinely used in biomedical research testing.
The truth is, many people, especially children, get excited about bringing a hamster home from the pet shop. They place their new pet in his home with some toys and for the first few weeks are very attentive to everything going on with their hamster. Then the novelty wears off and the attention dwindles. If the hamster gets fed daily and his cage cleaned weekly, it is all the attention he gets. This makes it especially hard to recognize when a hamster is starting to get ill. And the fact that hamsters are nocturnal adds to the problem of recognizing that something is wrong.
That means that by the time most hamsters get to a vet, their problem has often advanced from the beginning stages to the more advanced stages. Always take the time daily to interact with your hamster. Then you can notice right away if something is wrong and get him to the vet if necessary. Hamster health is very important. There are some things to look for that can indicate that a hamster is sick. For instance, irritability and biting from a normally sweet and friendly hamster is definitely an indication that something is wrong. A sick hamster will have dull eyes and not want to move around. Or. he may walk very slowly and stiffly.
Not eating is a strong indication that a hamster is ill. Intestinal disease is common in hamsters. The signs are diarrhea, weight loss, and dehydration. If a hamster with these symptoms is not treated quickly, he will die. Problems with teeth are another cause for concern in hamsters. Their front incisors grow for life. That means that the hamster’s uppers must be in constant contact with the lowers so that overgrowth can be prevented. Any sort of misalignment involving these teeth can cause serious problems.
There are cases where a hamster’s lower incisors have been so overgrown that they have grown through the roof of the mouth into the nasal cavity. Early signs this is happening are lack of appetite and drooling. If the problem is not caught and progresses, the hamster will stop eating completely and start to have a bad odor coming from his mouth. If this should happen to your hamster, he needs antibiotics and the incisors trimmed and extracted from the roof of his mouth. The chances are, the hamster will need his incisors trimmed by a vet for the rest of his life.
Injuries and trauma are also factors that affect hamster health. Hamsters are often dropped, especially by children or after they have bitten someone. Hamsters are frequently injured in exercise balls--they are kicked or the ball rolls down the stairs. Sometimes they are even forgotten and left in the plastic ball so long that they starve to death.
Make sure that you get a vet that is comfortable treating hamsters. Many common antibiotics have lethal effects on hamsters so they must be knowledgeable about these tiny pets. It is the pet owner’s responsibility to see that their pet gets appropriate medical treatment, so don‘t take hamster health for granted. Pay attention to their needs on a daily basis.