Hamster growth

Question
QUESTION: HI,
We have had our hamster 2.5 years and she is still doing great!
When we first got her, she lived with another aggressive hamster who fought with her and the fur above her ear has since been missing. (that hamster has long since passed away)

Anyway, recently, Mimi, our hamster has been scratching a little more than usual (is this mites??) and the visible skin seems to be changing. It is becoming more prominent and then going down again. Today it is slightly swollen once again and shiny, more like  it is growing.
Do you have any ideas what this might be?

I have since changed her bedding from chippings to paper as she used to like that and I read it is better against bacteria, but I have no idea what may be wrong with her.
She is clearly a survivor, but I worry that at this late stage in the game, how long she has got and what to do.

Many thanks in advance!

ANSWER: Hi Lee

Thanks for your question.

Mimi seems to be doing well for a 2 1/2 year old. All hamsters have mites to a certain extent but when they are ill or elderly they can get over-run with them which causes a lot of scratching.  What type of hamster is this?  Is Mimi a Syrian?  If so, then it would be worth giving her a couple of doses of Ivermec. You can either get this from a vet (but you would need to pay consultation charge as well) or you can buy some varieties of it on-line or in pet shops - Beaphar make a small animal anti parasite medication that is especially for hamsters.  Whatever you get, make sure it definitely contains Ivermec/Ivermectin.  It is applied externally to the back of the neck and this is repeated a couple of weeks later (check instructions for details).

If Mimi is a dwarf hamster, then unfortunately you can't use this on them - or at least if you do, you need to get a vet to prescribe it.  This is because the dosage on the one you buy in shops is far too strong for  a dwarf.  Some vets won't use it but others will.

If her skin looks sore, or inflamed, then you could apply a little aloe vera to it, or you can get teatree cream from a pet shop - this is a natural antiseptic and should be Ok for her.

Whereabouts is this swelling?  Apart from this, how is she behaving? Has there been any increase in water consumption at all?

If you are concerned, then I would suggest getting her checked out just to put your mind at rest.  If you don't know of any vets it is worth phoning a few to see if any have a small pet expert there - and also double check they offer a reduced fee for small animals.

I hope this helps you.

Regards
Sheila

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much for your help Sheila!

Actually, I took her to the vet and he said he had never seen a hamster so old!

This is great and she was good too for him. He gave some cream and told me it will help her if it is an infection. If the lump doesn't clear up, then, it is probably a tumour and we have to wait.

The lump is on her right ear, although her ear isn't really there any more.

I believe she is a Syrian hamster. She isn't scratching so much and there are no signs of mites, so that seems good. It is sweltering hot here, so she drinks lots of water anyway.

I noticed that she moves a little while she sleeps - is this normal? It's just twitching and it is just a little. Just now, in her sleep, she got a seed from her mouth and ate it! So, maybe she isn't doing too bad after all?!

Thanks in advance!!

Answer
Hi

You are doing well with her - I always feel a sense of satisfaction when I get mine to that age - most die around 2 years of age.

It is great that you have seen a vet to get an opinion - hopefully the cream will clear up the lump - but even if it is a tumour, it doesn't mean that she will die from this. She may well just die in her own time, rather than from this lump.

They can twitch a lot when they are sleeping - some of mine snore!  I think she is doing well and all the time she is eating and coming out of her nest she clearly has quality of life.

I hope she gets better.

Regards
Sheila