hammy had a fright!

Question
A next door neighbours cat got in to my house 2 nights ago and got my hamster. Luckily we found her safe and well down the bottom of the garden! She was dirty and quite, but seemed fine after a bit of attention, running and climbing about. But now she is lethargic and is a bit glassy eyed looking. When I first put her back in her cage she had some food and water, but don't think she's had any since. I took her out tonight for a cuddle and she went straight back to her bed.
Is there anything I can do to get her over the shock? She's old, nearly 3

Answer
Hi Sinead

I'm sorry to hear about your hamster - it must have been a real shock for you and your hamster!  Thank goodness you were able to find her.  It is difficult to know what to do -apart from the fact that she may well be shocked after this experience, there is always the possibility that she sustained some sort of injury that isn't totally apparent.

Also, her age does go against her in many respects as she will be quite frail anyway.

It would be worth checking her skin for any puncture marks just in case the cat did injure her.   

It could well be that her sudden change in behaviour would have happened anyway at this age.  Often there is no real warning and they can be very bright one day and very quiet and dull the next.  Hamsters of this age are incredibly prone to getting tumors and often there are few signs until it is causing a problem and putting the hamster in pain, therefore it is difficult to know if she would have deteriorated like this anyway, even without the adventure of being taking into the garden.

The key thing is to make sure she isn't in pain.  Is she eating OK?  It might be a good idea to buy a packet of powdered creamy porridge oats baby food.  Hamsters seem to love this and it gives them lots of nutrients.  If you mix a little with water and try her with this along with her usual food mix.  If you are worried about her being in shock, you could always try her with a drop of 'Rescue Remedy'.  I don't know if you are aware of this - this is made by Bach and can be bought in health shops and chemists.  It is a mixture of plant extracts and are used for humans to help deal with any sudden emotional change.  I have used this with animals before and it can make a dramatic change.  You only need one drop of it to a bottle of water.  Then I would suggest you use a dropper and give a little through this and see if she will take it.  The rest can stay in her water bottle, but would need changing daily. This does contain alcohol and therefore you don't want to give any more than one drop to a hamster - but I think you can sometimes buy a non alcoholic version of it too.

It would also be worth making sure her cage is easy for her to get around and that she has easy access to food and water. Remove any platforms etc. that she might be tempted to climb.  

If she deteriorates, if you notice any swelling, any blood or pus coming from her rear, and if she just sits hunched up, then it would be advisable to get a vet to check her out.  These little creatures are quite resilient and if this is just a psychological reaction to her ordeal she may well snap out of it with a bit of extra love.  If however there is any underlying medical condition going on here or if she was either injured during the ordeal or ingested something that is poisonous, then you will not notice any improvement and she will probably get worse - in this case I suggest you try to get her seen as quickly as possible.

I hope this helps you and that she is OK.

Regards
Sheila