sick hamster emergency

Question
my hamster is sick, i am so worried. he is a golden long haired hamster and he is sniffling and sneezing and breathing very fast he is only eating a little bit and not drinking i dont know what to do. Because me or my parents cannot afford the vets :( please help! any advice on what to do? i am so upset xxxxxxx

Answer
Hi Ellie

I'm sorry to hear that your hamster isn't well.  This could be a cold in which case you need to keep him warm and try and get him to take in some food.  You could try giving him some baby food (creamy porridge oats is a favourite - I usually buy the powdered type and mix a little with water), or you could try lukewarm milk and a little honey.  It is important that he doesn't dehydrate.  If there is a secondary infection that is affecting his breathing then he will need to see a vet as antibiotics will be needed.

Colds can be very serious in hamsters and therefore treatment is needed urgently.

There are other respiratory problems that hamsters can get - some can be allergy related but these usually wouldn't affect their eating habits as normally they behave normally apart from sneezing etc.  Another very serious respiratory problem is aspergillosis - this is caused when a hamster breaths in fungal spores.  Fungal spores can collect on uneaten fresh food, soiled bedding, etc. or could come from outside the cage if it is positioned in a damp area of the house.  If a hamster breathes in these spores it can cause them breathing difficulties and without urgent treatment can result in their death.

Vets can be very expensive but some will have special prices for small animals.  If you do take him to a vet it is worth phoning a few beforehand and ascertaining if they have someone who specialises in hamsters and other small animals, and also confirming the price of the consultation.  If you are going to pay for treatment you at least want your hamster seen by someone who will know what is wrong.  Also, I have found that some vets are accommodating regarding the price and sometimes they will negotiate their fee.

Alternatively do you have a local pet rescue or RSPCA/PDSA centre?  If so they may be able to offer you advice for a donation.

In the meantime, I suggest you take a few precautions.  Make sure your hamster's cage is in a quiet and warm part of the house.  Try to encourage him to eat - as mentioned earlier, baby food is good for this.  If you mix it up with enough water you might even get it into a dropper so that you can hand feed him if he is too weak to eat it himself.  Make sure he has his usual food too.  If anyone in your household has a cold they should stay away from him so that they don't reinfect him with their germs.  

If you get some Olbas Oil and put a couple of drops on a piece of kitchen paper and place this in his cage - this may help his breathing.  

It is difficult to know for sure if this is a cold as only examination would show this.  However, in the event that it is a cold you can give him a little Echinacea.  You can buy this in tincture form from the chemist and there is an 'alcohol free' variety.  This will help boost his immune system.  If you can't get the alcohol free variety, put a couple of drops in a spoonful of hot (boiled) water to allow the alcohol to evaportate before adding it to your hamster's water bottle.  Echinacea can be bitter and therefore you might want to add a little blackcurrant juice to his water bottle to make it more palatable.  Once you have diluted the Echinacea, you could try and get your hamster to take a little through a dropper. Don't give this in the long term (just for a week).

If your hamster continues to look ill after a day or two, or if his condition deteriorates then he really does need to see a vet.  However, it would be worth trying this and keeping his body fluids and strength up so that if this is a cold he will be able to fight it.

I hope this helps you.

Regards
Sheila