Does My Dwarf Hamster Have A Tumour?

Question
Hello, my dwarf hamster is under a year old, and today I found something very odd on him, it looked as if his cheek had turned inside out, I was wondering if this was a tumor or abscess, as I've looked all over the Internet, PLEASE HELP?

Answer
Hi Ellie

Have you touched his cheek?  Does it feel like this is a lump/cyst?  What colour is it - is it red/bloody, or any sign of pus? How is he behaving?  Can he eat normally?  How large is this lump?

It is possible for a hamster to scratch themselves - perhaps he tried to put in some food that was sharp or too big.  In this case there is the possibility that it has infected and an abscess has formed - in which case a vet would need to drain it and give antibiotics.  As it is hard to know what it is without seeing him I think that if you have a local vet who you know, or who specialises in hamsters/small animals it would be worth getting him checked out.  If this is a superficial tumor (there are some tumors that can appear around the head area, then it may well be possible to have it removed before it gets any bigger.  You may find that it isn't particularly serious and easily treatable.

If you want to send a photo that might help me identify what it is.

Regards
Sheila