hamster health

Question
Hi Sheila, i have a syrian hamster, he has been with us for about three months, for about the last couple of weeks he has started making lots of unusual noises and now his left eye is closed, yesterday and today he has slept outside his house and his breathing looks unusual.

I hope you can shed some light. cheers, Mike.

Answer
Hi Mike

I'm sorry to hear about your hamster.  It is very difficult to know what is happening.

I've had hamsters who, whilst being very young, have suddenly collapsed etc - often this is down to some sort of genetic problem that only comes to light when they are a few months old.  

Whereabouts in the house is his cage?  Is the area dry or is there any risk that the room is damp?  Are there any plants near his cage or has anything (including air freshners, plug ins, perfumes or pot pourri) been put in the same room or near his cage?  What type of wood chip are you using - is it one that is sold for hamsters/small animals?  Some of the woodchip contains added oils to make it smell nice and these are harmful to hamsters.  Other beddings, such as pine, cedar and cypresses contain a volatile oil called thujone and this can cause skin problems and respiratory difficulties in hamsters.  Most times when you buy wood chip you just have to trust the manufacturer, but if you are in any doubt, remove all the woodchip from his cage for a few days or so.  I suggest you give his cage a thorough clean and make sure it is absolutely dry before putting some of the shredded paper bedding in.  You could line the cage with kitchen paper - this will need changing daily, but at least you will eliminate one possible problem.  Another thing that can cause a hamster to collapse or suffer breathing difficulties is a disease called aspergillosis - this is where there is damp, or uneaten food/urine corners etc where fungal spores collect.  If they are breathed in by a hamster they can make them very sick and it can sometimes be fatal.  Therefore, any fresh food put into a hamster's cage should be removed the following day if uneaten, and if they have a habit of peeing on their food, this should be removed before it has a chance to go mouldy.

It is important that you get your hamster's eyes open daily otherwise pus can build up.  If you get a damp cloth and gently wipe the area this should help him open his eyes.  Sticky eyes is pretty common in hamsters, but it is also sometimes an indication of poor health.  I would strongly advise that you get your hamster seen by a vet as soon as possible - he might be suffering from any of the above, or some sort of infection that is making his breathing difficult - they will be able to advise you and prescribe antibiotics if necessary.

I'm sorry I can't be more help as this is a really difficult question to answer, but I hope this helps you.  Good luck with this.

Regards