My Hamsters eye looks bad

Question
My dwarf hamster Lilah has had cataracts on her eyes her whole life. She has gotten on very well with them, behaving just like a normal hamster.
Then today I noticed that one eye is bloody. I don't know what could have happened, except maybe her eye collapsed or something like that.
She doesn't act like she's in pain, she just itches it a lot with her foot(with her eyelid closed).
I can't take her to the vet and I don't know if I can do anything, do you have any advice?

Answer
Hi Emily

I'm sorry to hear about Lilah.

There could be a couple of things wrong - one could be that the eyeball has ruptured - if this is the case then it may be possible to treat with antibiotics such as enrofloxacin.  However, sometimes the eyeball needs to be removed.

It could also be conjunctivitis which is itchy and perhaps the blood is due to scratching - this would need treating either with antibiotic eye drops called Tiacil Ophthalmic Solution or an ointment called Fucithalmic.  With conjunctivitis you can use Aloe Vera but it is vital you get the condition correctly diagnosed before trying anything like this as you could be making the situation worse and putting your hamster in more pain.

This type of condition does need to be correctly diagnosed by a vet so that they can start the appropriate treatment.  If it is the cost of a vet that concerns you, it would be an idea to phone one or two and see what their standard fee is and see if they are open to any negotiation.  The fees for small pets such as hamsters are often considerably lower than for larger animals.  If you can't get her to a vet, is there a pet rescue near you that you could take her to - they would have expert knowledge and may be able to diagnose (although they couldn't prescribe).

I hope you get on OK.

Regards