help ??

Question
QUESTION: I have a russian winter white hamster..its about 2 years old..lately..there is a lump on top of its left eye...it has grown bigger and begin to bleed with puss...and its really big now...is it curable ?? wat has caused this disease...plz help me.


ANSWER: Hi Jayavarman

I'm sorry to hear about your hamster.

Sadly tumors are very common in hamsters, especially around this age.  Unfortunately due to your hamster's age it is unlikely that even if this were a superficial tumor any vet would want to risk surgery as the likelihood of your hamster not surviving anaesthesia would be high.

The key thing is to make sure it doesn't infect - if, as you say, there is sign of pus, then this means that an infection has already happened.  Also, it is important that your hamster isn't in any pain.  Apart from this, how is your hamster behaving?  Does he appear happy?  Is he active?  Is he eating normally?  If, apart from the tumor, he is fine, then you might be able to manage this with antibiotics and pain relief.  However, if the tumor is growing as fast as you say then it is possible that he will deteriorate quickly.

The key question really is what is your hamster's quality of life right now and what is it likely to be over the coming weeks.  

Do you have a local vet that you can get him to?  This would be your best option - if someone can examine him they can confirm firstly if this is a tumor and not an abscess/cyst (if it is an abscess/cyst then they may be able to drain it).  If it is a tumor they will be able to examine him to check for other tumors that might be growing elsewhere in his body.  They will be in a better position to advise you as to whether it is practical to try and treat, or to euthanase.  If this is a tumor, sadly there is no cure and the key thing is making sure your hamster doesn't suffer at all.

I do hope you get on ok.

Regards

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: My hamster is suffering from weight loss and hair dropping..and the puss are coming from different places on the lump...otherwise it is normal...it is not playing like it usually does like last time...its very choosy over food...it sleeps most of the time...whenever i hold it..i could feel it is still strong enough to play with me...and sometimes i put it outside its cage(my room) for it to play under my observation..but nowadays..its not playing..it goes back to its cage...i didnt take it to the vet because i fear any forced medication would cost its life due to its old age...i got another 4 more hamsters..2 adults and 2 babies but i separated them from it fearing that disease can spread...i really need ur advise...thanks for ur previous reply.

Answer
Hi

This really sounds like typical old age symptoms.  Around this time they can lose weight and their fur can go thin.  Also, the lack of energy is common.

It is wise to keep him on his own as when a hamster is ill or dying the others can sometimes turn on them.  You could try giving him some human baby food to eat as often hamsters love this -I usually buy the powder creamy porridge oats variety and mix a little with water. If you give him a teaspoon of this daily it will give him some extra nutrients and will be easy for him to eat. Also offer him his usual food so he gets a well balanced diet as too much soft food will cause his teeth to over-grow which you don't want happening.

With regard to the vet - if you take him and the vet can prescribe an antibiotic to treat any infection then Baytril (Enrofloxacin) is a broad spectrum antibiotic that is safe for hamsters.  Regarding any pain relief, there is a drug called Metacam (Meloxicam) and this too is fine for hamsters.  This drug is an anti-inflammatory and you literally have to give half a drop daily.  The only problem with this drug is that if the hamster is suffering kidney problems it can have a negative effect, however, in all honesty, if a hamster is that ill, they probably won't have long to live anyway and therefore the drug might just speed up the process slightly.

I do however feel that if this is a tumor that has ruptured and infected your vet may advise euthanasia as the kindest option.  They will also be able to check to see if there are any other tumors as abdominal tumors are very common too in hamsters of this age, but they are not always obvious to see.  If this is the case, then euthanasia would probably be most appropriate. The final decision is obviously down to you and you should only be guided by any advice given.  As there is pus, there is definitely an infection of some sort and giving antibiotics may make your hamster feel a lot more comfortable, and therefore I would be tempted to at least see a vet about this.  They may find that this isn't a tumor, but a cyst/abscess in which case they may well be able to treat it successfully.

I hope this helps you.

Regards