Hamster distended belly

Question
"Oops - I originally sent this email to the wrong person. Sorry Heather S., I
saw that you dont answer illness questions, but clicked your s by mistake.
Here is my question for Tammy:

My daughter's hamster seems to have a distended, even slightly lumpy feeling
belly tonight. It is so wide, that he had trouble squeezing through his tubes.
(He is definitely a boy and not pregnant). He hasn't been eating as well and
today seems to be having some diarrhea. I did just realize that I have not
heard him running on his wheel at night, but he has spent a lot of extra time
in his ball in the evenings lately. I will get some wet tail medicine tomorrow,
(he does have some solid poops, but they are lighter in color and softer
looking than usual) but I am worried about the distended abdomen. Have you
ever run across this? I have never seen it in a hamster. He is a panda hamster
(black and white), about 7 months old and did have some stress a few weeks
ago with a cage re-structuring to fit in a new space. (He has two cages linked
together.) He has eaten noticeably less since that change. Thank you!"

Answer
Hi Dan,

i am sorry but i dont know exactly what is wrong with your hamster but he does sound quite ill.

Even though he has diarrhea it doesnt necessarily mean that he has wet tail so it best not to give him medicine for something which you are not entirely sure he has.

You should take him to the vet to see exactly what is wrong with him so you can get him the correct medicine.

Kind Regards,

Tammy