My hamster is sick

Question
My hamster is unwell but i am unsure of what to do with it.
At first its eyes was crusted and it was hairless around the eye. i thought nothing of it and cleaned away the crust with a damp piece of cotton wool. i have been doing this for about a month now and it keeps coming back. Now its has happened to the other eye and it is now hairless on its full head. on its neck it has become hairless and has swollen it feels fluidly inside. i wanted to take it to the vet but my mum says because its old there is no point but it is clearly uncomfortable. What should i do ?

Answer
Hi Ashley

Sorry to hear about your hamster.

You are doing the right thing in that you are cleaning your hamster's eyes.  This is important as they need to open their eyes daily otherwise pus can build up behind the eyelid.

With regard to him losing hair and his neck being swollen - you really do need to get him to a vet.  I appreciate that he is old and that vets can work out expensive, but he clearly is in a lot of discomfort and pain and therefore a vet does need to examine him and advise you of what to do. The hair loss could just be mange and can easily be treated, however the swelling inside your hamster's neck could be a tumor or a cyst, which will need confirming by a vet.  You don't say how old your hamster is - the usual life expectancy of a Syrian is anything from 18 months - 2 1/2 years, although I have heard of some going well beyond 3 years.  

If you are worried about a huge vet bill you could phone one or two beforehand and ask them their opinion and see if they will negotiate a reduced fee.

Hope you get on OK.
Regards