swollen feet

Question
QUESTION: hi! one of my hamster feet are swollen & it looks deform with dry cut underneath. what causes this & what should i do? thanks.

ANSWER: Hi Hamsterlady,

    Sounds like there may be some infection in the foot, probably from the cut. I would suggest cleaning the area with an antibacterial soap and warm water then apply a very small amount of an antibiotic ointment like neosporin once a day. If you do not see an improvement within a couple days, then the hamster should be seen by a vet.
   If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thank you for writing!

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

QUESTION: hi again! if i apply neoporin, will he try to lick it off if so, would it poison him? since the cut are on both feet, do you think because he run on the wheel (wire) too much? i noticed my other hamster has a minor swollen foot today. (they're in separate cage)i just took off the wheel for now. what can i do to prevent this from happening again. thanks for your time.

Answer
Hi Hamsterlady,

    The neosporin should not hurt your hamster if he tries to lick it off (you only need to use a very tiny amount).
    The cuts could be from running in the wheel, being it is the wire type. It is good that you have removed the wheel for the time being. I would suggest getting the plastic type wheel, they are not as hard on your hamsters feet as the wire ones.
    If you have anymore questions, please write again.

Thanks again for writing!