swollen belly

Question
I have called my vet but do you have any idea of why my hamster would have a swollen belly. I am still waiting on a call back from my vet.

Answer
hi michael,

you didn't say whether your hamster is male or female.

if it is female, is pregnancy a possibility?

if pregnancy is ruled out, then the swollen belly is most likely to be constipation. hamsters can become constipated through dehydration, lack of excercise or poor diet.is your hamster managing to drink and eat ok? is there a wheel in the cage and also does your hamster have a ball to roll around in regularly. constipation can also be caused by the wrong type of bedding. if they are bedded on fluffy bedding material your hamster may have taken some of it in and this could cause a blockage in the intestines. the best bedding to buy is a paper or parchment type. try to steer clear of the fluffy cotton wool stuff as it can be harmful.

tapeworms is extremely rare in hamsters but is also a possibility.symptoms are a swollen belly and a swollen anus.
in each case, get the advice of your vet as a course of antibiotics will get things running smoothly again.

a good website to have a look at if your hammy gets ill is:

http://www.hamsterific.com/IllnessGuide

hope this helps, and good luck with your little furry friend. thanks for your question, jewel