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Wet tail:
Disclaimer: I am
not a veterinarian and the following is correct only to my knowledge.
If you should know of any other information, please mail me.
I decided to
write this portion after seeing all the questions that people had about
wet-tail. I hope it helps you and your hamsters.
What is wet tail?
According to my vet, wet tail is
a collection of bacteria but the exact details of the disease is still
unknown. The treatment is also not 100% effective. In fact, even with
early treatment, hamsters may have best a 50% chance of survival. Thus,
it is important to take your hamster to the vet if you see signs of
wet-tail as you would not be a moment too soon.
Where does it come from?
Wet-tail seems to be a very
common disease in hamsters - many owners see their hamsters come down
with this disease. Some have speculated that it could be
stress-induced and that some hamsters may be more susceptible
than others (due to their genetic makeup).
However, more obvious is the fact
that wet-tail is transmitted from hamster to hamster. This makes it
very important to quarantine new pets for up to three weeks. Handling
all your pets at the same time is also discouraged. Wet-tail is highly
infectious from hamster to hamster and you must be careful or you may
lose all your hamsters to this disease at one go.
Check all hamsters you are
purchasing carefully and also its cage mates. If one is affected, all
may very well be.
Symptoms:
When my hamsters came down with
wet-tail, they refused to eat, had severe diarrhea ( the whole portion
of the tail area was wet with brown fluid = wet-tail) and slept both
day and night.
Some hamsters may also develop
problems breathing if its condition is already very severe.
The cure :
Your vet will in
all likelihood prescribe a wide spectrum antibiotic and something to
help with the diarrhea.
If
you have any doubts, please do ask your vet.
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