Diseases and Ailments
Should your hamster appear to be ill, do not hesitate to take it to a qualified veterinarian. Self-doctoring is likely to do more harm than good.
Small Cuts, Skin Damage
These are uasually taken care of by your hamster himself. Hamsters are wonderful little healers and it is amazing how quickly they will get back to normal by washing and cleaning the damaged parts themselves.
Teeth
A healthy hamster's teeth should not be white but tinted brown. They grow long, but this is quite normal. If you keep a piece of hard dog biscuit in your hamster;s cage for it to gnaw on, its teeth should not require any further attention. Should your hamster have one of its teeth broken off, the tooth can easily be cut down a little with a pair of nail scissors.
Wet Tail
This dreaded disease is a killer for hamsters. It is a highly infectious diseas except it is caused by a bacterium and usually proves to be fatal. Symptoms of this disease are: loss of shean, loss of clean appearance, ears laying down, loss of appetite, a jelly-like fluid coming from the vent.
Wet tail is exactly as its name implies, a very wet tail. This is followed by a complete loss of appetite, listlessness and a bad temper. Your veterinarian may be able to save your hamster's life if you take it for medical attention in time, but death usually occurs from this disease within a few days.
Diarrhea
This should not be confused with wet tail. It is caused by incorrect diet, by eating foods that have been contaminated by rats, dogs, cats, mice, birds and chemical sprays. Diarrhea is more likely to be a sign that something is wrong, such as a severe stomach upset or even a blockage. Consult your veterinarian and he will be able to tell you what is wrong with your hamster.
Baldness
Loss of fur in old hamsters is quite normal. If your hamsters lose fur when they are five months old or younger, consult your veterinarian. As a rule, when hamsters are from ten to twelve months old they will begin to lose fur from the rump on upwards. This can be helped by giving your hamster a yeast tablet that has been powdered along with one of its favorite tidbits. Within reasonthis cannot be overdone as the body will only take the amount of yeast that it needs and discard the rest.
Fleas and Lice
It is not unusual for your hamster to have either fleas or lice. They can be passed on from cats, dogs, rats, and mice. If you suspect that your hamster has either of these, sprinkle any type of flea powder around the nest every four days. Change the complete bedding before another application so that you will be able to stop any eggs from hatching in the cage.
Mastitis
Hard lumps in the mammea indicate mastitis. You should consult a veterinarian at once.
Hip Spots
These two spots, one on each side of the hips, show up when your hamster has been washing them. They are quite normal and you should not interfere with them. In the wild state these spots are used to mark out the hamster's domain; they are really scent spots. Both sexes have these spots that secrete a scented fluid and are so placed that they would easily mark both sides of the burrow, warning off any intruders.
