My baby hamster's eye is shut. Is it an infection or something else?

That is likely to be due to a mild to moderate conjunctivitis, probably secondary to a trauma or infection. A check up would be needed as appropriate treatment would include antibiotics and anti-inflammatory eye drops. Corneal injuries must be ruled out as well. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

It does seems as Silva is suffering from an eye infection, you will need to take him to your vet ASAP in order to get the eyes checked, he will most likely need antibiotic eyedrops for a couple weeks.

I am sorry that this is happening to Junie B. I would be concerned about the possibility of an eye injury, and infection, a tooth root abscess, or even a tumor could cause these symptoms. I would highly recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian soon. In the meantime I would recommend that you use a warm water compress to soak the eye once or twice a day. Best of luck and I hope she improves soon. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

It is hard to tell based on the picture alone what exactly is going on with Meeko’s eye. There is almost certainly inflammation and infection present. Since the drops do not seem to be addressing the problem I would recommend taking Meeko in for a recheck examination. If your hamster has an infection inside the eye (as opposed to the outside/surface of the eye) she may need an oral antibiotic to help her get over it. Other concerns for an eye like this would be a cancer of the eye itself. If this is the case, the eye could be removed and your hamster would do just fine. In any case, I would recommend having a recheck done by a veterinarian that is comfortable seeing hamsters. It’s only been a couple days so don’t worry too much. Hopefully the problem will be addressed at your recheck appointment and hamster will do great. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. If you have anymore questions please let us know. Best of luck.

The eye does look a bit irritated. You can clean the spot with a washcloth to help keep the eye open and clear, and to allow you to inspect it for any wounds or additional irritation. If it doesn't clear up on its own after a day or so, seems to worsen, or the crusting continues or worsens, it would be best to have it examined by a vet in person to rule out any injuries or infections in the eye that could be causing it.

Thanks for reaching out about Baby and including a photo. Possibly this is not a simple infection and possible dental disease or a mass. Radiographs might help identify the condition more. Good luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The crusting and discharge you describe can be normal, but accumulate if Churro is not grooming as much as he should be. Decreased grooming can be caused by many conditions and is a pretty vague indicator of overall health. A viral infection or conjunctivitis can also be to blame. I recommend having Churro seen by a vet, especially if he is not eating as much as usual or is less active.