Why is my dwarf hamster bleeding from ear after falling off wheel?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Bleeding can be from trauma or an internal cause such as a ruptured vessel or severe parasitic infection. It is a little difficult to determine the exact cause without a photo, but if there is a small amount of blood, some form but gentle pressure on the area will likely stop the bleeding. You should gently trim Puky’s nails to avoid further trauma. If the bleeding does not stop, I recommend having him seen by a vet as soon as possible. I hope all is well!

Thanks for reaching out about Mille and including a photo. Dermal mites are a common condition in hamsters, causing itching and possible scabs. If the ear is bleeding, could be scratching hard enough to bleed, but also possible ear mass. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic plan. Try cleaning with a warm wet washcloth. Do not apply anything topical such as Neosporin as this can cause serious intestinal upset if ingested. good luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach, sorry to hear that your hamster was bitten! If the area is no longer bleeding and your hamster has a normal level of activity, and is eating/drinking/urinating/defecating normally, you can continue to monitor for any signs of infection (discharge, swelling, or redness). If you notice these signs, you should have him evaluated by a veterinarian as soon as possible. In the meantime, you can carefully trim your hamster's nails so that he does not traumatize the area while grooming and apply a very small amount (just the tip of a Q-tip) of silver sulfadiazene (SSD) or triple antibiotic ointment such as Neosporin to the area. In the future, I recommend not allowing your cat near the hamster cage, or having a very sturdy lid to avoid accidents.

Thanks for reaching out about Lune. Hair loss is probably due to scratching. The redness inside the ear could be due to infection, inflammation, mites or tumors in the ear. Unfortunately, a veterinary visit is needed for a diagnosis and then to prescribe a treatment. Care must be taken not to apply any topical medications as self grooming is common, and ingestion of medications can be critical. Try to look inside the ear to visualize any lesions. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Stevie. A red ear can be caused by an irritation, an infection, ear mites, ear polyps and possible cancer. Gently cleaning with a warm wet washcloth or cotton tipped applicator could help to determine a cause. If it appears painful or signs of infection, an exotic animal veterinarian needs to be seen to determine a treatment. Good luck.

Sorry to hear about Flash. If you believe his leg might be fractures, you should probably be seen by a veterinarian, as broken legs or back can be very painful and possibly life threatening. I would remove the wheel for now in hopes of preventing further damage to the leg/back.

Hello. That looks like a fairly large amount of blood. Did you check all of his feet & toes? These are common places to get caught & especially nails torn off. Other common sites can be from the mouth due to malocclusions or overgrown teeth that may have cut into the gums, or a possible infected scent gland. If you see more blood, then a veterinary visit may be necessary, but hopefully , all Tiger did was injure a toenail & that is where all the blood came from. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.