My hamster bit the baby hamster's eye. Is a vet visit urgently needed?

Hi, and thanks for your question. 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. I understand this may be stressful for your Dwarf hamster but it would be quite important to confirm this clinical suspicion. 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. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!

Thanks for reaching out about Othello. Take a careful look at the eye itself, and if concerns, a veterinary visit is very important. If the scratch is only around the eye, continue to keep clean. Monitor food and water intake, activity and possible ocular discharge. Good luck.

Hello and thank you for reaching out to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I'm sorry to hear that another hamster attacked Sugar. I recommend bringing him to your veterinarian to have him examined, have the wounds cleaned, and he can be given medication for pain and antibiotics. Any bite wound has the potential to become grossly infected and abscessed, which is very painful and can require surgery to resolve. In the meantime, you can try gently wiping any discharge away from the wounds with a damp cloth. I hope this is helpful!

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.

Hello. So sorry that Humphrey is having this issue. My initial thought was that your salt solution you made was too strong. I think you may be seeing salt residue that is flaking now that it is dried on his skin. Can you give him a bath and see if that is the case? If not, then he will definitely need to see the vet. If it was just the salt, then you can continue to use that to wipe/treat the eye but make sure your ratio is correct: Put one cup of water and ½ teaspoon of salt into a pot. Put the lid on. Boil for 15 minutes with the lid on (set a timer). Set the pan aside until cooled to room temperature. Carefully pour the salt and water (normal saline) from the pan into a clean jar or bottle and put the lid on to keep bacteria out. If you opt to take him to your vet for an exam I would just take him in when your vet's office is open - you don't need to rush him to an emergency clinic. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Snoopy should be physically examined by your veterinarian. He may not need sutures but he may need antibiotics to prevent or treat infection. His hair looks quite matted. His lack of grooming may indicate an underlying illness or injury which should be diagnosed and addressed by your vet.

Thanks for reaching out about Snoboll. Trying to irrigate or rinse with a saline solution for eyes, might help to dislodge some foreign particles. Additional care such as ophthalmic antibiotics or analgesia needs to be prescribed by a veterinarian. A veterinary visit is recommended as ocular lesions can progress quickly to infected corneas or possible loss of vision. Good luck.