My hamster is breathing weird, bleeding, and cold. What should I do?

I would be concerned that Snow has a wound on the nose, and that she sounds like she is having difficulty breathing. If you have noticed this with a change of bedding, I would recommend removing the bedding and replacing it, or you can utilize towels or fleece for a period of time. It would be ideal to have Snow evaluated by a veterinarian - they may recommend treatment with topical or oral antibiotics, depending on the severity of the wound. If you are unable to take her to a veterinarian initially, I would recommend keeping a close eye on her breathing abilities. Additionally, if any discharge, crusting, inflammation/reddening, or swelling occurs, I would strongly advise her to be taken to a veterinarian. Please do not give Snow any human medications, as many of them can be harmful to our furry friends. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I hope Snow feels better soon.

Hello, I'm so sorry to hear your hamster is not feeling well. The photo looks like she may have some diarrhea, which may help to explain why she has been lifting her bum up (tender) and has been lethargic. Her increased breathing rate may be a sign of pain. Unfortunately, two years old is considered elderly for a hamster so we also need to think about cancer as a possible cause as well. I would take her to a hamster-friendly vet as soon as possible. They may be able pinpoint a cause, and at least to provide medication to help with the diarrhea and pain, and fluids to help rehydrate her. I hope this helps.

When there is red material from around the rear end, it could be coming from the anus, the reproductive tract, or the urinary tract. Additionally, there could be some kind of trauma in the area as well. Seeing blood intermittently is not uncommon with any of these areas. I would recommend that you have Peanut evaluated by a veterinarian. Since she is eating and drinking normally, you likely don't need to rush in tonight, unless you have an emergency veterinarian who is comfortable with evaluating hamsters. If not, it may be better to wait until your regular veterinarian is available. However, if you see a change in Peanut's attitude or appetite, or if her feet start to look more pale in color than pink, I would recommend taking her in immediately. The pale color would be indicative of her losing a great deal of blood. When at the vet, they will clean the area and try to determine where the red material is coming from. There is a pigment that rodents produce, called porphyrins, that can look similar to blood. Your veterinarian can help to distinguish between the two. I hope that Peanut feels better soon!

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear that Lily is not doing well. Bleeding from the rectal area can be caused by several issues. If you're sure the blood is coming from her rectum and not from her urethra or vagina, she may have an intestinal problem, like constipation or a parasite. It's also possible that she has a common hamster condition called wet tail, if she also has loose stools. Wet tail is severe diarrhea that is sometimes accompanied by bloody stools in certain severe cases, and is caused by a bacterial infection. It can be deadly, so acquiring treatment by a veterinarian is important to ensure survival. If the blood could be coming from the vaginal or urethral area, she could have a uterine or urinary tract infection that is causing the bleeding. These openings are very close to each other in female hamsters, so it can be easy to mistake one for the other. All of these conditions require the assistance of a veterinarian to get Lily better. If the bleeding is prolific of if Lily is also lethargic, she may need to be seen right away. There is an exotic veterinarian near you that can help: Animal and Exotic Medical Center 18962 N Dale Mabry Hwy, Lutz, FL 33548 (813) 269-5200 In the meantime, keep Lily warm and calm. There is not likely much that you can do for her at home safely aside from keeping her rectal area clean. Good luck, and I hope Lily gets well soon!

This sounds like Trico is pretty ill and should be seen by your vet or at an ER clinic ASAP. Moving her to a travel carrier or shoebox with ventilation that is warm, dark and quiet can help keep her calm and get her transported to the vet immediately for care.

I'm sorry to hear that Tracy isn't feeling well. Certainly the jump in temperature may have effected her, but good that you are working to fix that. Blood from the genital area is quite worrying. It may be that she is a little dehydrated with the heat and her stools are firmer causing a little bleeding. However, it could also indicate an issue in the intestinal tract such as infection. Likewise the blood could be coming from the vulva and be related to a urinary or even reproductive tract issue. Unless she is much improved today I would take her to the vet as she will likely require treatment that is not available at home.

Chewie sounds very sick, and I am so sorry that this is happening. From what you are describing, she needs to see a veterinarian immediately. She can then be evaluated to see if there are any possible treatments for her, and if there are not, they can assist with euthanasia if that is needed or desired by you to ease her suffering. 18 months is an older age for a hamster, so that may be related to why she is getting sick. The material around her nose may be making it hard for her to breathe as well - if she tolerates it, you can clean the material off with a warm, wet cloth, but be careful so that she doesn't panic or struggle when you do it since she is already having a hard time breathing. The veterinarian can also clean this off for you as well. I am so sorry again - it is never easy to have a pet get sick.