Help! My hamster's ear is bleeding. What's wrong and what to do?

Poor Flash! It is a little difficult to know where the blood came from without a photo. Flash may have scratched himself or caused some trauma to the inner ear. A small scratch should heal easily and you can carefully trim Flash’s nails to ensure he doesn’t cause any further trauma. If he develops a head tilt, or does not act like himself, it can be a sign of inner ear damage and he may require pain medication prescribed by a veterinarian. I hope this helps and am happy to answer any other questions you have!

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.

Hi there and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Any time we see any blood we worry. Bleeding noses are usually caused by trauma in our small fur friends. Your pet may have scraped it on bedding, toys, or even the cage itself. Less commonly of course are things like bacterial infections of the nasal cavity as well as neoplasia (types of cancers). If it persists or reoccurs please see your vet immediately-otherwise just keep an eye on it and make note if you pet has any changes in behavior etc which can make it more concerning. I hope this helps.

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.

Thanks for reaching out about Peko. Hamsters (and all other rodents) do not menstrate. Check the toes nails for bleeding. If you find a toe nail that is bleeding, and has not stopped on its own, a coagulant used for dog nails works well (such as Quik Stop). This should only be used for nail, not for any other lesions. If bleeding from some other place, a veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

If you are unable to take Parker to the vet right now you will just need to keep a close eye on him. Change the bedding in his cage frequently so you can determine if the bleeding is getting worse. Also be sure to offer him lots of fresh food and water to encourage him to keep eating. You may also want to try and apply some topical antibiotic ointment to his bottom if that is the area that is affected. I hope this helps. Best of luck. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Poor Rhino! If there is a visible wound, putting pressure on it to stop the bleeding and keeping it clean and dry can help. If there is a lot of bleeding ongoing and not stopping, bleeding is from the mouth or anus, or you see other signs of illness, seeking out vet care right away is best to try and find the cause.