My hamster's eye is infected and keeps filling with mucus. What to do?

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.

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!

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.

This can be due to the presence of blood in the anterior chamber of the eye. Infections and trauma are common cause of it. 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.

Hello there! I'm sorry to hear about Maruko's eye. It certainly does look like it's a bit irritated. This could be a few different conditions - it could be an infection of the eyelids (called blepharitis), infection of the conjunctiva (pink eye), or an abrasion or scratch on the cornea. The treatment will depend on the condition, but only a vet will be able to prescribe medication that will help. In the meantime, keeping the eye clean with a soft cloth and some warm water will help prevent further irritation. Application of a protective eye ointment may also help with discomfort - artificial tears ointment is a good choice for this (you can find it at a drugstore or on Amazon). There are other, more serious conditions that Maruko could have (like glaucoma), but this is less likely considering her young age. I strongly suggest a vet visit if this condition doesn't clear up within the next day as continued eye irritation can cause permanent damage to her eye. Good luck, and I hope that Maruko gets well soon!

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Freya. The picture appears to show a small wound below her eye. Is there any way that should have hurt herself? I do recommend that she sees a veterinarian. If she has an eye infection (I cannot tell from the picture), then pawing at the eye can make a wound below it. The veterinarian will examine her and determine if she needs a medication such as an antibiotic eye ointment or drop. I hope this information helps!

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.