My hamster has an infected facial abscess. What can I do at home?

Thanks for reaching out about Galya. You can clean the abscess are with a warm, moistened cloth or cotton tipped applicator. Topical medications are often ingested and can cause gastrointestinal upset, so not recommended. Try clipping the fur around the open lesion to lessen contamination. Continue with the oral antibiotics if hamster appropriate. Providing heat support in the 75 F range could give some aid, not letting it get too cold. If this veterinarian can't help you, find one who can. Good luck.

Poor baby! He probably needs some oral antibiotics but since cost is a concern, you can try treating at home. I would gently try to express any pus out of the ruptured area. I would do this the next few days until you are no longer getting any pus out. I would try to clean it with some mild soap and water after you squeeze it. If it is near his ears or eyes, be care to not get it in his ears or eyes. You can try putting some neosporin on the area twice a day as well. If possible, do not let him lick it. You can use a small piece of plastic and make a small cone collar to prevent this if needed. With these guys being so tiny, you will likely have to make your own temporary collar. I have attached a video of how to make one for a sugar glider which are similar in size. I hope this helps and you are able to get it to heal on its own. Just know that if he stops eating or it isn’t improving within a couple of days then it likely won’t heal without some oral antibiotics. Also if the abscess is near the mouth, it could be a tooth root abscess which will also need to be treated by a vet. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=67Zn5rsPW5Y

Thanks for reaching out about Hamsy and Shamcey? Abscesses usually require systemic antibiotics to cure, so a veterinary visit is needed. Trying to keep clean with a dilute betadyne will help. Monitor appetite and water intake. good luck.

It has the appearance of an abscess or other infection. She likely needs antibiotics for treatment. These require an exam with your veterinarian before they can be dispensed. In the meantime, keep the area clean and dry. The most you can do is use diluted Betadine or chlorhexidine (Hibiclens) to cleanse the area daily. Monitor for lethargy or loss of appetite.

If Hannibal has an abscess, this is actually painful and can make him quite sick. Hamsters are good at hiding illnesses and pain because they are prey animals, so he may be feeling pretty badly without seeing obvious signs. The best thing for him is to have him seen by a vet in the morning. An abscess has to be treated by a vet.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Even though I cannot see very well from the pic you upload unfortunately, this presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to approach the problem. Euthanasia should be considered only this lesion is causing severe inappetence. 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!

Absolutely not, Hamsters do not tolerate this antibiotics. if it is an abscess it needs to be lanced under anesthesia and then cleaned and washed, then a different antibiotic (baytril) should be given for 2-3 weeks.