Why is my hamster losing fur, weight, and has a black skin spot?

Yoshi probably has fleas, mites, ringworm or some other type of external parasite. It could be serious, yes. All of these conditions could cause some skin lesions or hair loss. If you think he may have one of these conditions then a vet visit is a good idea. There is no over the counter treatment I can tell you to use without knowing the underlying cause. Because of the crusts on the skin he may need antibiotics as well. Also, hamsters are very easy to overdose on medications because they are so small so it is not recommended you attempt to treat at home. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It sounds like Bear may have a fungal infection, fur or skin mites, or a skin infection. Most of these conditions are very itchy, and some hamsters may actually scratch so much that they draw blood. This can lead to further infection as the skin barrier is compromised. I recommend having Bear looked at by a vet as soon as possible to determine the cause of his skin condition and begin the appropriate treatment. You can carefully trim Bear's nails in the meantime to prevent him from causing further trauma. I hope this helps!

Thanks for reaching out about Bobo and including photos, although difficult to determine a lesion by the pictures. Do you have mosquito problems? External parasites such as mites or fleas are possible, as are bacterial skin infections. Try cleaning the area with a mild soap. If the lesion or hair loss progresses, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Yes you should as this could be due to a skin infection, possibly caused by a mite infestation. A clinical examination at your local veterinarian is essential to confirm these clinical suspicions and treat appropriately. 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!

I am very sorry winter is not feeling well. I would recommend taking her to a vet due to the weight loss and hair changes. Typically hamsters do not carry disease like infect people but I would recommend discussing that with the vet at her visit. I would be concerned about possible dental disease, skin infection, skin parasites or even internal disease. Winter really needs a good exam to determine the cause and provide proper treatment. hope that helps

Typically hair loss in hamsters comes with age. Older hamsters can lose their hair due to a lack of protein (less than 16%) or iron in their diet. Other hamster illnesses can cause hair loss including sarcoptic mange, demodex mites, ringworm or disease such as kidney or Cushing’s disease. When you can get him to a vet for an exam I suggest you do so. In the meantime I suggest that you make sure he has a high quality diet and cut back on cereals if you are giving him any. You can give him one drop of cod liver oil daily. You can also use this spot-on product in case the problem is mites. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Beaphar-Anti-Parasite-Hamsters-Gerbils-Rabbits/dp/B073H1GXSR/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=hamster+food+oxbow&qid=1587944081&sr=8-8

Hi there! So very sorry to hear about Jasper! I certainly think you're on the right track thinking about mites. This diagnosis however should be confirmed or ruled out by your veterinarian who can scrape the skin for mites and identify them under the microscope. The itchiness from the mites can cause stress and weight loss. Other causes of itchy skin can be sensitivity to any new products in the environment that may be causing itch and irritation. Also, hamsters can develop Cushing's disease, which effects the adrenal glands - tiny glands around the kidneys that control hormone levels. These hormone levels can become disrupted in this disease process and cause thinning skin and weight loss. Either way, I'd bring your little guy in to see his veterinarian, so he can have an exam and some testing done. One of the mites we can see on pets is called a scabies mite, and those are contagious to humans. Therefore I'd have him seen as soon as you can!