My hamster has a red, scabby bump on its foot. Should I take it to the vet?

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) may be needed to solve the problem. Disinfection may be started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. 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.

It may be an abscess or mass. A visit to your veterinarian would be recommended. A fine needle aspirate can be done in the clinic to collect samples for pathology. If it is an abscess, it may be drained and antibiotics dispensed. If it a mass, benign or malignant, you can discuss treatment options with your veterinarian.

Thanks for reaching out about Biddy. Is Biddy new? Could it have been a fight with another animal? Hair loss, swollen and scabbed sounds like a wound. This could be parasitic, bacterial, fungal, endocrine and more. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Do not apply anything topical such as Neosporin as some of these medications can be ingested and cause problems. Good luck.

What a cute little hamster! That toe could be swollen from an infection, a small string partially wrapped deep around toe, a fracture, a mass growing there....it’s a lot of possibilities. I would say at this point if it has not resolved on its own, which it would do by now if it was just an injury, you need to see a vet to have it checked out. He may need antibiotic or anti inflammatory or even diagnostics such as X-rays or aspirate of the swelling.

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.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! From the photo, I can see a small ulceration or reddened area on one of Leilani's feet. This can be due to a pressure sore and a secondary infection. These issues can be caused by inappropriate flooring in the cage such as wire. Leilani should have a solid floor cage with plenty of bedding. Heavier animals are predisposed to these types of wounds from the increased pressure on the feet, so Leilani may need to cut down on treats if she is overweight to help the condition resolve. You should have Leilani seen by a vet as soon as possible, as she may require antibiotics if an infection is present. In the meantime, you should keep the area clean and apply a small amount of SSD (silver sulfadiazene) ointment to the area to promote healing. I hope this helps!

It is difficult to suggest what this might be without a visual. However, crusty scabs can either be due to infection (bacterial, fungal or viral) or due to a parasitic infection (mites, fleas etc). Benign sebaceous cysts can also sometime form crusty scabs as can malignant masses. Your veterinarian will be able to perform testing (skin scrape and cytology or fine needle aspirate) to determine what the scab is and prescribe appropriate treatment.