My old hamster is smelly with a swollen bum and gunky eye. What now?

She may have an infection in a tooth, jaw or mouth. If she will allow, check her cheek pouches for impaction. Hamsters will sometimes hoard food for so long that it will actually begin to rot in the mouth causing inflammation and infection. You can apply gentle pressure to get her to empty her pouches. They may need to be flushed with an antiseptic solution and she may need antibiotics or pain medication. Unfortunately, these medications must be dispensed by a veterinarian. A physical exam will be required in most instances before antibiotics or other prescription medications can be dispensed.

This presentation could be due to a trauma, a mass or a localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or mites). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical) are 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.

Thanks for reaching out about Hammy. You can wipe him with a warm, moistened clean towel. If recurs, a veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Intestinal parasites or infections, metabolic disorders (liver, kidney), ingested foreign bodies, exposure to toxins and other conditions can cause a soft stool. Good luck.

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.

Poor Cookie! The tea has hopefully helped but you need to get him to a vet asap as most pressingly it looks like one of his teeth has overgrown so much it has come out of the cheek-what you say looks like a horn. I cant be 100% as the photos are blurry but it certainly looks likely. This could be effecting the eye also, but regardless the vet can check the eyes at the same time.

It sounds like you have done all the home treatment you can do. Since it has not worked your only option at this point is to get her to a vet for an exam. She probably needs an antibiotic ointment for the eye to get this to clear up. Best wishes!

As long as he is eating and behaving, it is probably not wet tail. Typically, they are lethargic and not eating. You can clean him up gently with a plain, unscented baby wipe or pet wipe. Make sure he is dry, warm and stress free afterwards. Monitor for the above symptoms as wet tail can be serious if not addressed promptly by your veterinarian.