Hamster eye swollen shut with white residue. Is it a vet emergency?

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question your hamster and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. This is a medical emergency, and you absolutely have to take him into a vet immediately. This is known as proptosis, and it is is extremely painful. This will be why he's not eating. You cannot leave him in pain and leaving this untreated can lead to vision loss. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website. Best of luck.

This is an emergency and you have to take Chibi into a vet now. This is very painful, and he's been suffering for three weeks already. Please take him into an ER vet clinic; if there isn't one in your area, there will be a vet on call for emergencies. The information to reach that vet is found on a clinic's answering machine or website.

It looks like little Aurora has a proptosed eye. This may be entirely due to the swelling from the scratch or could have popped out from trauma. These type of injuries need treatment right away in order to save the eye. If left like this, it can cause significant damage to the outside of the eyeball and can swell or pop out even more. I recommend taking her to a veterinarian as soon as you can. For now, the best this you can do is try to keep the outside of the eye moist. If you have any antibiotic eye ointment in the house, then it would be best to put this over the eye. Otherwise, you can ask your local pharmacy for lubricating eye ointment. This will help protect the eye, while she is awaiting the vet appointment. Before applying the ointment, it would be best if you can flush the eye with saline for 30 seconds. This can also be found in the pharmacy. I hope that helps and Aurora gets better soon.

Hello and thank you for using Pet Coach concerning Hershey. I would recommend to flush his eye out with sterile saline. Thus will flush out any bedding or anything stuck in there. If he continues to squint the eye, then I would recommend to take him to the vet to get his eye stained to look for a scratch. Bacterial infections are also possible and treatment is antibacterial eye drops. I hope this helps!

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!

He should be examined by your veterinarian. If he has "wet tail" (proliferative ileitis), he will need treatment and supportive care. Keep his cage clean. Change bedding daily if necessary. Keep him warm and as stress free as possible. Discontinue feeding any treats, fruits or vegetables until he recovers.

Thanks for reaching out about Peanut. You need to be careful with the antiseptic getting into the eye as they are not meant for ophthalmic use. Many topical antibiotics can also be detrimental if groomed and ingested. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess the eye and other wound care. Good luck.