Why is my hamster's jaw, eye, or lip swollen? What should I do?

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 Cooper and including a photo. Impacted or infected cheek pouches are not uncommon. A veterinary visit is recommended to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Try massaging the cheek pouch in an attempt to empty it. Good luck.

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!

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.

I’m sorry to hear that Amber isn’t feeling well! I’m not able to advise on what may be causing the condition without seeing a photo, but a bulging eye is likely to be painful. She may be causing further trauma by scratching the area. I recommend carefully trimming Amber’s nails to prevent her from scratching the area. This may help along with the antibiotics.

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!