Question about Hamsters health?

Question

I have a long haired teddy bear hamster who is about a month and a half old. He is active, eats, and drinks, but his backside is wet and he smells. Does he have wet tail? If so, what do I do? How do I tell if he has this illness?

UPDATE: Thank you to all who helped me! Bart is being taken care of and will be better in about 8 days.

Answer 1

absolutely has wet tail...if you have to ask and it is very noticeable on his rear...definately get him medication from the vet or the pet store...he could die

Answer 2

that was a good explanation of wettail but it could be only diarrhea. we hope so as this is easier to treat & not life-threatening. u said he seems active and is eating/drinking. both good signs. with wettail they r usually lethagic & sit hunched up. do u see any wet droppings? or diarrhea? the smell worries me. take away all fruits/veggies for now. were u feeding him any? if so--how much? u can feed him some dry burnt toast and just dry grains for now. make sure his water bottle is clean & has fresh water---u can add 50% childrens plain pedialyte 50% water to make sure hes hydrated. he will need to see a vet if its wettail or he'll die & if not better within a couple days even if its just diarrhea.

Answer 3

Wet Tail is a disease that is thought to be stress related and often affects young hamsters around the time of weaning, as this can be a stressful time. Therefore it is important when buying a new hamster that its cage is prepared before its arrival home and it is left to become familiar with its new surroundings in peace apart from feeding for a day or two to keep stress to a minimum. It is also thought that Wet Tail can be caused by bad living conditions, etc which could also cause stress.

Wet Tail is a bacterial infection or an imbalance of the natural bacteria in the hamster's stomach or intestine and is often confused with diarrhoea. Although a hamster with Wet Tail has diarrhoea, the diarrhoea is so severe that the hamster is wet and/or dirty not only around the anus but usually around the top of the tail as well. The diarrhoea is accompanied by a strong unpleasant smell. Droppings are pale in colour and extremely soft and may contain mucus. The hamster often walks hunched up, is weak and lethargic and may squeal in pain. Symptoms take 7 days to appear and the disease is often fatal with death occurring as early as 24 hours after the appearance of the symptoms. Therefore it is vital that veterinary treatment is sought immediately if a hamster shows symptoms of Wet Tail. Do not rely on over-the-counter products such as Dri-Tail to treat Wet Tail as these are often not effective against severe cases of Wet Tail. These should only be used if it is not possible to get the hamster to a vet immediately and veterinary advice should still be sought at the earliest opportunity, but do ensure if you have used any over-the-counter product that you inform your vet when you visit.

Hamsters suffering from Wet Tail often die from dehydration rather than from Wet Tail itself, or they simply refuse to eat or drink. Also, because of the severe diarrhoea Wet Tail can lead to rectal prolapse where the intestine is pushed outside the body through the anus.

Veterinary treatment will consist of a course of antibiotics, anti-diarrhoeal medication and help with rehydration. The hamster should be kept warm and quiet whilst undergoing treatment and be disturbed as little as possible. Wet Tail is contagious to other hamsters and so any hamster suffering from Wet Tail should be isolated from other hamsters. It is also a good idea to wash your hands thoroughly after handling a hamster suffering from Wet Tail, to avoid passing the infection back to the hamster worsening its condition and certainly before handling other hamsters (this is best kept to a minimum). It is a good idea to remove droppings from the cage at intervals and disinfect the cage with a disinfectant designed for small animal cages when cleaning the cage. Although it is important to keep stress to a minimum it may help to clean the cage of a hamster suffering from Wet Tail every 2 or 3 days.

Any equipment occupied or used by a hamster that has died from Wet Tail should be disinfected thoroughly with a disinfectant designed for small animal cages and left to stand for a few weeks before being used by another hamster.

Wet Tail is a disease associated more commonly with the Syrian Hamster and is not associated with Dwarf Hamsters. Dwarf Hamsters can suffer severe diarrhoea but it is not clear at present that they actually suffer from 'Wet Tail'.

Susceptibility to Wet Tail is also thought to be genetically inherited and so it is best not to breed from any hamster that has suffered from Wet Tail during its life.

Answer 4

How does a Hamster get Wet-Tail?
Wet-tail, also know as Proliferative Ileitis, is a stress related bacterial disease which is very contagious. It occurs in small animals such as Syrian hamsters. (Dwarf hamsters do not get wet tail but the can suffer from diahrroea.) It is usually contracted when your pet is stressed, usually when you first get the pet. The hamster you get could already have Wet-tail, yet not all the symptoms are noticeable. Once a hamster gets Wet-tail, they should never be bred, as it could cause more stress, and the Wet-tail could be inherited by the offspring.

How does an animal get Wet-Tail?
Many stress related things can cause a hamster to get Wet-tail. They can easily become stressed from being handled too much (after just getting your hamster), being away from mother/siblings, change in diet, improper/inadequate cage cleaning, often, etc. There are many other reasons that hamsters can get Wet-tail.

A new, young hamster is most likely to contract Wet-tail, simply because they are young, and stressed at being put in a new, unfamiliar environment. Along with younger baby hamsters, long haired hamsters are also more likely to get the Wet-tail disease.

What are the Symptoms?
Wet-tail symptoms are not very noticeable for the first few days. It will usually take about 7 days for the symptoms to begin showing.

What to look for:
Watery diarrhea, foul smell
Wet, dirty tail area
Pet not grooming itself
Not eating/drinking
Looking dehydrated and lethargic
Walking with a hunched up back
Constantly sleeping
* Some more serious cases result in rectal prolapse

Without veterinary treatment, a hamster will usually die within 24 to 48 hours after the symptoms are noticed.

How do I treat my Hamster?
If you notice that your hamster has Wet-tail, you should take it to the vet immediately for a medical diagnosis and help. Some pet stores sell Dri-Tail Drops that you can buy to treat your pet. However it is common that the drops do not help, and sometimes even worsen the Wet-tail. A visit to a vet is the only responsible treatment.

If your hamster gets Wet-tail, you should soak the cage and accessories in a bathtub mixed with bleach and water. Then let the cage air dry and wash it again with dishwashing liquid. After this, your pet should be isolated. You need to clean the cage and accessories every 2-3 days to keep your hamster's home clean. You also need to keep your hamster hydrated with fluids. Recommended is Pedialyte mixed with water. Also, when holding your sick hamster, you should wash your hands afterwards, as the bacteria can get spread to other pets. If you have taken your hamster to the vet, be sure to give them their medicine as prescribed. (If you are given any, you most likely will be.) It is also best to use the medicine until the bottle is empty.

Prevention
Since Wet-tail is stress related, it is best to make your new hamster completely at home. Before you purchase your pet, its new home should already be prepared. It is best to isolate your hamster for a week or two to make sure there is nothing wrong. Also, give your hamster a few days to get used to its new environment before handling it. If you have other animals, don't let them around your new hamster, as it could become scared and nervous.

Other helpful things to know about hamsters:


Your Hamster's First Home

The most important keys to finding the right cage for your hamster is safety and size. Most store-bought cages are safe. Rubbermaid tubs are also safe. Aquariums are safe, (if there are no cracks or breaks in the glass) but I personally feel that they are too small/narrow for any number of hamsters past the hand-training period. Also, I don't recommend them because they are too sensitive to heat and cold- making the hamster very uncomfortable in extreme temperatures.
If you are planning to bring home a baby syrian, ("teddy-bear hamster") keep in mind that he will grow- up to 8 inches long! A small cage is fine for now, but after the bonding period, he will need alot more space and stimulation. (Syrians MUST live alone!)
If you are considering a pair, or trio of dwarves, a small cage is fine for now, but dwarves also need more room and stimulation after the bonding period.
If you plan to buy a "hand-crafted" cage from a dealer, or make one yourself, here are some things to consider: Is the floor solid? (Open-slotted, wire bases are dangerous and painful to a rodent's feet and legs.) Are the bars close enough together? (The rule is, "If the head fits through, the body will follow." Remember, a hamster has very agile bones, and can squeaze through very small spaces! (especially dwarves!)

The Wheel:

The wheel you choose for your hamster should have a SOLID SURFACE, and if it does sit on a stand, your hamster should NOT have to come in contact with it at all to enter the wheel. (such as the dangerous wheels featured under this page's title.)
You ask, "If these wheels are so dangerous, why do the major pet store chains sell them?" Good question... I asked one chain's corporate headquarters the same thing. After, they stopped selling the open slatted ones, but now still sell the "mesh" surfaced ones. I'm not so sure these are any better. Let's just stick with solid surfaces, for the sake of our hamster's poor little feet, ok?

My recommendations: Superpet caries a super-safe, inexpensive wheel in many sizes, called a "Comfort Wheel." The smallest is good for dwarves, while a syrian will need a larger wheel- one that appears large enough for a rat.

Remember these rules for providing your hamster a safe, comfortable wheel:
1) Any wheel with open rungs will injure your hamster sooner or later.
2) Any wheel that causes your hamster to have to pass through an axle to enter it is a hanging waiting to happen, and should be avoided.
3) If your hamster must arch his back to run in his wheel, even in the slightest, the wheel is too small and you should replace it with a larger one as soon as possible.

A Hamster's Diet:

Your hamster needs ONLY a basic hamster mix during the first few days. Save the treats for when you feel your hamster is ready to take it from your hand. (This taming tool will help your hamster learn to trust your hand- more about that later)

My recommendations:
Kaytee's "Fiesta" hamster mix- be careful to check the label for "hamster/gerbil mix." Fiesta mix can be found almost everywhere, including walmart.
Petsmart carries "Nutriphase." It is also well balanced.
I have successfully used both of these brands for my hamsters, but my first choice would be the "Fiesta" hamster/gerbil mix- it is less expensive (if you buy it at walmart) and provides more of a variety.

Please do NOT give your hamster:


Cedar or pine shavings: Both contain toxic oils/fumes that can cause serious respiratory problems for hamsters and humans alike. Also, I have personally witnessed severe skin irritation and fur loss with several hamsters using pine bedding.
If you are using pine/cedar and are not noticing these symptoms, I still strongly recommend using more suitable bedding. But, if you ARE noticing illness/irritation to your hamster, please change the bedding IMMEDIATELY! Also, skin healing will come faster if you will provide your hamster a sand bath -either children's play sand, or chinchilla SAND- NOT chinchilla dust!- to wash away the oils from the wood.



Soft/Fluff bedding: Some pet stores sell this bedding, claiming that it is safe bedding material- IT IS NOT!!! Not only can it can become lodged and possibly choke your hamster, it has also been known to block a hamster's intestinal tract (accidentally swallowed) and has caused death!. Besides- where would hamsters have found fluff bedding in the wild?



Instead of those listed above, please DO give your hamster:

Carefresh (or it's less expensive Walmart alternative, "Crittercare") Carefresh is the safest- made of plain, harmless, recycled paper. It is simply the best and safest bedding you can provide for your hamster.

Answer 5

i have a hamster email me at [e-mail] and i will tell you