Conjunctivitis

mdawes · 02-01-2013, 10:43 AM

Hi, I took my Russian Dwarf Hammy to the vets today for a couple of problems. He's around 14 months now. The first was a skin problem that he's always had since I first got him and never clears up regardless of how many treatments. Anyone come across this before? He gets a bit scabby around his ears.

The second is his eye. A few weeks ago his eye looked sore and he can't open it when he first wakes up. I cleaned it out with a cotton bud and some cooled boiled water which seemed to do the trick. It came back though and the water trick didn't work this time. The Vets has prescribed eye cream as he thinks it's conjunctivitis, the very early stages of it. Although he couldn't really see cause the mischief wouldn't stay still and chewed the vets hand off.. oops. However he only put on instructions use 3 times daily, which is going to be a pain cause you really can't get him still, but didn't say how many days to use it for?? Don't want to use it too much on him.

**DrKMcK** · 02-01-2013, 10:48 AM

Phone the vet and ask them to explain it clearly for you. You might need to wrap your little one up to make it easier to put the cream in. It takes a lot of patience but it can be done. What did the vet say about the skin and ears?

Vectis Hamstery · 02-01-2013, 10:56 AM

I also have a ham with a poorly eye. He usually sits quietly for his drops/ointment (we've had different ones to clear it up) but he can understandably get a little fed up with it so I swaddle him in a tea towel, making sure that his paws are wrapped inside with his head poking out - like a hamster sausage roll!

mdawes · 02-01-2013, 10:58 AM

I'll have to try that swaddling tomorrow. Afraid i'll hold him too tight.

He said try the treatment for a bit longer for his skin. So i have to apply a drop to his back once a week for a month to see if that'll help.

csockman · 02-01-2013, 11:24 AM

mdawes, it sounds like you are treating your ham for some type of ecto/endo parasite like mites. If this is not proving effective, can you have your vet test for a fungal infection (either through a skin scraping and/or culture)? Fungal infections are also easily treatable with a ham-safe medicine.

Advanced stage fungal infection pictures (these were my hamsters)
http://sites.google.com/site/ourrobohamsters/

**DrKMcK** · 02-01-2013, 11:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by csockman

mdawes, it sounds like you are treating your ham for some type of ecto/endo parasite like mites. If this is not proving effective, can you have your vet test for a fungal infection (either through a skin scraping and/or culture)? Fungal infections are also easily treatable with a ham-safe medicine.

Advanced stage fungal infection pictures (these were my hamsters)
http://sites.google.com/site/ourrobohamsters/

This is an excellent link! Firstly because it shows exactly what ringworm looks like and just how bad it can get. Secondly, because it shows your hammy can get better even though it was so bad. So often, people think that if a hammy gets sick or picks up a disease, that's the end of the hamster. Not so at all. But it does mean lots of time, effort and money, all of which should have been considered whan the hammy was brought home in the first place. This link is going into my Special info folder. Thanks