Scout's Eye is Bleeding

DallyDaydream · 01-13-2014, 08:45 PM

One of these days I really need to post about something other than being worried about my hamster...

I was just cleaning out Scout's cage (in the small hours of the morning, yes, I'm too much a night owl) and put her in her ball while doing so. Now I do know that hamsters in balls need to be supervised just like hamsters in a playpen. I did keep an eye on her, but evidently not a close enough eye, as hers somehow got hurt.

When I put her back in her cage I noticed her right eye had a film of blood over it. I have no idea how this happened, but it must have been when she was in her ball. (Scratched herself, maybe?)

Anyway she seemed to get the worst of it off herself and I had a go at dabbing a bit more off, and she doesn't seem to be bleeding anymore. But I was really panicked, and to be on the safe side put her in her little travel case with some bedding, a house, food and water and some cardboard to chew on, to limit any further damage.

However she doesn't seem at all distressed by her injury, unless you count being severely put out and being confined to her carry case. (I'm going to have to put her back in her Alexander soon I think, she really wants out.)

I'm going to make an appointment with the vet as soon as possible, but if there's any advice any of you can give me, such as anything else I should do for Scout or any precautions to take to keep this from happening again, I'd be really grateful.

racinghamster · 01-14-2014, 01:46 AM

Hiya. The first thing I would advise would be put a hammer through the ball.

I don`t like balls at all and sometimes they can injure a small animal and it`s just not worth risking. A solid sided playpen made from Perspex or old cardboard boxes or a large storage box is a safer option.

If your going to see the vet that`s good. It will at least let you know if it`s fine to heal on it`s own or whether any real damage has been done. She may have burst something by hitting against the ball.

The last thing you want is a badly injured eye that may need removed because this is major surgery, but hopefully it will just be a small vessel or swelling that will go down on it`s own. Let us know how she is. x

DallyDaydream · 01-14-2014, 06:18 AM

I've made an appointment with the vet for this afternoon; I'll let you all know how we get on.

racinghamster · 01-14-2014, 07:15 AM

That`s good, hope she`s okay. The vet should be able to give you a better idea of what`s going on. x

DallyDaydream · 01-14-2014, 08:35 AM

Thanks for the well wishes.

The vet reasoned that she'd had a bump in the ball and scratched her eye, but assured me that these things do happen sometimes, so I don't feel like the worst hamster owner in the world, heh. Seems like the scratch should heal okay; she's given me some eye drops (to be given twice a day for a week) to help prevent infection.

The most trying part of the ordeal for Scout seems to have been the occasions when she was removed from her cage. The injury itself doesn't seem to bother her at all, and she didn't even complain when I administered the first eye drop when we got home. Then again I was bribing her with sunflower seeds.

I'll keep an eye on her, erm, eye, and be ready to make another appointment if things don't go as planned.

Thanks again!

racinghamster · 01-14-2014, 08:50 AM

Glad things went okay.

But I wouldn`t use the ball again. Maybe just use it as something to carry her in from place to place but not actually lock her in it as a play area. She would enjoy a free run on the landing or in a home-made run while you sit on the floor with her! Is Scout a Syrian or a dwarf hamster?

DallyDaydream · 01-14-2014, 08:06 PM

She's a Syrian.

And yes, she does have a playpen that she likes a lot. (Though sometimes she like escaping from it even more.)

I've had kind of a worrying development though; she's been sniffling and staying in bed this evening, so I think she might have caught a cold. Have put some food and bits of cucumber (for hydration) next to her bed so she doesn't have to move around too much. Poor thing. She might have to go back to the vet all over again. :/

souffle · 01-15-2014, 01:01 AM

It is more likely that there is some swelling in the tubes leading down from the eye to the nasal cavity - the tear ducts. She is likely feeling a bit sore too poor wee thing. Was it definitely blood you saw? Hamsters that are sick often have a reddish discharge from the back of the eye that is not actually blood but called porphyrin. It is seem with a variety of infections not only of the eye but generally.
I'd watch this closely and take her back at any sign of getting worse. Keep her nice and warm but not too hot and offer some soft foods to tempt her. I hope she feels better soon x

DallyDaydream · 01-15-2014, 10:28 AM

Thanks, Souffle. I had assumed it was blood, and the vet finding a scratch seemed to back that up, but maybe the red liquid was the result of infection rather than broken skin. It's somewhat heartening to know if she doesn't have a cold on top of her injury, but either way I do hate for her to suffer. You can bet I'll keep an eye on her. If she's feeling up to it later I might post a photo or two for clarification on her condition.

The radiator's turned up so the room hovers around 22 degrees, and I've left plenty of extra paper bedding outside her bedroom in addition to the food (Harry Hamster muesli) and cucumber bits.

If you don't mind me asking just a couple more questions, is there anything specific I should look out for besides how her eye progresses? And what kind of soft foods would be best? I'm still such a newbie at all this and this is the first time Scout's really been sick, you see.

souffle · 01-15-2014, 11:02 AM

Things to watch out for are 'clicky' or wheezy breathing, looking hunched up and ruffled fur.
Lethargy and no interest in food as well as not eating of coming out much. Just any changes in normal behavior that may indicate she isn't feeling well.
Soft foods to tempt here would be a teaspoon of baby food (grandma's sunday lunch is liked but any veggy/chicken one) some porridge with a wee splash of milk, some plain cooked chicken or pasta, mashed veg, boiled rice are all liked. Just not too much and try one at a time.
It may be that is was a scratch after all and now it is a bit swollen in her tubes with the drops so give them time to work. What type do you have?