Female bleeding

SquishyHelium · 01-23-2014, 12:10 PM

My female is bleeding again. Last time it happened was before Christmas, took her to vets and was prescribed Baytril 0.06ml per day by syringe. The vet said he could not feel a pyometria, so suggested that it was either likely to be cystitis or cancer. I noticed her bleeding again last night and immediately gave her some antibiotics and have ordered a new prescription from the vet which I will collect tomorrow (thankfully still had some of the old medicine left). Also she smells a little unpleasant, which I think must be associated with whatever precisely is wrong with her. Does anyone have any experience of this in female hamsters? If so does anyone know a better way of treating it? She's a Syrian by the way, and about 20 months old.

Thank you in advance for any advice anyone can give.

**chinesehammy** · 01-23-2014, 12:31 PM

Is her stomach swollen? Maybe pymetro or urinary infection, soufflé would probably be able to give you more details.

**DrKMcK** · 01-23-2014, 12:36 PM

Hello SquishyHelium. Your hamster is getting older besides having some sort of physical problem. I cannot think of anything for you to do other than following your vet's advice and keeping your hammy comfortable. The antibiotics can help if it's a re-occurance of cystitis, but if this is cancer you may want to watch her for any signs of pain; hunching, careful movement, sqeaking or loss of appetite. Then she might need painkillers from the vet. I do hope she gets better. You might also consider another vet visit if this doesn't clear up.

souffle · 01-23-2014, 12:43 PM

Antibiotics often give this length of remission from Pyometra which is a womb infection. The bad smelling discharge indicates that this may well be what it is and that is is now back. In my experience it always comes back and the only cure is to spay the hamster. Usually when it returns it does not respond as well to the antibiotics. If there is a tumour there is often bright red blood which is on and off. I think you need to see the vet again. There is not always swelling with a pyometra - sometimes just the blood stained discharge and as it progresses, drinking a lot as well as increasing illness with lethargy and lack of appetite.
Some people have had some success with older hamsters and the drug Galastop. You could ask the vet about this maybe. Read Vectis's article and maybe print it out and show to the vet?
Pyometra in Hamsters - Vectis Hamstery

SquishyHelium · 01-24-2014, 02:53 PM

Thank you very much for the advice everyone. After consulting with the vet she's back on Baytril at the moment, if no signs of improvement I will request the drug you mentioned souffle. The article mentions that the drug takes the markings off the syringes - if it is this strong, are you aware of any adverse side effects for the hamster? I don't want to ease one problem only to trigger another :/ one thing is certain though, I'm not ready for my little Maple to depart for the bridge just yet

souffle · 01-25-2014, 03:19 PM

Vectis does not seem to have had any problems with it. I think they vet needs to research and make up the correct dilution. I doubt it is the strength but likely the chemical composition that affects the syringes so it must be OK. Hope you rallies round again for you on the meds x

Vectis Hamstery · 01-25-2014, 04:16 PM

My girl was quite happy not he meds for both the initial 2 weeks and also the subsequent 2 weeks when she relapsed. My vet advised monitoring her appetite in case she went off her food due to feeling sick (vomiting is a side effect in other animals with the medication, but hamsters don't vomit). My girl ate fine, including the small amount of baby food I hid the meds in (she wasn't a girl to tolerate scruffing for medications!).

SquishyHelium · 01-27-2014, 10:12 AM

Thanks for the advice. The update on Maple is that she has shown no signs of improvement on the Baytril, so today she has returned to the vet. I discussed the Galastop with the vet, who had no experience of using it for hamsters and therefore didn't want to prescribe it. He said he would research/check with colleagues and in the meantime has given me another different antibiotic for a 7 day course. I also bought her some ProC yesterday to aid with her digestion. I am hoping both will perk her up as she seems to have been a little off her food in the last few days (although she doesn't seem to have lost weight). If I can tempt her to a little baby food I will perhaps try that (as she didn't take to yoghurt!) What types are appropriate for hamsters please? I don't want to offer her anything that might not suit her.

Ash19leigh · 02-02-2014, 04:47 PM

Hi, my hamster had this and was also prescribed Baytril. She lived around 3 months after being first treated and acted normal up until a couple of weeks before she died.

Although the bleeding stopped, she gained A LOT of weight - it was as though she was swelling up rather than simply getting fat (as she was still very active) - I wasn't quite sure what that could of been.

However, I started to hand feed her and feed her water with the syringe early on to ensure she was definitely getting enough food/water. I definitely recommend doing this so you can at least monitor that she is drinking enough water.

I hope she gets better soon