Sick Chinese Hamster

FurFinFeathers · 03-06-2014, 08:42 PM

One of my friends has an elderly Chinese hamster, approximately 2 years old, who has been healthy all her life. Recently, her hamster has been having respiratory problems, and she rarely leaves her hut. She's eating, but it seems like it's difficult for her. We're unaware that she's drinking, and if she is, it's not very much. She makes squeaking noises even when she sleeps, and gets worse when we handle her. There have been no changes in bedding or food. We are aware that she is an elderly hamster, but is there any diagnosis or is this just something that happens with old age? Should she be taken to a vet? Is there anything we can do to help her feel more comfortable? Thanks

**DrKMcK** · 03-06-2014, 10:21 PM

This little hammy needs to see the vet. It sounds as if she is in pain. Old age does not mean that illness is okay. An ill hamster, even an old one, can be helped by a vet with antibiotics. You also need to give her some cucumber so she has moisture. Otherwise she can dehydrate, which would make her suffer even more. I hope she feels better soon.

racinghamster · 03-07-2014, 01:48 AM

I have to agree. Any clicking, or noises a hamster makes in time with breathing can mean they have something respiratory going on. So dosing Baytril in her drinking water due to her age over a course of a few weeks might be the solution. Find a decent small animal vet and have her chest listened to. Older hamsters can have underlying internal problems manifesting that we can`t see, so it`s always a good idea to act on these un provoked acute breathing noises in case it turns into pneumonia.

Keep her environment aroma free and if the hut she sleeps in is plastic or small, try replacing it with an upturned cardboard box with a couple of doors cut into it, so she can dig down under it. Air flow is also essential. She`s a good age, but Chinese hamsters can live longer lives than this, so catching any illnesses early will help. Offer her some extras in her dry diet like plain dry porridge oats, millet and a small fingernail piece of apple.

What cage is she living in?

Clairealex · 03-07-2014, 07:05 AM

I agree with getting her to the vet. Although age does contribute to a lot, just because she's older doesn't mean a course of antibiotics wouldn't clear this up and get her healthy for a good while yet.

As racinghamster and DrKMcK have said, adding some variety in the form of a little apple, broccoli or cucumber will hopefully peak her interest and give her a little hydration.

FurFinFeathers · 03-09-2014, 07:53 AM

We gave her some cucumber, and she perked up a lot, and my friend does plan on taking her to the vet. Thanks for all the advice!

racinghamster · 03-09-2014, 09:28 AM

That`s good to hear. Maybe look at adding in some variety to her diet as well because if she`s lacking anything (depending on what she is fed as a dry diet) and whether she enjoys it still, sometimes looking at offering some additional things can help with their overall body weight and strength to fight infections.

Keeping in mind she is two years old and hasn`t developed diabetes, has she been fed small amounts of things like

apple
Corn on the cob
Dry porridge oats
Various millets sold for caged birds, such as canary seed?
Millet spray

The noises she`s making could be a sign that something underlying is going on and a course of baytril in her water ( changed daily) wouldn`t go wrong. make sure she is eating her own food and whether she`s having any problems. Test her water bottle daily and if it`s not working properly, offer her a solid water dish that won`t easily tip over. The ceramic ones old for hamsters and mice are fine. Or even a ramekin dish would do.