Pyrometra or am I overthinking things?

**zak** · 01-11-2016, 12:50 PM

Holly's belly has doubled in size making her look heavily pregnant and feels as though it is bursting at the seems (I have no male hamsters), her vagina has thick creamy yellow discharge coming from it and she smells fishy. Something is telling me it could be a womb infection even though Holly is acting fine despite sleeping a lot more than usual.

I am confused because on one hand she is displaying normal hamster behaviour especially since it gets more darker and colder during this time of year and on the other hand she is displaying symptoms of pyometra.

What do you think I should do? Continue to monitor her or take her to the vets? I am swaying more towards the vets.

Shannonmcn · 01-11-2016, 01:13 PM

Definitely vets. Hams hide their pain very well as prey animals, it makes them more vulnerable to predators to show they are unwell so she could very well be in pain and trying to hide it.

I am sure my last ham had pyometra, an unfamiliar vet said tumor and we decided to have her put to sleep but now I know more about pyo I am sure that's what she had and it started out as just lethargy. I thought it was perhaps seasonal since it was November but when she took a turn for the worse it was very quick and I regret not getting her to a (better more experienced) vet sooner.

Nancy's Hamsters · 01-11-2016, 01:23 PM

Get her in to the Vets NOW, a closed Pyo will only seep out pus if the womb is at high risk of rupturing(womb filled to it's full capacity with pus, will cause the pus inside to be shoved out her body through the only available opening which is her cervix, before it causes it to burst) This is VERY painful but like has been said above Hamsters will not show pain unless it is almost to late for recovery. It could be a tumor in her womb too, but she needs immediate attention from a Vet.