Hello and please help!!!

[kaitlynsmith]

Hi, my name is Kaitlyn and I have a sweet syrian named Hammy. I am afraid that he has bladder stones.
As a back story, I used to feed him non-hamster treats and I am currently feeding him and my gerbil the oxbow pellets ONLY. A few weeks ago, I bought some carob treats from the dog biscuit buffet at petco. He loved them and never had any reactions to them , so I kept giving them to him (keep in mind that they're about pea-sized and were mostly wheat with some carob bits in them). Fast forward to about two weeks ago: I started to notice that Hammy had blood in his urine. At that point, it was mostly blood and was very concerning. Also, he was only able to squeeze out a little at a time. It seemed to me that he has a UTI. I was able to get my hands on a few bottles of Sulfa trim and have been giving him .2 ml twice a day, as well as the occasional cranberry juice and asparagus. His urine has cleared up as far as blood goes, but now he seems to not be able to go at all. Of the few spots in his cage (which I've lined with white paper towels) they are very tiny compared to what he should be doing. Also, it takes him forever to get a drop out, if he gets anything out at all. This is just my opinion, but I think the combination of the treats and his pellet food have been too much protein for his system and bladder stones were formed. I've seen him pass a small red squishy thing (which I assume was a chunk of his bladder), but that was a while ago and didn't look like any of the bladder stones I've seen in pictures. I noticed that he wasn't able to pee about 24 hrs ago. I've been able to give him water poured in a bottle cap, but he doesn't seem to have any interest in his water bottle. He seems to be eating, but I can tell now that he doesn't feel as well as he usually does. Finally, when I touch the dry areas of the paper towel where he has dribbled, they feel kind of crunchy (not sure if that's related). I guess what I'm trying to say is: does it sound like he has bladder stones? If so, what course of action do I take to make him feel more comfortable and help him pass them? Also, do you think the treats and food caused this? *I know the oxbow pellets have 15% protein, but I'm not sure about those treats* I appreciate your help

[souffle]

You need to take him to a vet and have this checked out.
I think sulfa trim is actually Septrin yes? Though it can be used for hamsters the dosage does need careful calculating. If it is bladder stones and not an infection the antibiotic will have no effect. The bladder stones, if this is the cause, can lead to the possibility of a blockage and bladder rupture and this will be lethal and very painful.
A vet can scan to see if any stones show up and some have operated but this is a very delicate procedure and the cost will likely be high.
He really does need seen as self diagnosis is not ideal. I doubt the issue was caused by the food. The meds may be the incorrect type if it is an infection.
I do hope you can get him seen by a vet and he can be helped.

[InkyPen]

I agree that this is a hamster that really needs to see a vet, for his own welfare.

From personal experience, UTIs are very, very painful (as a human, only prescription codeine even touched the pain, to give you an idea). It was agony, that also involved feeling terrible and frequent vomiting (hamsters can't vomit....). I gather stones are even worse.

While cranberry juice is technically meant to help prevent UTIs, he's far past that stage.

I, too, doubt that this is food related. However, it's worth noting that Harry / Hazel Hamster is widely reckoned to be the best for Syrian hamsters, nutritionally speaking. There are plenty of safe treats you can feed - broccoli, peas (most veg, in fact), unsalted nuts, dried mealworms (in moderation) as just a few examples. There's no need to faff about with dog treats of questionable origin - the only dog treats that are known to be suitable are greenies and whimzees - both chews that are good for gnawing and wearing down teeth.

Please, please, please take him to the vet - ideally one that specialises in exotics, as hamsters are considered exotic pets in vet terms.