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Old 10-05-2017, 07:19 AM   #1
spacebyte
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Default Abscess or something else?

Hi everyone, I haven't posted here in a long time but i figured it would be the best place for some advice.

I've booked a vets visit, with a good hamster vet, but I just wanted to see if anyone else has had a hamster with anything similar.

Luna is a 20 month old female Syrian. She isn't showing many signs of ageing except her thinning hair. She doesn't sit still, eats everything given to her, loves to dig- still a very active and alert hamster.

I was cleaning her cage today so this meant handling her a bit, giving her a health check/once over, and I noticed a red bump on her back, to the left of her tail. It is not a scent gland, those are a bit further up. It looks almost like a big spot on her back- like maybe it could get popped? (I am not going to try anything like that of course). I haven't managed to get a picture because she's so wriggly and it's underneath her "skirt" but I will try later.

From the cage clean I could see she's eating and bathrooming normally. She's grooming normally in her sandpit, her coat looks well groomed without any hair pulled out or any kind of rash anywhere. She let me touch near the bump without any issue, and is currently rushing around hoarding up food and rearranging her cage to her liking (again making it hard to photograph). I weighed her and she hasn't lost anything (she's around 150g). I'm kind of hoping her normal behaviour, appetite and weight rule out this being something too sinister.

Has anyone else had any experience with something like this? Does anyone have a clear image of what an abscess looks like? Or any idea what else this could be?

Last edited by spacebyte; 10-05-2017 at 09:01 AM.
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Old 10-05-2017, 08:19 AM   #2
spacebyte
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

here's some pictures> https://imgur.com/a/rpy4k they are a wee bit hard to see

She got up from a nap to have a drink, a sand bath and is now having some food.

I kind of want to say it's gone down since I seen it earlier? It just looks like a scab almost. I swear earlier it look like it had something in it/it was more raised. Still curious.
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Old 10-06-2017, 08:12 AM   #3
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

Its very difficult to be able to tell from the photo what the red bump is - Its good that you already have her booked into the vets I'm sure they will be able to help determine what it is.
I have had experience of an abscess before with my previous Syrian who had a cheek pouch abscess - apart from her bad breath she had a scab form beneath her ear - I don't have a photo. My vets manage to drain the abscess at it healed completely fine.
I have my finger crossed and hope everything will be fine with Luna.
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Old 10-06-2017, 08:26 AM   #4
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

It is so difficult to get a proper picture, she's so squirmy! I am not sure how the vet will manage, but I've been assured she's experienced with hamsters (she was very good when my last passed of wet tail) so I'm sure she'll be able to get a good look.
I will try again tonight. I have just got in, and haven't seen her today but her food is stashed and her home has been remodelled to her liking since the cleanout (meaning she has piled up all the substrate at one end to burrow in) so she has likely been very active overnight. I am not too worried about her just yet. I am glad your hamster healed up, I am hoping Luna being otherwise healthy will help her recover from whatever this is.
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Old 10-06-2017, 08:39 AM   #5
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

I'm sure the vet will be able to get a good look. When do you have your appointment booked in for?
They do like to make it difficult to get a photo. But it does sounds like it not bothering Luna.
So lovely to hear that Luna has been busy today redesigning her cage after her cage clean - they do like to make their cages exactly how they like.
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Old 10-06-2017, 09:00 AM   #6
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

Half two tomorrow. We are just getting a taxi there and back (I'm going to be broke after this, but it needs to be done!) she will probably be a bit sleepy in the middle of the afternoon like that so maybe she will be easier to handle.
I would have taken her today but schedules didn't match and the vet assistant said it should be fine until Saturday if she wasn't behaving differently.

She's very fussy about her home, last time I cleaned it she managed to put a tissue box inside a shoebox. I have no idea how she did it.
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Old 10-06-2017, 09:46 AM   #7
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

She has gotten up for a drink of water, bright and alert as per. Currently trying to wrestle an antos hedgehog into the shoebox she sleeps in.
Still can't get a clear picture but it's definetly a wee lump. I can't see any blood or weeping. It isn't hard or anything, she let me touch it without any reaction. I guess we will have to wait and see tomorrow.
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Old 10-07-2017, 06:02 AM   #8
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

We are just about to get the taxi. I'm so anxious for her but she doesn't seem that bothered. I will give an update when I know what's happening.
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Old 10-07-2017, 07:42 AM   #9
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

Luna has the WORST vet etiquette I've ever seen.

Put her in a wee box inside a bin. I thought that would be easier, she doesn't like to be picked up from above so I thought the vet could pick up the wee box and put her on the table. Nope. She started screaming in the waiting room so I just let her out into the bin. Luna let's her displeasure be known.

Got in to the vets. I expected some scratching and wriggling but was not prepared for how rude Luna would be! The vets assistant had to use cat gloves to hold her. She was screaming and biting! She was glad to be left alone again and I gave her a LOT of sunflower seeds to calm her anger.

The vet managed to get a look at her back. The skin around the spot was a bit red so she's probably been scratching it when no ones around. The vet measured it and then put a wee needle in it and some gunk came out. The spot didn't completely go down after this so I've been given some antibiotics. shes to go back next week. It may need to be surgically removed, but the vet thinks she's healthy enough for surgery, the only problem would be her possibly scratching it while it's healing.

Luna is now having a sleep. The vet and the assistant thought she was a funny character but I am embarrassed how rude she was!
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Old 10-07-2017, 09:24 AM   #10
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Default Re: Abscess or something else?

Sounds like she definitely didn’t like the vets. I’m glad Luna is okay although a little grumpy.
Did the vets know what the red lump might be?
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