Hamster lump :( please help!!

[Georgina]

Hello I'm sorry if this is not the right place to do this I am new to the website. I have a 1 and a half year old russian dwarf hamster who has a lump on his stomach. It grew quickly and is now very red and sore (see picture attached). We did take him to the vets when we noticed the lump (but it wasn't as big or sore then) and the vet said it was only attached to the skin and not underneath and she could remove it with surgery but because he's a bit older he might not wake up from the anaesthetic (Also it is very expensive for a 10min surgery approx £200). She didn't say what it was... probably she didn't know. We tried giving him anti-inflammatory and antibiotics for a week as the vet recommended but this made no difference. He is still eating but I think eating less and will only eat his nicest treat foods not his normal foods. He doesn't seem to be weaker like he's still walking and running around but maybe he's sleeping more than before. I don't think he's drinking more than before but hard to say. He's not lost any fur. Does anyone have any idea what this lump might be e.g. abscess or tumour or...? Has anyone seen something like this on a hamster before or other animal? Does anyone have any advice on good forums or websites or people I can talk to to help get this diagnosed? Or advice on how to make it less painful or sore for him? Thanks so much for your help!

[souffle]

This looks to be the ventral scent gland. Dwarf hamsters have a scent gland on their tummy in that position. They are normally a bit yellow and sticky with scent but they can get infected and red and swollen. Removal would be a last resort I would say and only if there was a deep infection or a tumour on the scent gland. It's quite a big op for a small animal. Did the vet realise there is a scent gland there in dwarf hamsters? If they didn't I would find a more specialised vet. If it is infected they would normally need bathing with saline and gentle squeezing to keep the infection draining and treatment with antibiotics. An actual tissue lump may require a biopsy though another option with that is also to see how it goes are some are very slow growing and your little one is a good age where an op may not be in their best interests. I hope you find a way forward.

[alpacassei]

It looks like his scent gland could be infected. But I agree wtih Souffle to get another vets opinion just in case it is a tumour.

Hopefully its just a scent gland infection, which can be easily treated with hamster antibiotics and cleaning with saline solution.