Hamster going for surgery tomorrow- how to prepare?

[Vierville]

Hello.

Our little female Campbells is going in to the vets tomorrow to get a skin lesion on her chest attended to...it was previously treated as mites and it cleared up but has come back so the vet wants to put her under anesthesia and see what exactly it is.

We've never sent a hamster for an operation before but we've got her a little pet carry box which has a bottle and a small shelter inside. We use care fresh bedding and will put some of her bedding from her cage in to give her a familiar scent...

Anything else we should know?

Thank you for any advice. We've had a really tough time with our hamsters' health lately...I'm hoping it is good news and she is fine...

[Ria P]

Hope all goes well with your little hamster tomorrow.

[Pebbles82]

That sounds fine to me. Good luck. So sorry you’ve had a run if health issues.

[Vierville]

Thank you RiaP and Serendipity7000.

All three of our little ones are under the weather...the skin lesion on the little female Campbells, the tumor on the little male one and our Winter White has an eye infection...

[Charlie Dunn]

I am so sorry you have had such a bad run with your hams health. It is such a worrying time when they are poorly. As you are doing, it is best to have things in their carry box with their scent on and maybe their favourite snack. I hope it all goes well. X

[10Minutes]

How's your hamster doing? Please update us! Surgery sounds so intrusive for such a tiny little animal, and I am really really hoping she is fine.

[Vierville]

Hello everyone,

Thank you all so much for the advice and the care you've shown.

Little Monty is back home and it turned out the vet didn't need to operate but he did anaesthetise her in order to examine the lesion properly.

When we took her in for her initial consultation the vet said that he couldn't see the cause of the lesion as she was too wriggly and it could be an infected splinter, an abscess, a growth or mites. If it was a growth or abscess it would need minor surgery.

He needed to put her under anesthesia to examine her properly and upon examination he discovered that it is exzema, most likely caused by something she comes into contact with. He gave us Curatex ointment to apply as needed.

We use Care Fresh substrate and torn up toilet paper for her nest houses so he suggested we try plain unprinted newspaper.

Monty was none the worse for wear except for being quite hungry when she got home!

[Cotton]

Glad to read Monty's appointment went well!