Dwarf hybrid bloody bottom

TrademarkPT · 03-18-2020, 08:01 PM

Hi, I'm a long time follower of the site but I have never registered before. However, I have just come up a terrible sight and am scared shitless and would like an opinion.

I have a dwarf hamster named Floki. He's around 20 months old. He has a huge personality and loves to play with us. He's very loving, in fact he even learned how to kiss us on his own. He's also a bit chubby, I assume it's because he loves his dialy treats of hazelnut/walnut and because we never really got him off the food he was on the store that's a bit heavy on the fat.

His primary nest is in an area we can see him ever since he hurt his right hind leg (no idea how) and I sat by him all the time there, giving him water and tons of support. He seems to have made a full recovery in a few days but his bonding and trust for us became even stronger.

Today he wasn't feeling very playful and he didn't even come out to eat his dinner when I gave him his fresh food. I noticed he was eating out of his pouch and I assumed he was just feeling anti-social so I let him be.Later I noticed he came out to eat and went back to his nest. Just about 30 minutes ago I saw he was gone and I saw some red stains on a piece of toilet paper he was lying on. I managed to track him and I saw he had what appeared to be a bloody anus and left blood stains on my hand from when he was sitting on it. It is now past 2 am where I live and I am worried sick. Does he need to go to the vet? This couldn't have come in a worse time as today a state of emergency was declared because of covid-19. What should I do?

This is a picture I took of his anus (the best I could get since he hates being on his back and kept squirming) after I wiped the blood off with slightly moist q-tip:

https://imgur.com/a/aASjriv

Any help is appreciated! Thank you in advance

souffle · 03-19-2020, 04:38 AM

I can't really see much but blood from the bowel does need vet attention. It could be a prolapse, a tumour or a urine infection though it is very hard to diagnose. Could you send pics to a vet and telephone for advice but otherwise you will just have to keep him warm and comfy as possible and maybe feed some soft food to keep him hydrated. It's a very worrying time for us all and we can only do our best under the controls you are subject to. I hope it's just a scratch or something and he rallies round.

TrademarkPT · 03-19-2020, 06:58 AM

Small update:

souffle, I actually thought very similarly to you and e-mailed the vet the same picture I posted and described the situation. He felt it's best he is checked up and I managed to scheduele an appointment for tomorrow morning. Apparently they are taking in emergencies by allowing only the pet to come in the clinic while the owners wait outside so I guess all things considering I should feel grateful.

This morning, as my wife came in from work (she's a midwife and is working even harder than usual because of the corona virus) he came up and greeted us, was very gentle and loving and even kept running on his wheel and stopping to look at us as if trying to show us he's ok (but I can tell his backside is bothering him). He is eating and I spotted what I think are some recent feces so thank God for that. His anus looks swollen but didn't seem bloody.

I'll provide further updates when I have any.

souffle · 03-20-2020, 01:39 AM

Good luck at the appointment. Keep us posted how he goes on at the vets.

TrademarkPT · 03-20-2020, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by souffle

Good luck at the appointment. Keep us posted how he goes on at the vets.

As the day went by the swelling seemed to go down and he wasn't bleeding anymore or seemed in any form of stress and pain. Then as I was inspecting him it hit me, it looked a lot like a hemorrhoid. A skin tag coming out just on one end of his anus, from in between his sphincter. I thought that maybe he got it scratched when he was pooping and thats what made him bleed.

I called the vet and had a chat with him. He said he'd never seen a hamster with a hemorrhoid and alerted me to the dangers of a prolapsed rectum. That's where I asked him if he would been able to poop with a prolapsed rectum and the vet said he wouldn't wich made me much more comfortable since I had noticed plenty of new poop where he had been sleeping. Since he was active, eating, there was no bleeding and he didn't seem in any pain, we thought we'd give him a day to see how he is doing and if need be the vet would have a look at him today or during the weekend.

So far, he looks to be ok. There was no further bleeding, he is still eating and drinking, I've seen him busy during the day moving bedding around and digging as well as using his sand bath. What comforted me the most was when I woke up at 5 am and went for a drink of water and saw him running on his wheel at top speed, not stopping at all.

I think I made the right choice not placing him under stress with a visit to the vet. I am keeping him under surveilance and check his bottom for blood several times a day. If I notice anything out of the usual I will take him to the vet straight away. Hopefully I was right and it is just a hemorrhoid and he'll make a full recovery. He's a strong willed little thing and I believe he will pull through!

NubiNuNu · 03-20-2020, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrademarkPT

Hi, I'm a long time follower of the site but I have never registered before. However, I have just come up a terrible sight and am scared shitless and would like an opinion.

I have a dwarf hamster named Floki. He's around 20 months old. He has a huge personality and loves to play with us. He's very loving, in fact he even learned how to kiss us on his own. He's also a bit chubby, I assume it's because he loves his dialy treats of hazelnut/walnut and because we never really got him off the food he was on the store that's a bit heavy on the fat.

His primary nest is in an area we can see him ever since he hurt his right hind leg (no idea how) and I sat by him all the time there, giving him water and tons of support. He seems to have made a full recovery in a few days but his bonding and trust for us became even stronger.

Today he wasn't feeling very playful and he didn't even come out to eat his dinner when I gave him his fresh food. I noticed he was eating out of his pouch and I assumed he was just feeling anti-social so I let him be.Later I noticed he came out to eat and went back to his nest. Just about 30 minutes ago I saw he was gone and I saw some red stains on a piece of toilet paper he was lying on. I managed to track him and I saw he had what appeared to be a bloody anus and left blood stains on my hand from when he was sitting on it. It is now past 2 am where I live and I am worried sick. Does he need to go to the vet? This couldn't have come in a worse time as today a state of emergency was declared because of covid-19. What should I do?

This is a picture I took of his anus (the best I could get since he hates being on his back and kept squirming) after I wiped the blood off with slightly moist q-tip:

https://imgur.com/a/aASjriv

Any help is appreciated! Thank you in advance

That's exactly what happened to me! My hamster ended up getting a tumour after we went to the vet and did some ultrasound. He died about 2 days after the vet visit. Is your hamster wobbling around like he is struggling to walk?

TrademarkPT · 03-20-2020, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NubiNuNu

That's exactly what happened to me! My hamster ended up getting a tumour after we went to the vet and did some ultrasound. He died about 2 days after the vet visit. Is your hamster wobbling around like he is struggling to walk?

No it was more like wiggling his butt while walking around as if, for better lack of words, his butt hurt and was trying to cope with it. He seems to be back to normal now and I see him running around his cage carrying bedding and digging as well as running on his wheel.

Did your hamster stop bleeding after the vet visit? I'm terribly sorry for what happened to him/her. I honestly hope it's not what's wrong with Floki because as far as I know that would be fatal...

NubiNuNu · 03-21-2020, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TrademarkPT

No it was more like wiggling his butt while walking around as if, for better lack of words, his butt hurt and was trying to cope with it. He seems to be back to normal now and I see him running around his cage carrying bedding and digging as well as running on his wheel.

Did your hamster stop bleeding after the vet visit? I'm terribly sorry for what happened to him/her. I honestly hope it's not what's wrong with Floki because as far as I know that would be fatal...

The way I found the tumour was that there was a giant mass in his tummy. He also used to love being on his back, but when we did it, he was acting very uncomfortable. I have a post explaining what happened. It's very similar to your story. You can try flipping him over and feeling around his tummy (for not a ong time since you mentioned he hates it) and see ifhis belly feels tight. Hamsters shoudn't bleed if they're healthy. Get Floki to a vet as soon as possible. I wish you and Floki the best luck

TrademarkPT · 03-21-2020, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NubiNuNu

The way I found the tumour was that there was a giant mass in his tummy. He also used to love being on his back, but when we did it, he was acting very uncomfortable. I have a post explaining what happened. It's very similar to your story. You can try flipping him over and feeling around his tummy (for not a ong time since you mentioned he hates it) and see ifhis belly feels tight. Hamsters shoudn't bleed if they're healthy. Get Floki to a vet as soon as possible. I wish you and Floki the best luck

On your advice, I took the time to examine his abdomen for masses and found none. That's a concern off my back!

I did not take him to a vet out of a random impulse or lack of knowledge, like I said above I actually had a schedueled appointment. When I did have a chance to talk with the vet on the phone (almost a full day later, right before the appointment), we both agreed keeping him under surveilance was the best option so as not to cause him stress. He is a senior hamster and that could cause more harm than good, especially since we're under quarantine and he would have to undergo vet examination by himself, with no support from us. He has not bled since that first time, his anus is slowly reverting to normal color and size, his appetite and habits have not changed from normal either. He has also been using his wheel.

Both me and the wife are (human) medical professionals and we don't take our Floki's health lightly. We are keeping him home under heavy observation and will take him to the vet at the very first sign that anything is not well. Thank God, there hasn't been any reason to think he isn't since the night I found the blood so I am hoping we are dealing with the best case scenario, that it was either some hard poop or a cut from him scratching himself.

Pebbles82 · 03-21-2020, 01:29 PM

Glad he has improved. I just wanted to add that 20 months is a good age for a dwarf hamster - he is quite elderly now and sooner or later some health issue occurs and really at this stage the best thing is to keep them comfortable. Having said that any kind of bleeding from inside is usually something serious with hamsters. And if it recurs it could be good to see the vet if only to prevent suffering. If he seems ok now and no more bleeding that is good, but watch for signs of him being in pain - they are very good at hiding it being prey animals. Hunching is one sign and also ears down all the time. Fingers crossed he lives his life out in comfort. If there is any further bleeding I would take him to a vet though. They can diagnose and give a prognosis and it may be something treatable even if it is only to relieve discomfort.