Hamster probably losing one eye :-(

chipstea · 06-09-2020, 01:44 AM

Hi everyone,
does anyone have experience with hamster's eye operation? did it go well? did your hamster recover well?
My syrian 1 and half-year-old hammy injured her right eye really badly, it looks like it has pooped out and didn't go back in and is very bloody and dry now. She wobbled and slept a lot the first 2 days but she is almost back to her normal active routine after 4 days, except the eye doesn't get any better. I have no idea how she managed to do that, or can glaucoma develops that fast? she was totally fine the day before and there was no trace of blood in her cage. Anyway, I took her to the only vet we have here (more of a cat/dog vet than small animal vet) the doctor prescribed an eye cream and said that if the eye doesn't recover, it will have to be removed

Petite · 06-09-2020, 03:46 AM

My hybrid dwarf had the choice between an eye operation (to remove an eye) or being put to sleep earlier this year. We opted for the latter because she was obviously in distress, and also on the recommendation of the vet - and because her chances of surviving the operation were not good. If your Syrian is her normal self and her quality of life is good, there may not be any need to put her through an operation, and the eye cream may yet do some good. I believe glaucoma can develop very fast (certainly it did in our Freya's case) but my understanding is that Syrians are less predisposed to it than dwarves (please put me right, someone, if I'm wrong about this). However, you say that she injured her eye, so her problems could well be due to that and not glaucoma. Probably the best thing to do is to be guided by your hammy's behaviour, and see what happens over the next few days. I hope you see some improvement.

chipstea · 06-09-2020, 04:51 AM

I'm sorry for your little dwarf, I thought glaucoma usually takes a long time to develop, that's why I assume the injury, but I don't really know how mine got it.

chipstea · 06-18-2020, 01:04 PM

So in case someone has the same problem in the future, my hammy lost that one eye, but without an operation, it just dried and naturally fell off, the vet said there is no problem and my hamster goes on like nothing happened.

Petite · 06-19-2020, 04:02 AM

Sorry to hear your Syrian lost the eye, but at least she didn't have to go through the trauma of an operation as well. Glad to hear she's doing well now.

LunaTheHamster1 · 06-19-2020, 04:23 AM

Sorry to hear this, but good to hear your hamster is carrying on like nothing happened.