[MaryRobinson]

Hi all, so, sadly this thread isn't closed after all. Percy survived our going away on holiday and is as perky as ever! Well, perhaps a tiny bit cslower but he is 2 next week so that's allowed! Still enjoys his food, likes a run and his hunt for treats through his Detolf. But...

...The little scab never went away. i took him back to the vet after we came home from holiday as it seemed bigger. She was inclined just to give pain relief but not antibiotics as it was dry - but he's such a little wriggler it's hard to get to look under his chin.

This past week, it's grown another few mm to about 1cm diameter. It looks like a scab with a slightly swollen edge but doesn't look at all like cutaneous lymphoma which a previous ham had - added to which he's had it for 3 months and it's barely changed until this week (hamster cancers I understood to take hold fast?)

Percy is still using his cheek pouch and I've seen zero scratching or evidence it's affecting him in any way but it is clearly getting bigger and last night there was the tiniest bit of blood on his sheets (his shredded tissue!) I emailed the local exotics vet who said 'your vet will have to refer you to us'.

Do you think it's a tooth abscess? He's eating slightly less of his hard food than before but it's really a tiny change - still loves his dandelion roots and whimsies and dog biscuit etc. I'm torn - again - about what to do. It's not pleasant for me to see this thing growing but he seems perfectly unaware of it. It's not puss-y or wet. I understand if it's an access it requires anaesthesia and lancing which I doubt he'd survive at 2?? Also that they have to be knocked out even just to get a skin scrape or exam and again, would he survive that?? I might try antibiotics but I am worried they'll upset his stomach instead. Eek. What to do?

I'll try to attach a picture here...