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Originally Posted by Serendipity7000
Do you have a photo of him. Usually Cushings starts with flank fur loss. Ageing hair loss tends to start facially and behind the ears. Where are the scabs? Poor little thing. He should still be fairly active at 18 months.
If you look at Coco's thread, I believe it says there are two types of Cushings - one with overproduction of cortisol from the pituitary gland and one from the adrenal glands. It depends which type it is as to whether the medication works. The medication only works for one type of Cushings (not sure which!). But it might be worth a try if he is suffering with something.
However there are many reasons hamsters can get fur loss. Mites is one cause (and that does include scabs and sore patches). Has she tested for mites? They need to do a skin scraping for that, as the mites can only be seen under a microscope. The scabs are from them scratching the skin sore with mites in that situation.
Nutritional deficiency can also cause fur loss - if the hamster mix isn't the right balance or too low protein. Which hamster mix does he have?
One thing I would definitely do is start giving him Linseeds. They work wonders for skin and fur conditions - fur actually grows back and their coat gets thick and glossy. Hamsters also really like them. I put a pinch a day on a separate little dish and the hamster just licks them up. It will do no harm and it could just right things with the skin and fur (even if you don't know what it is).
Brown linseeds are the better one. They're not expensive and a bag lasts years! Holland and Barrett sell them or you can get them on Amazon. Give some every day. I've found hair has grown back within 2 to 3 weeks.
What is his skin like where it shows? Is it very wrinkly?
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I've attached a photo of the side of his face its worse at, you can see a few scabs, but he's completely bald under his neck and I've noticed more scabs on his body and thinning hair near his back legs. His skin is very wrinkly, I'm not sure if that's normal?
He had treatment for mites that ended in April, and his fur did seem to come back a little, but his hair loss wasn't as bad as it is now. I would've thought that if it was mites that the treatment he got would've got rid of them.
I don't know whether to get some more because I don't want to over dose him
He's on the puur hamster food, I used to mix it with the science selective but I haven't been able to get a hold of that one for a while. I've got linseeds for him, I scatter them about for him on his free roam which he loves