Lump :( :( :(

[corrieberry]

I was playing with Molly today and found a lump :( I managed to get a photo of her (it looks horrifying, there's not much spare skin so scruffing her pulls loads on her face, she's a little fatty) - it's the scabby bit near my index finger.

Could it be an infected milk gland? I'm going to take her to the vet first thing tomorrow but I'm devastated. What do you think it is?

Just a bit more detail - it's about the size of a pea and really hard. It doesn't seem to bother her when I touch it.

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VVU0G23XfGY/U7xZjjfY9oI/AAAAAAAAA6w/GzeNSh23vzg/s1600/rsz_1rsz_1photo_1.jpg

[souffle]

It looks like she might have mastitis Corrie. This is more than likely the reason she lost the pups and there is nothing you can do to prevent this. It is very painful when the pups suckle and the mothers end up leaving them because of the pain. Is is an infection but this does not look too bad and should clear up easily with some antibiotics.
Sometimes nursing mothers do get some scabs and dry skin from suckling as well. Try and not worry as I'm sure she will be fine.

[corrieberry]

So do you think I should take her to the vet Souffle? I don't have any antibiotics but if I could get an off the shelf one would that work? (Sorry I've never had to give a hamster antibiotics before, no idea where to get them from.)

[souffle]

No you can't buy them off the shelf. They need prescribed by a vet.
I would take her to the vets and remember to tell them that she lost a litter recently and mention it could be mastitis. They will give either Baytril or Septrin likely and we can guide you on giving it. Don't put it in the water. Ask for a syringe dosage method if they think it is an infection.

[corrieberry]

OK brilliant, I will call them tomorrow, they should see her straightaway. Thank you!

[souffle]

Great job in spotting this Corrie. It will be easier to treat early. See there is a reason for everything and Molly knew she was not able to cope. She needs you now to see her right and you will do this for her because you love her x

[corrieberry]

Thank you. She is booked in for 12:20 and I have told them it may be mastitis so we will see.

[racinghamster]

Hope everything goes well corrie and well spotted. I know in sheep with lambs, mastitis can be serious, but hopefully Molly will sail through this. x

[corrieberry]

Just finished. Vet felt her abdomen and she started discharging yellow fluid that smelled like decomposing tissue, it was disgusting. She thinks it's a uterine infection and we are on Septrin and Loxicom - antibiotic and anti-inflammatory respectively. We have a follow-up next Monday morning and if the lump is still present they would like to surgically remove it.

She gained 7 g overnight and is now 198, which the vet said could be fluid gathering.

She seems fine in and of herself, eating like a horse and tried very hard to make the vet know she was extremely unhappy! Anyway we are on our home now.

[souffle]

Oh damm - it is a post birth infection Corrie. Once the antibiotic get acting I would suggest you ask for a spay as it will return without a doubt. A spay is the only way to cure this and best done when she is still fit and eating. She should recover well. This is a risk that sometimes come with mothers. They could take out that lump at the same time if it didn't go? That's why she is looking a bit swollen in that pic you posted.
Bless her little heart no wonder she felt unwell. Hoping she perks up quickly and is fit for the op.

[corrieberry]

This is so disheartening :-( I will give them a call and see what they think, just at the hairdresser now so will do it later. It may be worth just scheduling the spay regardless, do you think? My poor Mollster, I also have to wipe her rear end with a baytril wipe twice a day and keep the cage squeaky clean. I hope it clears quickly.

[Hekomi]

Poor Molly. :( I hope she feels better soon, and that a spay is possible both with the vet, and expense wise. x

[AmyHague]

Oh poor Molly! She has been through a lot the poor girl. I really do hope she pulls through this ok and can live out a full happy life with you! Big hugs to you and Molly x

[corrieberry]

Thanks guys. I get quite tearful everytime I talk about it, although I've been OK for most of today because I got my hair dyed in rainbow colours for the babies. Is there anything I could have done to prevent this?

She's eating like an absolute horse - or even if she isn't eating the food, she's gone mental on stashing. She took off a hanging treat that was attached to her mesh (one of those big treat sticks with seeds and things attached to a central wooden pole) - I have no idea how she got it down - and stashed it in her house. It's extremely unusual for her, Pippin and Molly have both traditionally been fairly indifferent to food.

Anyway, I'm giving her some critical care foods and about to administer the first meds. I'll just give her what she wants and make sure I clear out the food from the stash regularly. I've not been giving her fresh food and veg recently (the last three or four days) because I wanted her to settle back into her cage before I started removing things to get the stashed fresh bits out and I think I will keep doing that. I still have plenty of baby food for her, I bought a few jars in preparation for babies needing feeding.

Is there anything else I haven't thought of? She's got plenty of fresh water, the vets advice was not to change anything too much because if she gets out of the normal routine it might stress her out even more. I'm going to replace her wheel with the new one I bought for the baby I thought I was going to keep as it's brand new and cleaner.

Fingers crossed for her. This is the last thing I wanted.

[Willow Wisp]

Oh I'm so sorry, poor Molly, sending lots of positive energy her way x

[corrieberry]

Just given her the first dose, it smelled tasty but obviously what humans think smell good does not translate! She feels so bloated and uncomfortable and she is expressing herself a lot more than normal (with sound I mean). It also seems to me that she is on heat - would she have a heat while infected?

Meanwhile, Pippin is making this message very hard to type because he is climbing all over me and my computer keyboard (we are in the playpen) and chewing at my hands and clothes. This is why I'm wondering if she's on heat.

[Hekomi]

She could be in heat Corrie, I don't think this would stop it, but then again I've never dealt with it.

I'm so sorry to hear all this. I really do hope it clears up. Poor Molly, she likely knew there was something wrong. I hope she feels more comfortable soon.

[Bec]

So sorry to hear this Corrie, do hope Molly recovers and responds well to treatment. Sending positive vibes your way. x

[corrieberry]

I'm certain she's in heat, Pippin was giving all the signs. She's having her go in the playpen at the moment and doesn't seem to fussy so hopefully that's a good sign.

Edited to add - no, she's waddling and moving a lot slower than normal having had a few more minutes, so there's obviously some discomfort. Hopefully she will like the rice pudding I've put out for her.

[ANGELBABIES]

Sending all good wishes and hugs to little Molly and you and Pippin xxx

[souffle]

They can give off a similar odour but it won't be heat corrie
I wouldn't let them use the same stuff just now because this is a bacterial infection and it could be passed on via any route and show up in Pippin in a different form so do take care with handling and hygene between hamsters won't you. It may be she is going to need spayed sooner. Don't let her go downhill as she won't stand an op. It could be that she has retained placenta which is infected. Poor wee thing I hope she rallies soon.

[icklemunch]

Really sorry to hear Molly is poorly. She hasn't half been through the wars this past week or so. Fingers and paws crossed she makes a speedy recovery.

[humfry]

Sorry you're having such a traumatic time corrie. Hugs & best wishes to you & Molly. This is certainly a good place to get the best advice & support & humfry & I are rooting for you both.

[corrieberry]

Thanks everyone. souffle, noted re. Pippin and bacteria.

Molly is very, very aggressive today - when I got her out to give her the meds she bit me hard enough to draw blood after I put my hand in the cage to let her smell me before picking her up. I eventually had to get her out wrapped in a piece of fabric.

She took the medication OK and wriggled like a worm when I used the antibac wipe. I tried to calm her down and give her a cuddle afterwards and she just wanted to kill me, so I put her in her cage with a piece of apple.

She's attacking food like it's going out of fashion.

She is EXTREMELY bloated, she feels like an over-inflated balloon. I've called the vet and we have a phone-consultation later because there are no slots available, in which she will assess whether or not Molly needs emergency care. (I only spoke to a receptionist, the vet doesn't come in until this afternoon.) I was willing to go down and sit in the waiting room till a slot came available but the receptionist didn't want to put us both through that (I was crying when I was on the phone).

I don't know if it's already too late for surgery, souffle? Probably I should have just had it done yesterday, but she has deteriorated much much more quickly than I thought possible. I've removed all the levels from her cage so she doesn't have to climb anywhere. Will keep you updated.

[LolaMcMuffin]

Sorry to hear that, poor Molly. Got everything crossed for you.
My Bella had a similar bloating problem, it started off with a snuffly cold, and she lost almost half her body weight, but then the last week she was here, she got very bloated. To the point of looking bigger than before she was ill, so I know how worried you must be.

[souffle]

I think if she needs surgery she needs it done now Corrie. She is biting because she is in pain and doesn't know what is going on. The food eating is a distraction thing I think and she may not actually be eating it. I think I'd insist they see her as you feel she is really going downhill fast and personally, if she were mine, I would risk the spay now rather than lose her. If they can get the womb out without rupturing it she should be OK however they will be very guarded on the prognosis for her when she is already very ill.
Have they ever done a spay at your vet?

[corrieberry]

I am sure they have, it's the RVC teaching hospital. They should call me soon, will keep you updated.

[Hekomi]

Oh Corrie, I'm so sorry. Good thing you noticed this right away and not today. I hope they can get you in ASAP and help Molly. I'll be thinking of her all day. Hugs to all of you. x

[Bec]

So sorry you and Molly are going through this. Hope they can treat her straight away, bless her. Will look out for updates! x

[Truffle]

I am so sorry that you and Molly are having such a difficult time... all my fingers are crossed for you. xx

[Pompompoms]

Oh Corrie I am so sorry you and Molly are going through this, please keep us updated as to what has happened with Molly. You are doing everything you can to help her, me and the poms will have everything crossed for you xx

[corrieberry]

Hi all

Sorry it has taken me two days to respond to your kind messages - nothing terrible has happened, I've just been super busy with things.

I rushed her off to the vet yesterday and they thought she was actually doing a bit better than the previous day, and told me they wanted her to complete the antibiotics before they did anything else - so we are back on Monday after completion.

She is seeming quite feisty and almost back to her normal self - although still quite bloated and the lump has gotten bigger. She had a run around on the sofa with my SO this evening and was very active and happy to be moving around. She wasn't bothered in her movement, and was able to climb and get over obstacles with ease.

I'll keep a close eye on her, but for now it's just a waiting game to see what is going to happen on Monday!

Thank you so much for all the thoughts, it is so appreciated.

[corrieberry]

Molly is much, much better than she was. She has been sleeping quite a lot, but also more active when she is awake. She's been enjoying all of her handling time while she isn't allowed to use the playpen. (She's climbing in my top at the moment).

We ran out of Septrin yesterday, the vet didn't give us enough - she probably weighed it perfectly and didn't think about the fact that some of it would stick to the syringe and sides of the bottle and so on.

Her follow-up is tomorrow morning. We are seeing the hamster expert and will talk about the options then. They know I have asked for a spay so hopefully she will have prepared the quote for me. I got a new laptop for my birthday so the cost of the surgery will come from my laptop fund, which feels like a nice mitigation strategy!

The original lump has gone down quite a lot. It was the size of a pea and I would say it's now the size of a mini-yoghurt drop, like the really small ones you get from P@H. Feeling a lot more positive for her now.

[Bec]

So glad Molly is much better and good luck with the vets tomorrow. Sending positive vibes for little Molly.

Hope you had a lovely birthday too! :)

[corrieberry]

Thanks Bec! Birthday was lovely!

We just got back from the vet and Molly is now re-making her bed because I just scooped her up with all her bedding this morning when I put her in her carrier. It looks like she just spewed tissue paper as she was getting it out of her pouch a moment ago, silly girl.

She was very vocal at the vet and told her in no uncertain terms that she was not impressed by being handled. Although her behaviour has improved, the vet still wants to carry on with the antibiotics before surgery is considered as she feels she has not made enough progress. We are on Baytril now. She has put on weight and is now 201g.

We will see how we go. I don't go to bed terrified she is going to die in the night anymore, which is an improvement at least.

[ANGELBABIES]

Glad the little one is getting better. What a ride you have had corrieberry. Belated birthday wishes to you xx Lots of love n hugs to Molly and Pippin xx

[kyrilliondaemon]

I've only just caught up on this, I'm really sorry you and Molly have been through so much :( I'm glad she's improving and hope the baytril helps keep her improving for you

[corrieberry]

The baytril is doing wonders for Molly. Her lump is much smaller and we are off to the vet on Monday for the next consultation. Our financial situation has, however, dissolved, following a huge car issue. I'm thinking of starting a kickstarter campaign to see if we can get the minimum required for the surgery, otherwise I don't know what we are going to do.

[racinghamster]

That is good news about the antibiotics seemingly helping Molly corrieberry. It`s a shame your finances have been scuppered by a car fault though, that`s rotten luck. Life sucks eh? :(

Look on the bright side though. Surgery may not be required, but to be honest, a lot would depend on whether the drugs were just preventing the inevitable. I suppose the vet would ell you either way. x

[corrieberry]

The vet wants to do imaging which is going to be 5/6ths of the cost of the major op to remove her uterus anyway.

She seems well enough in herself, she's sleeping a lot but she did also just have babies a few weeks ago...very sprightly at least.

[souffle]

Oh dear that is a bit of a shock :( Not sure what imaging is of what benefit that would be? Is it a scan or Xray? How much is it quoted at? I know Vectis pays about £120 for a spay. Ops at our vet are only around £35 but never had a spay done there. I hope it can be sorted out.

[corrieberry]

They are quoting £400!! I think I might have to go ask at another vet, which is a shame because these guys have a lot of experience with hamsters :(

[souffle]

oh gosh that is a lot :( London prices. :( I'd try asking around of seeing if they will price match to other vets as you would struggle with that.

[corrieberry]

That's it - we had £200 in the kitty for vet bills and between the two of them in the last two months we've spent a fair amount more than that already :( And now the car! But we have to do what we have to do, so we will find a way to do it.

[racinghamster]

That`s extortion money if ever I saw it. £400??? #-oReally does make your heart sink when they quote prices like that knowing it`s ridiculously high for a hamster, although possibly the machine they use may be costly to run, who knows...

Seems to me they are either following protocol by doing the staging required before such surgeries, or they are trying to make money even though they know she might require the op regardless.

What age is Molly? Is she still under a year old? If she is, then surgery is probably worth considering but the cost also needs paying. It`s not easy to predict, but if she`s well in herself on the meds and the vet you see is happy for you to make the decisions about Molly if she`s faring well on the meds, then it might be worthwhile staying with that unless you feel surgery is urgent. x

[souffle]

Can you not opt out of the expensive tests and decide you want to go straight for the op? Would that reduce the costs. Problem is you said she had gained weight which may mean the womb if filling with pus again rather than a healthy weight gain. Does she still have a discharge?

[kyrilliondaemon]

Flipping heck! Thats an insane amount of money :( I think I've heard of a vet wanting £350 for a spay (the hamster in question went to another vet for its surgery) but £400... Both are rediculous prices. I'm sorry you've had the car problem and its caused financial issues combined with this :(

I know we're lucky with the prices our vets charge, the biggest surgery we've had is male mouse neutering but that was only £35.

Its definetly worth asking around, I hope you can find some way to manage this and Molly is lucky you're still trying given the financial difficulties it could cause :) (Most on the forum would keep trying but a lot wouldn't be as good to her)

[souffle]

It may even be worth the trip the another vet with known experience and lower cost to have the spay if it makes it more manageable.

[corrieberry]

I just don't really know what to do about it - Molly is only 5 months old. I will do some research and see if there is another vet that will do it but I'm also gutted that is the course I have to take because I chose this vet for the specific reason that they have such expertise in hamsters :( I might see if my mom's vet in Devon can do it, or my boyfriend's in Kent...the problem is travel combined with the stress of the op too. We already have to travel 45 minutes to get to this vet and they are really the nearest that isn't a completely shady backstreet surgery.

[kyrilliondaemon]

As far as the stress for Molly goes, my friends ham Pokey (http://www.hamstercentral.com/community/hamster-healthcare/48375-pokeys-pyometra.html) was living with a different human for her surgery and she was ok, they can sometimes handle more than you think they can :)

I hope one of the other vets can help you and charge a bit less. It is a shame you may need to go to another vet but its better to see a different vet than to stay with yours and be unable to afford the surgery

The other option is to ask if the vets'd let you do a payment plan where you pay them over a few months but there're obviously going to be downsides to that and the vets themselves may not agree to it

[souffle]

Vectis vet (who also did Pokey I think? ) is in Southampton - Park Surgery I think but you could ask her.
Unicorn Vets | Your Local Vet in Southampton (http://www.unicornvets.co.uk/)

[kyrilliondaemon]

Yeah it was Vectis vet who did Pokey :) Thanks to Pokey I had already considered suggesting Vectis vet, from everything I've heard they do seem to be really good

[racinghamster]

Hi corrieberry. I don`t know how many vets are in your area (apart from the one you drive to now) but sometimes a cheaper price doesn`t mean a cheaper service? Just throwing this out there really because a spey is a spey. All vets should be able to give you a price and their opinion on Molly and at the end of the day, there will always be risk, regardless of the price quoted. Go with your instinct on this and even if one vet said they could do the surgery with post op drugs for £80 quid, I would consider it. x

[DrKMcK]

I hope you can get Molly the help she needs corrieberrie. It is ridiculous to charge such a fee. I also would look around for another vet during the time Molly is on meds. :-(

[corrieberry]

I wonder if anyone here can recommend a London based vet? She is still discharging today.

[souffle]

I'll try and find out for you

[souffle]

Right - Thanks to David Baglin of Tristar I have a recommendation - he suggests
Roundwood veterinary practice in London NW10 are really reasonable. Not far from Dollis Hill tube station. Google their no. Will prob do it for £60 or thereabouts.
Tel: 020 8459 4729
176A Church Rd
London, NW10 9NP
He is asking what area you live in?

[corrieberry]

Thanks for this Souffle, I only just finished doing some stuff for work and saw this and your pm. I live in Finsbury Park, it's quite a long way away but I will phone and see what they say.

[Lida]

Aw, I hope everything works out. I have been following Molly's story since I joined.

Spaying and neutering small animals is very expensive. In my area they charge close to $500. It's ridiculous! I wish vets could work out payment plans. You're being a great parent to Molly! Good luck!

[Skeever]

No Obama Care for Hamsters..... :( I knew there was a reason I became an expat.....

This might be a stretch, but are there any veterinary schools that you would trust after talking with their prospective graduating vets and advisors? Like I said, I don't know if they even do that, but often the quality is competitive with other med schools cuz students are trying to excel....I've dealt with dental schools and a couple of pre-doctors in my life. 500 USD is insane!

[souffle]

I think it's worth the trip for the saving and David is a great breeder and if he trusts them so would I. He did suggest you get her done as soon as possible though.

[kyrilliondaemon]

I hope the other vets can help you corrieberry :)

[corrieberry]

I'm going to call as soon as they open. I would be able to take her this afternoon or first thing tomorrow, I'll see what they say.

[corrieberry]

She's booked in for 2 pm tomorrow.

[souffle]

That's good news - how does she seem today? Keep up with the meds as if they think a spay is needed then this will help her get prepared. I hope it works out and they can help her. It does seem to be near a tube station so hopefully it won't be too hard to get too. Poor Molly and poor you but if this vets seem good then you will know where to go in future. I'll tell David that you have an appointment as he wanted to know how she did. You may want to mention he recommended them. Did you explain the problem?

[corrieberry]

I have explained everything and already said he recommended me. She's still discharging but the lump has completely vanished. She seemed to be getting much better towards the middle of this week but last night she was lethargic again so I'm going to stop putting it off and just do it - the cost was the main thing, but even if it's more than £65 I don't care anymore, it's not worth the delay. A million times better than hundreds!!

If I have to leave her there tomorrow so they can do it super quickly that will be fine, but I'm having my own operation next week so I'm hoping they can just get it sorted out for me and I can get her picked up before I'm out of action. It's going to be fairly easy to drive to, so we should be fine. If they can't operate tomorrow I can get my mum to drop her off on Monday when I go into surgery and then pick her up before she leaves on Thursday.

[racinghamster]

Wishing you well corrie with Molly and your own surgery. I`m sure things will be fine, you are both strong troopers! x

[DrKMcK]

Geez. I hope both of you are okay corrieberrie. That's a lot to handle. {hugs}

[Bec]

You have certainly been through the mill haven't you! Hope you and molly are OK. Good luck and sending positive healing vibes. x

[kyrilliondaemon]

Good luck for tomorrow vet visit, I'm glad she has an appointment. I also hope your own surgery goes well

[corrieberry]

So, I took Molly to these vets today and they didn't have the hamster person in. I'm so frustrated :( They examined her for half an hour and agreed that yes they need to do something internal, but I will have to go back to the other vet on Monday and try get her an appointment then.

I am SO frustrated. The one good thing is they didn't charge me for the appointment - but I'm still a bit confused as to why they didn't book me an appointment with 'the hamster person' when I explained the whole problem :(

Apparently the reservations go through a central system where the people who are booking the appointments don't actually know anything.

So we are back next week, although I'm starting to wonder when I'm going to find time to do it :(

[souffle]

Oh no I'm so sorry that it didn't work out. Did they even give you an appointment? I hope you can manage that but you can only do what you can corrie and you have your own health to think of. I so hoped they would be keeping her in and doing the op soon :(

[Bec]

Oh Corrie, how frustrating! Try not to stress, you are doing all you can. Please keep us updated and hope Molly is okay over the weekend x

[corrieberry]

I have to call on Monday to book the appointment :( I'm just worried about her and I feel so frustrated that we got fobbed off, but it's just inefficient systems!

Will let you all know.

[kyrilliondaemon]

I hope you get an appointment with the right person for Monday, I'm sorry the last appointment went so badly

[corrieberry]

Haven't managed to find anyone, been at the hosp all day for pre-op checks, will call first thing tomorrow. But not going to be able to drive for a while and not sure if mom will be that amenable to helping. ["Don't waste your money on a hamster" "I think you should get rid of the hamsters and get a cat"] Terrible timing :( This feels like it's been going on for months. She's still on the antibiotics at the moment and won't stop unless I run out.

[kyrilliondaemon]

Oh no :( Can your boyfriend help get her to the vets at all?
Whatever happens you're doing your best for her and the antibiotics are better than nothing

[DrKMcK]

I feel terrible for you Corrie. Why the vets aren't doing right by Molly is a mystery. Why would they give you an appointment for a vet who wouldn't be in? Your mom should have been gentler as you are going through issues yourself too. If the lump is going down it may be that the antibiotics just may hold Molly until you can get her to a vet. I hope this all works out for you and Molly. :-(

[corrieberry]

My boyfriend is in New York at the moment :( I'm doing my best with my mom but she's not the most understanding when it comes to pets. Ugh I can't think of a solution, I've been wondering if there isn't someone I know who lives near the vet who can keep her for me for a bit, but I don't know anyone who lives up that way.

I'm going to call them soon, they're not open yet, and see if they can do anything. I was wondering if I could sprint up there before surgery tomorrow, then leave her with them until Monday...but I don't know if they would do that.

[souffle]

Vectis had one of her hamsters on antibiotics for quite a few weeks to get things under control before she had her op so you are doing you best Corrie. I'm not down your way or I would help out. I'm not sure if they would keep her in but you can only explain the situation and ask. It's such a pickle when there are difficulties with health for both of you and I do hope things work out well and you both get back to full health very very soon. xx

[corrieberry]

OK! I am back and up running, managing to drive again and took little Molly to the vet today for another check-up. We ran out of antibiotics a couple of days ago, but the vet was very, very pleased with her progress (I saw her old one as the recommended one from souffle is closed on Saturdays).

The lump is completely gone and her belly is not taut anymore. She isn't smelling strange nor is she discharging, and the vet thinks the infection has cleared. I'm going to keep a very close eye on her, but we were not given any more antibiotics, and I will call the other vet on Monday to see what their thoughts are.

I know there is a strong chance of reinfection or similar, but I'm a bit scared of putting her through surgery unnecessarily, so I will have a good chat with the vet and see where we go. She's full of beans as always, and I'm in less of a panic abut her.

Too bad I can't say the same for myself - I have an infection at the site of my surgery and am back in on Monday for an outpatients appointment :(

[spyro87]

Oh Corrie, I wish you all the best in your recovery and in Molly's :)
xx

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'm glad she's doing well and I hope you feel better soon too

[DrKMcK]

:-( :-) I am so glad the lump has gone. I hope she continues to do well. I am sorry to hear you aren't doing as well yourself. A round of antibiotics should put things right again. I do hope you are feeling better. {hugs}

[Bec]

So glad Molly is doing well, must be such a relief.

Good look with your app Monday, hope you recover from your infection quickly.sending healing vibes your way x

[Willow Wisp]

Lots of positive energy coming your way for both you & Molly