Hi Hamster chums!!😀😀😀 sorry! long post!

[squeakerwood]

Hi! I have a super little Syrian hamster called Squeakers.
I’d like to say he belongs to my 8yr old daughter but he’s all mine! 😀

We’ve had him for two years (plus whatever he was when we got him) and he’s been totally fine - happy, cute, squibbly and squishy for cuddles.

Apologies if this is not the right thread, but I wanted some advice please!
He’s been sleeping more and drinking so much that we thought maybe he had diabetes (i know older ones can get it) but then he stopped pooping and became smelly. I clean him out every 5 days but he was still smelly and just weeed all the time.
We took him to the vets last sunday who said he has wet tail ☹️ He was a v poorly little chap but since having antibiotics, dry food, nat yoghurt, clean up, heat pad under cage, changing his bedding every day etc cleaning with baby wipes and a toothbrush he is amazingly looking better/eating/less wet and preening himself!!Yay!!
Do hamsters recover?? The vet said he was really poorly but it’s almost a week on and he’s so much better!!!

Is there anything else we can be doing??Any advice would be so happily received

Thank you!! xxxxx haze x

[BluerayDarkes]

Usually wet tail is fatal and its highly contagious, considering how old your hamster is I'm surprised it was wet tail at all as he wouldn't have survived. It causes a lot of stress on the body, weight loss, dehydration due to constant diarrhea, they tend to last only a few days when suffering from it. As I haven't heard any different there's no cure for it at all, but just hope that keeping them comfy and hydrated helps them pull through.

Yeah I don't think it was wet tail perhaps it was a serious bacteria infection, and by the sounds of it you're doing really well in getting him to be top health again. :)

[squeakerwood]

Thanks for the reply!!👍🏻👍🏻
Maybe it wasn’t wet tail - we did think he was a bit old to get it...but you never know.
We’re hoping he gets better, it’s so sad seeing him poorly.

just popped the heat pad under his cage before we head up to bed so he’ll be snuggly tonight.

xxx

[cypher]

Sorry to hear your little one has been so unwell, I agree it's unlikely to be wet tail.
You're doing all you can for him, I don't think there's much more you can do, at his age he may take longer to recover but fingers crossed he will soon be feeling better & make a full recovery.

[SKB_Hamsters]

Hello and Welcome to Hamster Central. I am so sorry to hear that Squeaker has been unwell. I also agree it is unlikely to be wet tail from my own experience with wet tail, although it difficult to tell completely as I haven't seen him - however it sound like you are doing a wonderful job at looking after him and ensuring that he gets better. I have my finger crossed for a speedy recovery!

[squeakerwood]

Thank you so much for your replies ������ It really helps!
It seems I spoke too soon as he is wet again today and grumpy ☹️ I will see how he is over the next couple of days and take him back to the vets if he still seems poorly.

[SKB_Hamsters]

Does Squeakers have diarrhoea?
Is it his fur that looks wet and where about is he wet?

[squeakerwood]

Hi. It’s clear liquid - all down him just under his chin covering chest and tummy and the back of his tail. At first we thought his bottle had leaked...but it smells like wee?? Would diarreah be clear?

[SKB_Hamsters]

Diarrhoea in hamsters isn’t clear, their poos are really soft and it gives them a very dirty bum.
Do you know where he pees? As if you say it smells like pee he might be peeing in his house and sleeping in it.