Wounds?!

[jay_92]

Hi everyone, my hammy Cookie managed to escape from his cage 2 and a half weeks ago but luckily we managed to find him after he dodged 5 of us looking all over the room for him for 3 hours!! but we found him that night and only realised over the next couple of days that he had a wound on the underneath of him. it looked really sore and i took him to the vet the next day, they cleaned it up and gave me antibiotics to put in his water. i did this for 7 days but i did not think he had been drinking very much so i called the vet again who gave me antibiotics to put straight into his mouth - i did this for 5 days. Now its been 2-3 days since i havent given him the antibiotics. during the 2-3weeks i noticed his wound went black and the vet told me this meant it was healing. today wen i was playing with him i tried to check his wound and noticed a light green colour on top?! what does this mean?! im really scared now because he has had antibiotics aswel! what does light green on the wound mean?! the wound doesnt seem sore at all but its stil there and the fur hasnt grown back ?! is this normal?! his wee is also reeallyyy smelling and im not sure if this is because of the antibiotics?! please help cookie!!!

[Hope]

Mmm, ok smelly pee is a sign of something but I cant for the life of me remember what - hopefully someone else will come along and be able to tell you.

But as for the wound the green colour would indicate puss to me, so it could be infected. Is it still scabbed over or hase the scab gone now? If you think that it could be infected I would take him back to the vet for another check up. It is possible that the infection has spread to his urineary tract and thats wahts making the pee smell bad.

[jay_92]

hi, i cant see a scab at all what colour would that be? is just a light green as if its covered the wound, it doesnt look like its oozing or anything just looks like its covered it up? Thanks 4 ur help

[Hope]

Ok, the scab would be like a dried blood colour, dark reddy bown. But if that has gone now and its just his skin it could be the scar tissue, I know that scars can go 'silvery' on humans not sure on hammies though. Sorry I cant help any more. Hope that your hammie is ok!

[Past_member_10071]

Hi Jay
I'm not sure what might be wrong, if anything, but it sounds like it might be worth taking Cookie to your vet and asking them to take another look, if only to put your mind at rest.

You could also try offering Cookie some water, by hand, out of a dropper or syringe (just to keep him hydrated) but do this carefully - avoid getting the water in back of throat. Perhaps ask the vet about this. Sorry I can't help further and really hope Cookie is ok.

[Katty_Sheldon]

I dont think green can be good, i advice the vet again:/

[souffle]

Sometimes when an infected wound heals over before the infection has gone it forms an abcess capsule which is full of yellowy green pus. This normally opens up and drains but sometimes not. Wounds can also get bruising around them which can turn yellowy.
If he has had the Baytril in water he may have come to associate the bottle with the nasty taste and is not drinking enough and his urine is very concentrated and smelly. Offer him a small bowl of water and feed some watery porridge or some cucumber to see if that helps. I do think it would be best to see the vet again to have this looked at and mention the urine as he could have an infection affecting the bladder too.

[jay_92]

Hi, i went to the vet and they said it hasnt healed properly. they gave me antibiotics again to give him by mouth and gave me disinfectant type thing to wipe down his wound. they gave me this on monday but i have been unable to clean it as its on the underneath of him and when i pick him up and have him upside down he leans forward so i cant get to it. unfortunatly no-one else in my family is confident to hold him and the only friend who is had been away until monday. I have tried a few times but cant do it but have been giving the baytril. yesterday whenever i went to pick him up he squeaked?! he hasnt really done this before? i am wondering if this is because he knows i will be giving him the baytril and is trying to run away from me? today i also tried to wake him up a little bit as it was getting late and i thought he may wake up now (hes quite lazy and doesnt always wake up until we talk to him) but when i went to give him some food even when he was in his house it was as if he was going to bite me. he seemed like he was going to bite me again after when he was sniffing my finger because of the way he moved? Cookie has never bit me before or anyone! im a little bit scared?! what do u think i should do? what if he squeaks again tonight when im trying to give him the antibiotics? i just about managed to give them yesterday! PLEASE HELP!

[Humphrey Furball]

Have you tried Souffles method of swaddling in a facecloth or large handkerchief, so that his paws are inside, to reduce wriggling? I found that good for giving antibiotics (with a syringe; what did the vet give you?). I also found that holding my hammie around his upper body (just under front paws), and letting his back feet sit on my leg, he would try to "stand up" on his back legs (to climb out through my fingers I think!), exposing his tummy in a vertical position; would this work if you held him and someone in your family could wipe his tum then? If worst comes to worst and he does try biting, you could wear gardening gloves so you won't be afraid, just for now while he needs his treatment. If possible, give him a little treat straight after the antibiotics, to try to make it associated with something nice and he might not find it so bad. Good luck, I hope he gets well soon.

[jay_92]

yea i got a syringe to! its been ok up until yesterday! how do i do the facecloth method? and im reluctant to wear gardening gloves because he may not be able to smell me and be more scared?