Fishy smell?

Murada · 09-17-2008, 02:48 AM

Hello to all from sunny Yorkshire!

This is my first post and relates to the fact that my daughters syrian hamster has developed a pungent 'fishy' smell.

Actually the smell is very fishy/ammonia. It (we are now not sure if it is a boy or a girl!) is otherwise very active and has been eating normally. Poo looks okay. We have had it around 9 months and although noticed the odd 'fish stink' before - it has been very noticable over the past couple of days. I thought it could be linked to the vitamin drops added to it's water? Note it is cleaned out thoroughly once per week, fed once a day and water chanded every two days.

Has been suggested it is actually a girl and on heat - though we were always convinced it was a boy?

souffle · 09-17-2008, 03:03 AM

Hello Murada and welcome.
We are in Yorkshire too!
If your hamster is a female you may be smelling her normal cyclic changes. Females have a 4 day cycle and can smell quite whiffy on some of the days. We think they smell like twiglets! Some females, paricularly cinnamons (ginger ones) are known to have a stronger female scent. However that said if this has only just started and become particularly strong there may be some health issue. Females can get infections in the womb caleed pyometra where pus build up in the womb. They can have a bloodstained, yellow discharge and sometimes no discharge at all. The tummy is usually swollen and feels hard. Females often act normally until the disease is quite advanced however they often drink a lot more and seem lethargic. This disease is virtually impossible to cure without spaying the hamster. Antibiotics give temporary releif. It could also be a bladder or vaginal infection and in these case antibiotcs will usually cure it if treated early. A few hammies get diabetes but the urine usually is copious and smells of pear drops with the hamster losing condotion.
If you hamster is a male (males are quite easy to spot as they have noticeable testicles at the back which is elongated - females are more blunt- see the WIKI for pics) it could still be a urine or kidney infection. Hammies kidneys tend to get less efficient as they age and we find they usually wee more.
If you feel your hammy has a swollen tummy, discharge or is weeing a lot with smelly urine it would be best to see a vet. If you are near Holmfirth I would recommend Robert Whyte in Donaldson & Partners.
I hope it is just normal female smell and she is well though.

Murada · 09-17-2008, 03:26 AM

I am in East Yorks (Brough). Thanks for the prompt response I will have a good look at him/her (our friend who has owned hamsters before said him - but now I am not sure). Not noticed any blood/discharge and 'Hammy' always pees in the same place. Hammy has also been very active/eating normally - never sure how much he drinks - though we hear him at his bottle. Like I said I have noticed it before - just this time extra pungent. All the family have said it is a fishy smell - though I also thought armonia.

souffle · 09-17-2008, 08:08 AM

Can you post a pic of Hammy's undercarraige? In males the two vents are quite a distance apart where as females are close together. In some lighter coloured females you can see two nipple lines up either side. Males do not have these. We could likely tell you the sex if you post a pic. Maybe you have changed food/bedding or something else? I would not bother the vitamin drops as they are not needed by hammies except maybe babies, nursing mums or elderly. Maybe the bedding is less absorbant so you notice the wee smell or have you just put on your heating which makes it smell quickly? Often they dig away all the bedding from the wee area so there is just wee which smells. You could wipe the wet corner daily with a bit of kitchen roll sprayed with pet safe spray and dry and see if that helps. If it still seems bad it may be an infection and you should see a vet.

Murada · 09-17-2008, 10:56 AM

Sadly when we took Hammy to the vets tonight we had no option but to have him put down. My daughter was devastated and I shed a tear for the little fella

On thorough examination he had a tumour in his stomach and there was some thick yellow discharge around his rear end. To be honest, now I reflect there were one or two other symptoms (apart from the smell) - where he previously gobbled his food down I had been finding more it stored in his cage, he was having some trouble moving up and down his tubes (I put that down to him not been as nibble as he used to be), perhaps he was not as active as he used to be and (although the poo was normal) he had not been pooing as much.

The vet said there was nothing they could have really done for him - operations are very risky on such small animals. The vet did say this was rare. I thought I would share this should anyone else's pet suffers similar symptoms.

If anyone is looking for a sympathetic vet in the Hull/East Yorks area, then I would highly recommend the Swanland Practice.

Many thanks for your advice and I am sorry my visit to your forum was so brief.

souffle · 09-17-2008, 11:52 AM

I am so sorry to hear of the loss of little Hammy. Please give your daughter our sympathies and tell her she did a great thing in giving him peaceful rest from his illness. he will be playing happily at the Rainbow bridge now and one day in the distant furture you will meet again. He does not seem to have been in pain Murada which is a blessing and I hope the symptoms you describe will help another person detect changes early in their hammy. There is nothing you could have done and you got him vet attention as soon as the problem became apparant. When she feels ready maybe your daughter will give a loving home to another little hammy and we might see you agoin here in happier circumstances.
Rest in Peace Hammy.