Syrian hamster chemical burn

[Tbaby90]

Hey guys I'm new to this site my name is Teresa.
I bought my son a hamster about 5 months ago and he's been responsible up until last night Allie got out of her cage and somehow for into the mop bucket which had bleach and fabuloso I have no idea how long she was inside and I found her this morning as I was about to clean up 😭😭😭 I thought she had died but she pulled through amazingly but the doctor isn't sure if she will make it and said to give her a few days a prescribed a spray for her bottom where she doesn't have hair anymore and also she can't or won't open one of her eyes so my question is have you guys had any experience with the incidents do you guys think she will make it and will her fur grow back vet says she'll be more susceptible to get sick with half hey body not being covered.

[Pebbles82]

This is very sad. I don't imagine it will have done her any good obviously, and bleach is nasty stuff and can cause damage. How is she behaving generally? Did the vet give you anything for pain (eg Metcam)? It might be worth asking them for some as she is bound to have some pain after that. It is usually a drop or two of medicine and can be put in half a teaspoonful of baby food or porridge - eg - something she will actually eat.

Hamsters can live without fur, although they feel the cold more, but I would be more concerned about any pain from the burns right now.

Hopefully it is external and she didn't actually drink or swallow any, because bleach internally can cause a lot of pain and damage. It may have gone up her nose. Is she breathing ok?

I would really ask your vet for some metacam. Is she eating or drinking?

How active is she?

[dreamtree1234]

Oh, no! That is extremely heartbreaking. I'm sure your son must be totally crushed and devastated by this since apparently he loves Allie and had done such a good job to care for her thus far. Sometimes even the most caring and loving pet parents make mistakes, and we just have to learn from them and try our very best not to repeat them. Hammies are the true escape artists; unfortunately, tragic accidents do happen. I do hope that your family and the vet will be able to save her. I am so very sorry this happened to all of you. My heart goes out to you, your son, and your dear Allie. Hugs.

Fortunately, I have personally never experienced any animal getting close to, let alone going directly into, these chemicals. It must have been a truly terrible nightmare to see poor Allie there in that condition. I couldn't even imagine what you are going through right now. I do know that sadly it is extremely dangerous and potentially deadly especially if enough is ingested. As Serendipity has stated, I would ask your vet to prescribe some pain meds for your ham as soon as possible to help ease the pain and try to keep her warm and cozy as she will be less likely to maintain her body heat properly with those burns and sudden loss of fur. Hams can live without fur (thus, hairless hamsters), but they do have a tendency to get colder than furry hams. I would also ask the vet if there is an emergency number that he/she can be reached at if needed after hours. I strongly suggest keeping a close eye on her that she is able to eat, drink, and breath properly. I am unsure of whether or not her fur will grow back in time or if her eye will be permanently damaged due to this. Right now, I would just focus on the more pressing health issues. I will definitely be keeping my fingers crossed and wishing with all my heart that she will be able to pull through this alright and live a happy, long life with you both. However, if her pain intensifies or she is refusing to eat or drink, you may want to consider making a very difficult decision to help her pass as painlessly as possible. I am SO sorry. Please keep us updated if you have an opportunity to do so. Take care, best of luck, and know that we are here for you.