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03-10-2021, 04:18 AM
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#1
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Senior Hamster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501
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Eyes....
Watching my ham, Freya, last night, I noticed one of her eyes didn't seem quite right. I couldn't get a close look (she's never let me hold her) so it could just be a bit sticky, but it also looks slightly swollen.
I'm panicking a bit as this happened to our last ham just over a year ago and eventually led to the trauma of her eye rupturing and her having to be put down at 8 months.
We'll see what it looks like tonight, but if it's the same would you recommend a vet visit?
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03-10-2021, 10:04 AM
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#2
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Eyes....
Eye infections are quite common in Russian hams but usually resolve with antibiotics so try not to worry too much, I would contact your vet if continues to look like that.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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03-11-2021, 06:12 AM
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#3
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Senior Hamster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501
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Re: Eyes....
Thanks, Cypher, for your response. Freya seems very sleepy and not altogether herself, although the eye looks about the same. I'm watching her closely for now and will see how things go, but I think a vet visit is likely to be on the agenda.
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03-11-2021, 06:29 AM
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#4
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Moderator
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Birmingham
Posts: 8,030
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Re: Eyes....
If she is also acting out of sorts then I'd deff do a vet visit sooner than later. Hope all goes well
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Feel free to ask me about rat advice too
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03-12-2021, 09:10 AM
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#5
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Senior Hamster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501
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Re: Eyes....
I took Freya to the vet this afternoon. They can't rule out what I fear - glaucoma - but think it is more likely to be conjunctivitis. She has a course of antibiotic / steroid eye drops twice a day for 5 days (Maxitrol). But here's the thing: she has never allowed me or anyone else to actually hold her, and she's fast, so I'm not sure what the best method is for administering the drops. We had to do it for a former ham once, and it made us and ham miserable. The vet suggested swaddling her in a towel to hold her still - if we can catch her! Any ideas please?
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03-12-2021, 09:36 AM
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#6
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House of Hamsters
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
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Re: Eyes....
Swaddling in a towel was the only way to clean Ozzy's scent gland and trim Edwina's nails. Both wriggly dwarfs.
I tempted Ozzy into his mug with a treat to get him out of his cage but had to dig him out a little first. Something i'd only do for medical or healthcare reasons.
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03-13-2021, 04:22 AM
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#7
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Senior Hamster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501
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Re: Eyes....
Yes, I had to dig Freya out too - like you, something I would only do for health or meds. First dose administered - we think. OH swaddled her in a face-cloth while I put in the drops, and we made a fuss of her afterwards. I'm sure she will learn to associate the face-cloth and the drops very quickly, and will make a quick get away, so we will have to become more adept.
How on earth do you trim a dwarf's nails? Freya's are so tiny I cannot actually see them!
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03-13-2021, 04:56 AM
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#8
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House of Hamsters
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Wiltshire, UK
Posts: 7,103
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Re: Eyes....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petite
How on earth do you trim a dwarf's nails? Freya's are so tiny I cannot actually see them!
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Edwina's have become very long since she's become inactive compared to what she used to be like.
I only trim very little of really long nails and one nail at a time, if i can manage at all and use small nail clippers like the ones used for babies.
Our other dwarfs wear them down themselves so they don't normally need trimming.
I'm glad you manage to administer the eye drops and Freya will soon forget about the evil face cloth.
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03-15-2021, 04:24 AM
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#9
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Senior Hamster
Join Date: Aug 2019
Location: Scotland
Posts: 501
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Re: Eyes....
Well, amazingly we seem to be getting on okay with the eye drops, one of us swaddling Freya while the other aims the drops. What alarmed us at first is how red her eyes got pretty much as soon as the drops were in, and it's not helping that she is obviously bothered by them and is rubbing her eyes quite a lot. Is this normal with Maxitrol? It's hard to tell whether it's actually helping yet.
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03-15-2021, 06:02 AM
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#10
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Dwarf whisperer
Join Date: May 2014
Location: Wales UK
Posts: 24,789
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Re: Eyes....
I can’t remember the name of the drops I’ve had in the past so not sure if it would be the same thing or not but I’ve never seen any redness after putting the drops in & once they get over actually putting them in it doesn’t seem to bother them, it can take a while to see any improvement in my experience but if you’re worried that the drops may be making her worse or aggravating her eyes I’d speak to your vet.
__________________
Slave to Zak.
Always loved, never forgotten, forever in my heart
T'ycor, Ziggy, Zephyr, Flynt, Mickle, Little Whisp, Zen, Zeki, Tinwë, Zylvan, Míriel, Calyanwë, Gusto & Meri ❤️
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