Percy's unknown skin lesion - Page 2

Pebbles82 · 04-19-2022, 07:32 AM

Anything that works!

MaryRobinson · 06-16-2022, 07:28 AM

Hi all, so, sadly this thread isn't closed after all. Percy survived our going away on holiday and is as perky as ever! Well, perhaps a tiny bit cslower but he is 2 next week so that's allowed! Still enjoys his food, likes a run and his hunt for treats through his Detolf. But...

...The little scab never went away. i took him back to the vet after we came home from holiday as it seemed bigger. She was inclined just to give pain relief but not antibiotics as it was dry - but he's such a little wriggler it's hard to get to look under his chin.

This past week, it's grown another few mm to about 1cm diameter. It looks like a scab with a slightly swollen edge but doesn't look at all like cutaneous lymphoma which a previous ham had - added to which he's had it for 3 months and it's barely changed until this week (hamster cancers I understood to take hold fast?)

Percy is still using his cheek pouch and I've seen zero scratching or evidence it's affecting him in any way but it is clearly getting bigger and last night there was the tiniest bit of blood on his sheets (his shredded tissue!) I emailed the local exotics vet who said 'your vet will have to refer you to us'.

Do you think it's a tooth abscess? He's eating slightly less of his hard food than before but it's really a tiny change - still loves his dandelion roots and whimsies and dog biscuit etc. I'm torn - again - about what to do. It's not pleasant for me to see this thing growing but he seems perfectly unaware of it. It's not puss-y or wet. I understand if it's an access it requires anaesthesia and lancing which I doubt he'd survive at 2?? Also that they have to be knocked out even just to get a skin scrape or exam and again, would he survive that?? I might try antibiotics but I am worried they'll upset his stomach instead. Eek. What to do?

I'll try to attach a picture here...

MaryRobinson · 06-16-2022, 07:30 AM

(P.S. It's not mites... 110%. No other patches or lumps on him and no scratching or lethargy and no contact with other hams.)

Ria P · 06-16-2022, 07:47 AM

I take it that the vet has checked his teeth?

MaryRobinson · 06-17-2022, 10:59 AM

No... He was too wriggly. But his eating habits haven't changed and he is in a natural set up with loads to gnaw on - pumice, hard dog biscuits, nuts etc - so I doubt it's that... But we're taking him back in this week to see her.

Can hamsters get melanomas? It looks like it might be something like this on this skin surface?

Ria P · 06-17-2022, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryRobinson

No... He was too wriggly. But his eating habits haven't changed and he is in a natural set up with loads to gnaw on - pumice, hard dog biscuits, nuts etc - so I doubt it's that... But we're taking him back in this week to see her.

Can hamsters get melanomas? It looks like it might be something like this on this skin surface?

As far as i'm aware they can get melanomas.

MaryRobinson · 06-20-2022, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

As far as i'm aware they can get melanomas.

I wonder if it is. Couldn't get in to the vet until Thursday so it's just a waiting game. Meanwhile, poor Percy turns 2 on Wednesday! Am going to spoil him rotten in the knowledge that the day after mightn't be so much fun for him...

Ria P · 06-20-2022, 09:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MaryRobinson

I wonder if it is. Couldn't get in to the vet until Thursday so it's just a waiting game. Meanwhile, poor Percy turns 2 on Wednesday! Am going to spoil him rotten in the knowledge that the day after mightn't be so much fun for him...

I don't know how you feel about it but i always think that every day after a 2nd birthday is a bonus and it doesn't mean that the fun is going to stop.

You know he's nearly 2 but Percy doesn't.

I have currently two senior Syrians and i know that their bodies aren't functioning as well as they used to but as long as they remain comfortable with a bit of help from me, i'm not too worried about their health.
I wouldn't put them through any invasive tests at their age.

Percy is not a poor Percy at all. He made it to 2 and he has you so really, he is a previledged Percy.

Pebbles82 · 06-20-2022, 11:57 PM

Is that the scab on the side of his face? Where his pouch is? I thought it was under his chin. On the photo it does look like something that could be infected - a pouch abscess possibly. Don't worry about antibiotics - it's better than infection getting in the blood stream. I've always found they're fine with them for a normal course, and you can give probiotics afterwards to help the gut. Our Robo did look a bit ropey when on antibiotics but looked back to normal after finishing them.

I think it's probably the first thing they'd try - that and Metacam. If it is a tumour, metacam can apparently help shrink them.

Cancers are similar to with humans - some can be slow growing, some fast. And they can start fast and slow down - there's no fixed thing really.

I think it would be a good idea to see the exotic vet. A biopsy may well need an anaesthetic, even though it's visible and external, but possibly not. In which case, as that's a bit risky, it's probably best to do trial and error. Eg see if antibiotics improves it and if not - well it's something he's living with and on pain relief for.

The hardest thing with the antibiotics is making sure they get the regular dose without causing stress to an older hamster, which is why I always give it in food - none of this trying to hold them and syringe it - they can just get too distressed,

As it tastes really bad, most food doesn't disguise it, but I had a great tip on here from Vectis about a particular meaty dog food for small dogs (looks like corned beef in the packet) that disguises the taste and hamsters absolutely love it!

MaryRobinson · 06-27-2022, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

I don't know how you feel about it but i always think that every day after a 2nd birthday is a bonus and it doesn't mean that the fun is going to stop.

You know he's nearly 2 but Percy doesn't.

I have currently two senior Syrians and i know that their bodies aren't functioning as well as they used to but as long as they remain comfortable with a bit of help from me, i'm not too worried about their health.
I wouldn't put them through any invasive tests at their age.

Percy is not a poor Percy at all. He made it to 2 and he has you so really, he is a previledged Percy.

Thanks Ria - that's actually a lovely way to look at it. He's really slowed down since the vet last week - his back legs are wobbly so I've changed his habitat to a single level one to be safer as he's very weak bumbling around! He's not eating masses but still coming out in the evening to look for his treats and his favourite baby food

I guess we are privileged parents to Percy, too!