What Causes Wet Tail
As we already know, wet tail is caused by the bacterial species Lawsonia intracellularis. Lawsonia intracellularis is transmitted through feces. This particular bacteria can also infect pigs, horses, ferrets, dogs, and primates. But luckily for us, it does not appear to be transmissible to people.
Young hamsters between three to six weeks old are particularly susceptible to wet tail. Since many of the hamsters sold in pet stores are around this age, wet tail can occur shortly after you bring your new hamster home.
Treatment Of Diarrhea In Hamsters
According to Merck Veterinary Manual, diarrhea in hamsters is a serious condition that can quickly deteriorate. A hamster with chronic diarrhea will often present with a wet tail because it cannot clean itself properly, and the runny feces gets smeared into the animals fur around its rear end.
Diarrhea in hamsters should always be considered as serious. Unless it is diet-related, it is unlikely to improve, and the little animal must be taken to a veterinarian for treatment.
The moment you notice that one of your hamsters has diarrhea, the first step is to isolate the animal and sterilize the cage, toys, food bowls and change the water. Replace the bedding with fresh bedding. This is a critical step to minimize the risk of any other hamsters being infected.
Chronic diarrhea, which is quite euphemistically called wet tail disease, is nothing like simply having a slightly uncomfortable wet tail. It is always life-threatening. If it is a disease causing the condition, it needs to be aggressively treated. However, even if it is simply an upset gut, water loss can quickly cause dehydration and be fatal for a hamster.
If your hamster only has softer than usual poop, and you know it is because it gorged on a banquet of fruit the day before, dont give it any more treats for a few days. It should receive plenty of fresh water and regular pelleted hamster food. If there is no sign of improvement, medical attention is the next step.
Why Does Your Hamster Have Diarrhea Here Are The Facts
Caring for your hamster requires you to know the different aspects of its health such as the possible illnesses and conditions it might end up suffering. Diarrhea is merely one of the several health conditions that hamsters may end up suffering. But why does your hamster have diarrhea and what are the possible causes of its diarrhea?
Your hamster could have diarrhea due to a different number of factors namely wet tail, influenza, salmonella, and dietary changes. Among all of the reasons for hamster diarrhea, the wet tail is one of the most dangerous causes of a hamsters diarrhea as it requires immediate treatment and attention from a veterinarian.
Hamsters are just like any other animal in the sense that they can be quite prone to a lot of different illnesses such as diarrhea. And in most cases, the causes of their diarrhea tends to be similar to the cause of diarrhea in most other animals. That is why you have to know how to properly care for your hamster so that you can prevent any kind of potentially dangerous disease or health condition stemming from diarrhea from developing.
Also Check: How Much Probiotics In Yoplait Yogurt
Bone Joint And Muscle Disorders
Lameness in hamsters is often caused by muscle or tendon strains. Broken bones most often occur when a hamsters leg becomes trapped in a wire exercise wheel or wire or mesh caging materials. For this reason, solid-surface wheels and cage materials are recommended. Broken bones, including a broken back, may result if the hamster is dropped or falls from a height . Because hamsters are very small animals, broken limbs are difficult to treat. Any time your pet appears in pain or is reluctant to move, seek immediate professional help.
Why Did My Hamster Die From A Tumor
Lumps and tumorscan be deadly as well, mostly because they can be very hard to operate on. The hamster, being so very small, has little chance of surviving anaethesia, although there have been cases. In some cases the tumor is inside the body, and removing it is sentencing the hamster to certain death, with blood loss as the main cause.
Recommended Reading: How To Stop Puppy Diarrhea
What Color Should My Hamster Poop Be
A healthy hamsters faeces will be small, firm, dark coloured pellets and if they are suffering from diarrhoea, this will not be the case. Instead stools will be paler in colour, soft and watery.
What does my hamsters poop mean?
One reason a hamster will poop on you is when theyre feeling stressed out about something. Hamsters are prey animals so they can get very scared and stressed really often. So if they do poop on you it can mean that your hamster is feeling some level of stress while youre interacting with them.
How Do You Know If Your Hamster Has Diarrhea
Diarrhea has always been one of the most common health conditions suffered by humans and different animals. This is when the stool becomes wet due to a lot of different conditions but diarrhea is often caused by problems in the bowel movement as a result of viral infections or any other similar causes. Of course, hamsters also suffer from diarrhea just like most other animals do.
When we are talking about hamster diarrhea, one of the most common ways for you to know that your hamster has diarrhea is when its tail is wet. The reason for its wet tail is, of course, due to the fact that its stool is also wet. Hence, thats why diarrhea in hamsters is often called the wet tail, which isnt always the generic term of hamster diarrhea but is actually an operative term for a more serious kind of hamster diarrhea.
You can also inspect the hamsters stool to detect whether or not it is suffering from diarrhea. Hamsters with diarrhea will have stools that are light in color, can be soft, and does not necessarily have to be watery and wet. It is usually in the more severe cases when the feces of a hamster will become very watery and wet.
Recommended Reading: What Can Help Stop Heartburn
Preventing Hamster Wet Tail
Keep your hamsters cage clean. This will help prevent contaminated food or water, and dry bedding is healthier for hamsters than damp, soiled bedding.
Stress can weaken your hamsters immune system, making them more susceptible to wet tail. Avoid handling young hamsters for a few days after bringing them home. This gives them time to adjust to their environment and reduces stress.
You should also avoid switching their food right away. Find out what food the pet store fed your hamster. Transition them slowly over a few days after your hamster has settled in to avoid upsetting their digestive systems.
On top of all this, it is important to isolate sick hamsters from other hamsters. Thoroughly clean and sterilize the cage. Be sure to provide clean, fresh bedding for your healthy hamsters. Keep an eye on them for symptoms of illness.
You can help prevent contagion by keeping new hamsters separate from other hamsters until you have had your hamster examined by a veterinarian or at least a week has passed without signs of illness.
Wet tail is not always preventable, but following these steps will give your hamster their best shot at avoiding it.
Can Hamsters Die From Wet Tail
Wet tail most often affects very young hamsters 3-6 weeks old, but hamsters of any age are susceptible. Many hamsters are affected while still at the pet store. Affected hamsters may also sit in a hunched posture and have blood around their rectums. Hamsters can die from this illness.
How does a hamster die suddenly?
Hamsters can suddenly die from blood clots that form because of abnormal circulation. If you notice that your hamster drinks significantly more water, then it might be a sign that the body sees the low levels of oxygen and interprets them as dehydration, thus activating the thirst center.
Don’t Miss: How To Relax Sphincter Muscle Constipation
Changing Your Hamsters Diet
How Often Should You Clean Out Your Hamster’s Cage
When cleaning a hamster’s cage, there are things you need to do daily, weekly, and monthly. Follow these guidelines from Petco to help keep your hamster happy and healthy:
When cleaning the entire cage, be sure to place your hamster in a safe location such as an exercise ball or small pet carrier. Clean all accessories and toys with warm, soapy water and rinse it off thoroughly. Let the cage and accessories dry before adding new bedding.
Also Check: Why Would A Puppy Have Diarrhea
What Should I Do If My Hamster Has Diarrhea
The actions you should take if you notice your hamster has diarrhea differs based on what you think the root cause of diarrhea may be.
Put your hamster on a dry food-only diet if the diarrhea is a reaction to dietary changes. Monitor its eating, drinking, and stool for at least 48 hours or until its diarrhea resolves. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you suspect your hamster has a bacterial or viral infection.
Below is a breakdown of what you should do if your hamster has diarrhea based on whether you believe its reacting to dietary changes or an illness.
What Are The Symptoms Of Diarrhea Of Hamsters
Signs and Symptoms. The signs and symptoms of hamster diarrhea are similar to that of the wet tail hamster disease but there are some signs that different. A normal case of diarrhea will have feces that are soft and light in color. Other than that, the hamster will not appear sick, hunched over or loss of appetite.
Why do hamsters have diarrhea?
The most common cause of diarrhea in hamsters is the overfeeding of fresh vegetables. Unlike wet tail, there is no loss of appetite or decreased activity. For the most part, the hamster will appear normal. Do not let diarrhea stay for prolonged periods of time, as dehydration becomes a big concern.
Recommended Reading: Does Anesthesia Make You Constipated
Hamster Wet Tail Treatment
Learning what to do if your hamster has wet tail is vital to save your pets life. If you think your hamster has wet tail, the first thing you should do is contact your veterinarian.
Wet tail is a serious, often lethal condition. So, make sure that you act fast. Your vet should understand the urgency of the situation. Once you have arranged to bring your hamster in, place him in a dry, clean carrying cage. Try to handle him as little as possible, to prevent stressing him further until you get to the veterinarian.
If you have other hamsters, thoroughly clean and disinfect the cage to prevent the spread of wet tail disease.
How To Treat Hamster Diarrhea
Treatment for common diarrhea can vary depending on the cause of diarrhea. When your hamster is suffering from diarrhea as a result of a change in its diet, simply reverting back to its old diet while managing the symptoms such as providing enough water for your hamster may be able to help treat diarrhea.
For diarrhea caused by flu, managing the symptoms of flu while making sure that your hamster is drinking enough water may be able to help alleviate the illness. But if the symptoms get worse, that should prompt you to take the hamster to a vet.
In the case of the wet tail, immediate veterinary attention, and treatment is the only way for you to treat the hamsters diarrhea. The vet will know what to do to help treat your hamsters wet tail but the usual treatment involves using antibiotics that will kill and eliminate the bacteria that is causing diarrhea. Vets will also use a syringe or a dropper to feed your hamster, especially whenever it isnt eating its food or drinking water at all.
Wet tail is extremely serious to the point that it can even kill your hamster in a matter of hours when the signs of this illness become apparent. Thats why it is important that you take your hamster straight to the vet when it is showing symptoms of wet tail. Do not try to delay the illness on your own at home because the only way for you to get your hamster treated and cared for is through the professional expertise of a vet.
Read Also: Are Probiotics Good For Constipation
Diarrhoea In Hamsters And How To Treat It
Hamsters make adorable pets and in general tend to be relatively healthy pets. However, they can like all other animals become unwell for various reasons.
To ensure the health of any animal kept as a pet, it is important to monitor them on a daily basis. Checking your pets faeces, food and water consumption, coat condition and behaviour can all help to reveal the state of their health.
A healthy hamsters faeces will be small, firm, dark coloured pellets and if they are suffering from diarrhoea, this will not be the case. Instead stools will be paler in colour, soft and watery. If its a persistent problem and potentially caused by a virus, you may also notice other symptoms such as weight loss, anorexia and lethargy.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus Infection
This virus usually infects wild mice hamsters become infected with it only occasionally. The virus is spread by contact with an infected rodents urine or saliva or through tiny droplets spread when sick rodents sneeze or cough. An infected pregnant hamster can pass it to her fetuses in the womb. The virus does not usually make hamsters sick, and it goes away on its own. However, sick hamsters can pass the virus to humans. Some hamsters that have this virus lose weight over time. Additional signs include convulsions, depression, and decreased reproduction in females. Your veterinarian might notice an enlarged liver, spleen, kidneys, or lymph nodes. The virus can be detected by laboratory tests. There is no effective treatment. Animals that are sick with arenavirus should be euthanized, and their living quarters must be thoroughly cleaned and sanitized. Any contact between your pet and wild rodents must be eliminated.
Read Also: Does Coconut Milk Yogurt Have Probiotics
How Do You Litter Train Your Hamster
Once you’ve gotten your litter box and litter, follow these steps to litter train your hamster:
Keep in mind that it could take some time. If your hamster doesn’t want to use the litter box for pooping, make sure the hamster has plenty of room to eat and sleep so that it isn’t using the litter for those reasons instead. If the cage is too large and the hamster is pooping in more than one place, consider adding a litter box to each corner until your hamster starts using them regularly.
Diarrhea In Hamsters Common Causes And Treatment
While hamsters are prone to a thousand and one medical conditions, one of the issues you have to deal with more often is diarrhea. While it might not seem like an issue at first, diarrhea can be very dangerous if it persists for too long.
In this article, we will discuss some of the causes of diarrhea in hamsters, and how you can determine whats wrong with your pet. We will also answer some of the questions hamster owners frequently ask about diarrhea in hamsters. You just cant afford to skip any bit!
Without wasting too much time, lets get to the issue at hand.
Recommended Reading: Can Milk Thistle Cause Diarrhea
Kidney And Urinary Tract Disorders
Inflammation of the kidneys, which worsens over time, is more common in older and female hamsters. Hamsters with this condition lose weight, produce more urine than normal, and are unusually thirsty. The condition may be caused by viral infection, high blood pressure in the kidneys, or a disorder of the immune system. Sick hamsters may also have amyloidosis .
Improper Diet Or Change In Diet
Sometimes, the cause of diarrhea in hamsters could be related to improper diet or a change in diet. You have to make sure that youre feeding your pet a proper and complete diet.
If your hamsters diet has changed abruptly and drastically , it could be the cause of diarrhea.
In fact, sudden dietary changes are often responsible for causing diarrhea in hamsters or any other animal species. You have to make sure that youre gradually changing your pets diet from one type of food to another and not making sudden changes.
Recommended Reading: Do Probiotics Help You Lose Weight