Hamster experts, please help - wet tail/Update

[Pea-n-Me]

I've left a message for our vet but being a weekend, right now nobody's there. The local small animal vet is also closed.

What do you do for this? I've read conflicting reports - that the OTC treatments work, and that they can actually do harm. Can anyone who's used these products tell me if they work?

Thanks for any help you can offer. We love our little guy!

We noticed he's been very quiet the past few days and not eating or running in his wheel. Today we noticed the wet tail.

The first thing we're going to try is getting an eyedropper to help give him fluids to keep him hydrated. We've also removed all his food for now to let his belly rest for 24 hrs, and we gave his cage a good cleaning. From what I understand now we need mild antibiotics, and we either get them from the vet's or from this OTC stuff. Other thoughts?

 

[Soldier's*Sweeties]

I've left a message for our vet but being a weekend, right now nobody's there. The local small animal vet is also closed.

What do you do for this? I've read conflicting reports - that the OTC treatments work, and that they can actually do harm. Can anyone who's used these products tell me if they work?

Thanks for any help you can offer. We love our little guy!

We noticed he's been very quiet the past few days and not eating or running in his wheel. Today we noticed the wet tail.

The first thing we're going to try is getting an eyedropper to help give him fluids to keep him hydrated. We've also removed all his food for now to let his belly rest for 24 hrs, and we gave his cage a good cleaning. From what I understand now we need mild antibiotics, and we either get them from the vet's or from this OTC stuff. Other thoughts?

Rye Bread helps rabbits with wet tail. There is (like you said) and OTC medication for it as well. You can find that in the rabbit section.

I Hope your little critter feels better!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thank you.

I think he's got more of an upset system than an infective process going on, now that I think of it. It probably goes back to last Sunday, Mother's Day, when he had a big piece of swiss cheese. My DD was showing her uncle how he puts things in his cheek, and I remember thinking that the cheese was probably too big for him, but at the time I was in the middle of doing something else and I let it slide. My bad.

If that's the case, it's probably more an issue of rehydration than antibiotics, so I'm going to start there and see how he does. He doesn't seem himself, but neither does he seem really ill. From what I'm reading, it's the dehydration that can kill, so that's going to be first priority today.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

We used the OTC products when we get a new hamster since they are prone to wet tail from stress of a new environment.

You have had this hamster for awhile now. Is there anything that happen to freak the guy out?

I can't really say about your situation though, maybe more to it, you know? HUGS to you and your little guy.

Oh, I just read your post above. Yep, it was probably "the incident".

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I'm thinking along the same lines, TMM. We've had him for a year and a half, and he's got virtually a stress free life, lol, and would not be exposed to any type of germs from other hamsters, etc. He was out of his cage on Mother's Day but only for a few minutes, and only my DD held him, etc. I think it was probably the cheese. Thank you.

 

[torinsmom]

I was told that hamsters get wet tail from stress. I've used the OTC medication many times with success. I put it in the water, but also give it directly to the hamster to make sure it gets in their system. Hamsters can die very quickly from dehydration, so I would treat yours ASAP!

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Update

Gus has been a good little hammie today, taking his water drops like a trouper. He's sleepy anyway during the day but we'll see how he is when he wakes up in a little while.

We kept him in his small travel carrier so as to minimize the stress of fishing him out of his "bunker" in his large cage. Poor little guy, he didn't even seem to mind.

I hope he's ok.

 

[njmom47]

I miss our hammies...I'm glad yours is doing better.

 

[jackemail]

Hope Gus gets better, and you see improvement in the morning.