You need to know what diseases can happen to hamsters and what steps you need to take before contacting your veterinarian. But do not try to treat your hamster yourself if he is sick. Contact a specialist who will correctly diagnose and be able to provide the animal with qualified assistance. After all, different diseases can have very similar symptoms, so it will be difficult for you to distinguish between them.
Instructions
Step 1
You will notice that your pet is sick by the following signs:
■ the hamster seeks to retire, hide, lie down;
■ shows aggression that was not previously characteristic of him;
■ is heavy, breathing;
■ lies with his eyes closed;
■ trembles with small tremors;
■ the fur looks a little damp;
■ with a light touch, hairs fall out;
■ the animal has more frequent stools, which become dry or liquid;
■ small blood-sucking insects (fleas, lice) are visible on the fur.
Step 2
As a result of a lack of vitamin D in food, the hamster can develop rickets. It occurs mainly in young hamsters. Often hamsters get sick with rickets when there is a lack of sunlight in winter. The cage with the sick animal must be moved to a bright place. Irradiate the animal with a quartz lamp for 10-15 minutes for 10-15 days. Inside, give him 1-2 drops a day of trivitamin or trivit.
Step 3
Diseases of the digestive system occur against the background of an infection or due to improper feeding of the hamster. To cleanse the animal's gastrointestinal tract, give it one tablespoon of petroleum jelly or castor oil. From drugs, you can use chloramphenicol, biomycin, syntomycin or phthalazol (1/2, tablets 2 times a day). Instead of drinking for diarrhea, give the animal weak tea or a weak solution of potassium permanganate, and for constipation - castor or liquid paraffin.
Step 4
Wet tail is a very serious disease that often leads to the death of the animal. It has similar symptoms to diarrhea, which can occur as a reaction to the introduction of new feed, water, or stress. Signs of illness: loss of appetite, watery diarrhea (diarrhea), irritability, rectal bleeding. A sick hamster's coat looks tousled. Seek help from your veterinarian immediately. If the diagnosis is confirmed, he will prescribe antibiotics. If your hamster has diarrhea because you overfeed him with green vegetables, eliminate fruits, green vegetables and other juicy foods from his diet for a while to normalize his stool. Give the hamster hay, give it warm infusion of St. John's wort, chamomile or weak tea. You can feed your hamster with boiled rice without salt and oil.
Step 5
If you find worms in your hamster, immediately contact your veterinarian who will prescribe the necessary medications. Worms lead a parasitic lifestyle in the intestines of animals, absorbing nutrients, which leads to depletion of the body.
Step 6
The causative agent of scabies is the scabies mite, which cannot be seen with the naked eye. There are three types of mites: skin mites, skin mites, and pruritus. Scabies are distinguished general, head and ear. This disease is contagious to humans, so take urgent action if you suspect scabies. Isolate the sick animal from other animals. Disinfect his cell with 4% hot sodium hydroxide solution.
Treat the affected areas on the skin of a sick animal with a 3% solution of the SK-9 drug, a mixture of a 1% chlorophos solution with a 1% solution of D-33 or sulfuric ointment or. Repeat the treatment after 6-7 days.
Step 7
Baldness is very similar to lichen, so be sure to consult your veterinarian, as it is almost impossible to distinguish these two diseases from each other with the naked eye. Usually, a bald hamster has a clean and smooth skin, while a diseased hamster gradually becomes covered with scales and wounds. Baldness is the result of a lack of vitamins or occurs as a result of stress. If the animal has lichen, show it to the veterinarian, who will prescribe special ointments for the animals. Do not bother your pet once again, do not move its cage to another place. In both cases, give your hamster vitamins.
Step 8
Inflammation of the lungs and upper respiratory tract in hamsters develops with prolonged exposure to drafts and as a result of hypothermia of the animal's body. Keep the sick animal warm, protect it from drafts, feed it with full food. Treatment should be carried out under the supervision of a veterinarian with sulfa drugs.
Step 9
A hamster's sneeze can be a symptom of an allergy or pneumonia. If you suspect the first one, stop feeding the animal new food if you recently introduced it. Replace sawdust in the litter with paper. Pneumonia (pneumonia) in hamsters is quite common. Be sure to show the hamster to the veterinarian so that he prescribes antibiotics for the animal - 0.3 g per 100 ml of tetracycline water or 5 mg per 100 g of chloramphenicol.
