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Grey Hamster:  Most frequent diseases.   Vet Dr. Tiger gives information and advice

Only the most important diseases that might infect dwarf       hamsters will be described hereafter. In case of bite wounds,       skin eschars, scab formation, emaciation, itching, feed       refusal, diarrhoea and the like, the vet must be consulted.       Also if apathy, respiratory distress, tiredness, nasal or ocular       discharge occur, it is important to be alert. The quicklier a       diagnosis is made and a specific therapy induced, the       speedier a recovery of the animal can be expected. Most       diseases are without risk for human beings. Just be careful in       case of transmissible parasites such as mites and mange       mites! The following table gives a survey of the most frequently occurring diseases of dwarf hamsters.

Disease	Causes	Symptoms	Visit veterinarian?
Bite wounds	Loner! Attacks orhter hamsters	Infection of the bite wound, formation of scab	Keep animals separately, careful cleaning of the wound, healing powder
Constipation, injury of the cheek pouch	Unsuitable feed (chocolate, sweets)	Impaction of the cheek pouches	Use suitable feed only, consult vet
Skin	Various mites, acariasis	Formation of scales and scab, itching, eschars	Consult vet
Diarrhoea	Infection, stress situations, change in feed	Diarrhoea, weakness, emaciation, dehydrating, death	Keep animals in hygienic conditions and in ways appropriate to their species, perfect feed, consult vet
Affection of the airway	Infections, stress, bad hygienic conditions, low temperatures, bad alimentation	Nasal and ocular discharge, shortness of breath, tiredness, feed refusal	Keep animal in best possible conditions, best alimentation, consult vet
LCM (meningitis)	Meningococcus or viral infection	Vomiting, sudden fever, coordination disorder	Consult vet

Self-Medication

Many of the diseases can be avoided if the cage is kept clean and the best suitable and balanced feed is given. If for instance the droppings of the dwarf hamster are a paste or even liquid instead of having the form of a pencil, it is recommended to stop giving green roughage for some days. On the other hand, hard and dry droppings indicate that there is a green roughage deficiency. Pest infestation can be controlled by using suitable flea powders and by thoroughly cleaning the cage. Tooth deformities can also be avoided by putting enough pieces of hardwood in diameter of 1 to 2 centimeters into the cage or some branches of willow, birch, alder or hazel. It is also possible to offer the dwarf hamster a soft limestone, or maybe a cuttle fish shell, which will cover his requirement of calcium.

Emergency situations

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to recognize an emergency situation as such in the case of small animals like dwarf hamsters. The few reserves these small bodies have are spent quickly. Emergency cases are obviously bite wounds resulting from fights between animals of the same species.

When to consult the veterinarian?

Every pet owner who looks after his dwarf hamster day after day will not fail to notice any change in the animal's behaviour, for instance if all of a sudden the animal does not climb anymore or always looks tired. It is not easy to recognize rapidly progressing diseases in the case of such small animals. And, as already pointed out earlier, the few reserves such small bodies have are spent quickly. That is why the hamster has to be brought to the vet's office as quickly as possible if symptoms of a disease show up.