My hamster’s tumor just burst, what do I do? This is a common question among hamster parents experiencing the condition for the first time. The sight of blood or pus oozing from a burst tumor on your hamster’s body can mess up your day.
Regardless of your experience level dealing with similar situations in the past, you wouldn’t want to see your little pocket rodent in discomfort.
When your hamster’s tumor has just burst, formulating a plan to stop excessive blood loss should be high on the agenda. Then look into ways you can prevent the wound from getting infected.
What do you do when your hamster’s tumor has just burst? Draining your hamster’s tumor or abscess of the remaining blood or pus should be the first step. Flush the wound with saline and antibacterial agents to prevent infections while administering antibiotics to speed up the healing.
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My Hamster’s Tumor Just Burst, What do I do?
Regardless of how deep the abscess cavity may appear, keep draining till every drop of pus or blood comes out. This can be vital in preventing tumor regrowth while promoting quick healing of the wound. Often, your vet will prescribe antibiotics to speed up the little guy’s healing and slow down potential infections from the wound. This is why a vet appointment can be so critical once the abscess or tumor is properly drained and flushed with saline agents.
Where do Tumors Occur in Hamsters?
Tumors can pop up in several areas of a pet’s body. One of the most common spots where hamster tumors develop is the bum and these abnormal cell growths may come in different shapes and sizes. There have been instances where a tumor can grow so large that it covers the hamster’s whole bum area.
Tumors appearing on the stomach of a hamster are quite common too. Other parts of the little rodent’s body you should watch out for such abnormal growths include the cheeks, neck, side, and bottom. Regular physical examination of pet hamsters by an exotics vet should help uncover tumors that may develop on his little body.
Tumors vs Abscess in your hamster
A tumor is a swelling triggered by the unusual growth of cells at a particular spot usually without inflammation. Like other animals, hamsters may develop tumors due to several reasons. These tumors may be benign or malignant.
Benign tumors develop at a specific spot in an animal’s body, enlarges over time, and remain stagnant. Malignant or cancerous tumors may originate in a specific area of the body but usually spreads to other parts over time. Malignant tumors are typically more fatal than benign tumors.
Your Veterinarian will be able to specify whether any tumors found on your hamster’s body are benign or malignant after running tests. X-rays or Ultrasounds may be conducted together with a biopsy to determine what type of tumor your hamster may be battling.
An abscess occurs when the body’s tissues build up pus in a cavity as a defense mechanism to prevent infection from spreading across the body. An abscess is typically the body’s response to sudden large invasions of bacteria, parasites, or other potentially dangerous microorganisms in the body.
Blood vessels found in the region of the abscess usually experience inflammation as a complex response to getting rid of potential pathogens, dead cells, and other organisms. The inflammation of an abscess is also the first step towards healing for the affected area.
Many of us use tumors and abscesses interchangeably and while they may seem similar, each one has different properties.
How Long Can a Hamster Live With an Abscess?
Abscesses cannot cause death in hamsters, unlike tumors. Most abscesses explode at some point and as long as it is well-drained, flushed with saline, and monitored for signs of infections, your hamster should be just fine.
An exploded abscess is often the first step towards healing. Thus, it can provide relief for the majority of animals.
My Hamster Has a Tumor, How Long Until He Dies?
Hamsters may live for a few days, weeks, or months after a cancerous tumor is discovered. Benign or non-cancerous tumors are often not life-threatening.
Several factors can determine whether a tumor can have any effect on your hamster’s lifespan. What type of tumor is it? Has it metastasized to other parts of the body? Answers to these questions can only be determined after your vet runs extensive tests.
The results of the tests will determine how many more days, weeks, or months your hamster has left.
Signs of a Tumor in Your Hamster
Hamster tumors may be small-sized especially when they spring up in one of the cute pocket rodent’s internal organs such as the uterus. Such tumors can be difficult to spot especially at the initial stages when the size remains negligible.
If the tumor is malignant, we often catch them too late when it has already spread to other parts of the body. Death becomes inevitable at that point so the main focus should be making the hamster’s last days as comforting as possible. Keeping him company and providing treats can be vital at that point.
Fortunately, most tumors pop up in the form of a lump in a specific part of the hamster’s external body. This can be hard to miss especially when found in areas such as the bum, neck, or even cheeks.
Tumors are typically fleshy but noticeably harder than their surrounding regions. For instance, a tumor located at a hamster’s bum will typically be harder than the adjacent areas of the bum.
Physically touching a tumor may feel harmless to your hamster due to the lack of inflamed tissues, unlike an abscess. Unless you press the tumor with force till it makes contact with some blood vessels, the affected hamster shouldn’t feel a thing.
Apart from the obvious fleshy growth that may develop, hamsters can also exhibit certain signs that often allude to the presence of potential issues with their internal health such as tumors. A few of these signs may include:
- Weight loss or gain depending on the size and location of the tumor
- Bald patches
- Loss of appetite
- Loss of balance
- Abnormally high thirst levels
- Moody demeanor
- Lack of interest in physical activity
- Exhaustion and lethargy
- Diarrhea
- Bloody stool
Any of these signs should be taken seriously, especially if your hamster seems sick or unable to move about as usual. Your Vet will run the necessary tests to confirm the presence of tumors, if any, and provide the right form of treatment.
Seeking Treatment for Your Hamster’s Tumors
Time is always of the essence in the treatment of hamster tumors as unnecessary delays can lead to fatalities. Speak to your vet as soon as you notice a fleshy lump on the little buddy’s skin or have reason to suspect that it may be suffering from a tumor.
If you’re a first-time hamster parent, you may want to look for a vet with experience treating pocket rodents such as hamsters. Your vet will conduct full-scale tests ranging from physical examinations to ultra-sound scans to find evidence of tumors.
After all, the presence of a lump may not necessarily mean that your hamster has a tumor as it could just be an abscess.
If your vet confirms that the lump is not a tumor, he may discuss treatment options such as draining the abscess and treating the resultant wound to ward off infections. If the lump is confirmed as a tumor, a biopsy may be conducted to find out whether it is cancerous or not.
What Are the Best Treatment Options for Tumors in Hamsters?
Tumor removal via surgery is usually the best treatment for these unwanted growths in hamsters. For external tumors, the surgery can be a breeze and may be completed by an experienced vet in 30 minutes or less.
The situation becomes direr when the tumors are internal and pop up right next to a delicate organ such as the adrenal glands or liver. Your vet will discuss the various treatment options and risks since these operations can get complicated.
Hamsters and small rodents often struggle to survive local anesthesia after surgery. The resultant blood loss from such surgical tumor removals may also be life-threatening. Unfortunately, most vets will recommend not going ahead with surgery for your hamster when the tumor is internal.
You’ll have to decide whether to let your hamster continue to die slowly or have him euthanized if the tumor is having a significant effect on his quality of life. In some cases, the tumor may be too small to affect the hamster’s daily life and he should be able to live happily for at least several months without problems.
If you opt for humane euthanasia, your vet should be able to get it done right there before you leave but the choice as to whether to go ahead with the procedure immediately will always remain yours.
You may even decide to take your hammy home to spend some time together before getting him euthanized when you’re both ready.
Providing The Right Post-Surgery Care For Your Hamster
If your hamster’s tumor is cleared for surgery, know that he faces a long road to recovery and will need all the care he can get. The sick hamster will likely undergo local anesthesia during the procedure and the vet may recommend keeping him overnight at least as a precautionary measure.
Detailed post-operative care measures should be undertaken to give your hamster a good chance of full recovery. A couple of medications will also be provided by your vet to minimize your hammy’s pain and reduce the risk of post-surgery infections.
The trauma of undergoing the knife can affect a hamster physically and emotionally so do not expect him to get back to his feet right away. Avoid touching or handling a hamster recovering from surgery for a couple of days at least as he’s likely to be sore and will appreciate being left alone to recuperate in peace.
Scarring is inevitable after surgical operation to remove your hamster’s tumor. Always keep an eye on the scar to prevent infections that may interfere with the healing process.
Do not hesitate to rush your hamster to the vet’s clinic if you notice signs of swelling or pus oozing from the scarred tissue.
Conclusion
If your hamster’s tumor has just burst, drain the remaining pus from the tumor or abscess immediately. Then clean the wound with an antiseptic wash or cotton ball dipped in hydrogen peroxide to minimize the risk of infections.
The next step is to call your vet immediately for directions on how to proceed. You may have to book an appointment to get the hamster checked out thoroughly by a veterinarian before things turn sour.
This should provide your hamster with the right level of care to safeguard his health and well-being.
