14, Cheek Pouch Coming Out in a Dwarf Hamster

E-MAIL TO DR SING
Jan 3, 2010

From: ...@gmail.com>
Subject: Hamster Cheek pouch
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Sunday, January 3, 2010, 10:43 PM


Dear Doc Judy,

We have a 8 months old hamster which has a cheek pouch problem. Since last night, her left side cheek pouch was hanging outside her mounth. She appears to be in pain. We used the cotton bud to push her cheek pouch back into her mouth. She appeared fine after that. But early this morning, when I wake up to check on her. the same problem appear.

What should we do?

Appreciate your help and advice.

regards


E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING
Jan 4, 2010

On Mon, Jan 4, 2010 at 7:30 AM, David Sing wrote:

I am Dr Sing. Your hamster may need surgery.


E-MAIL TO DR SING
Jan 4, 2010

From: ...@gmail.com>
Subject: Re: Hamster Cheek pouch
To: "David Sing"
Date: Monday, January 4, 2010, 12:53 AM

Dear Dr Sing,

Thank you for the prompt response.

What is the chances of survival under surgery for a small animal like hamster?
How long will it take and how long will it take to heal?

What is the estimated cost involved?

Thanks in advance.

E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING
Jan 6, 2010

Chances of survival are hard to say just via e-mail as I have not seen the hamster. Every hamster is different. Healthy and good conditioned dwarf hamsters do not usually die under anaesthesia.

Surgery and anaesthesia to excise the infected or gangrenous cheek pouch and stitch up the cut ends, takes around 20 minutes if there are no complications. It takes around 1 week for healing in most cases.

In January 2010, the estimated total cost is around $150 depending on the time needed to do surgery, anaesthesia and antibiotics. Hospitalisation is $5.00 per day if necessary.

13. Hamster anaesthesia and surgery at Toa Payoh Vets. 2 queries.

From: ...@yahoo.co.kr>
Subject: Hamster and Hedgehog anesthesia
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Tuesday, January 5, 2010, 7:16 AM


E-MAIL FROM SOUTH KOREA VET
Jan 5, 2010


Hello Dr Sing Kong Yuen,


Happy new year!

I'm very impressed "be kind to pet" of your homepage and operating small animal clinic in South Korea.

I have poor experience about exotic pets and especially anesthesia of them.

May I(as beginner) ask favor of you about pre-eminent experience at exotic medicine?

I have pyometra patient in hedgehog and scalp laceration at font head in hamster.

Could you recommend anesthesia protocol(inhalant and injectable) each.

Hamster with amputated leg by cage had been experienced irratic and deep breath, and death in anesthetic chamber. Other hamster was not maintained enough to do surgery with ketamine 40-120mg/kg only.

How do you evaluate anesthesia depth and deal with problems.

I have general patient monitor for heart rate with alligator clips and pulse oximeter.

Could I use it in rodent?

Do you usually use absorbable suture at skin and why ?


I appreciate you in advance!

Be happy and wealthy!

Keep Healthy!


Sincerely yours,



E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING
January 6, 2010

I am Dr Sing from Singapore, not from South Korea. My surgery is www.toapayohvets.com. I don't have hedgehog patient. The following applies to dwarf hamsters mainly. For Syrian hamsters, the same principles of close observation apply.

For sick dwarf hamsters needing surgery, I use isoflurane gas anaesthesia (plastic container) at 5% for around 1 minute, but close observation of the hamster is the key to success.

In other cases of healthy hamsters for tumour removal, I use Zoletil 50 as little as 0.01 ml IM as sedation. Then I use 5% isoflurane gas for less than 20 seconds and take out the hamster from the gas container to operate. If the hamster moves, I repeat the gas anaesthesia. Then I take it out to operate. Operation room must be warm to prevent hypothermia. If you have a cold operating room, you need to reduce the temperature or switch off the air conditioning during surgery. Hamster should be as dry as possible.

In this way, I maintain the surgical anaesthesia to operate. Most surgeries are less than 10 minutes. I have not used ketamine or other injectable anaesthesia except Zoletil on dwarf hamsters, so, I cannot share my experience with you.

Surgical anaesthesia levels are very difficult to assess in the dwarf hamster unlike in the dog and cat. Close observation of starting eyelid closure, movement and breathing rate is extremely important as there is a very high risk of anasthetic death if the vet does not know what he should observe or being too busy doing surgery.

You may need to have a very good veterinary assistant to help you observe the anaesthesia while you do surgery. But you should be able to know too when the hamster moves.

I don't know whether you can use pulse oximeter on dwarf hamsters. I use absorbable 6/0 or 7/0 sutures to stitch the hamster's skin so that owners don't need to come back for suture removal.

I hope this e-mail answers your questions.