20. A dwarf hamster has crusty skin earlier

Sunday, September 9, 2017.  A bald dwarf hamster with oily skin. Whole body bald except face.



A Myanmar couple says the dwarf hamster is 3 years old. They do not know the exact date of birth.

"I adopted him when he was one year old," the tanned Myanmar husband in his late 50s who works in gas platform construction in a shipyard told me. His wife has dyed reddish blond hair.

"This hamster is so active," I said. "It cannot be 3 years old."

The hamster had stopped eating hamster food and was fed green peppers. He ate some and stopped eating. Abdomen distended.

"I surfed the internet and was told that applying oil to the body skin will remove all the crust," the husband said.

"The hamster has an oily hairless body now. Only the face has hairs.


Back to normal hamster food first. Given critical care food to feed by syringe.  Stop applying oil. Clear oil from skin. Review in one month's time. 

19. A dwarf hamster has a gigantic belly tumour

Nov 11, 2016

Dr Daniel operated on another tumour hamster. Female, 1.5 years old with a tumour under the belly skin at 4 cm x 3 cm. The hamster owner knew the anaesthetic risks and consented to the surgery. The hamster bit my assistant Judy's finger through one cottoned glove. She wore two instead.

18. A Syrian hamster has a fast growing gigantic neck tumour

Sat Jul 3, 2016


A gigantic fast-growing tumour in this 1-year-old female syrian hamster. The owner texted me for quotation for surgery and anaesthesia. Her vet near her residence had quoted $300 and $300 for after office hour fee. She came to Toa Payoh Vets for surgery.

I was surprised at seeing such a gigantic tumour. Would the hamster die under anaesthesia as it was so large, around 2/3 the size of a golf ball!

Dr Daniel operated. Zoletil 100 IM and isoflurane gas. At one stage, the hamster was not breathing much. Fortunately, all ended well and the hamster is at home now.  A successful anaaesthetic outcome is what builds up the reputation of the vet.  The owner expects no death from anaesthesia and this can be achieved most of the time, if the vet is careful and experienced.

17. Email diagnosis: A dwarf hamster has a gigantic ear tumour

EMAIL TO DR SING DATED OCT 28, 2015

Hi, I texted one of your colleagues regarding a hamster which I have adopted two days back. Two days back, I adopted two 1~2 year old hamsters from a friend who is migrating overseas. One of the hamsters has a super huge growth on the head where the ear is supposed to be. It looks super painful and uncomfortable.

Also, the hamster seems to be having watery stools and appears deformed. It's fur seems to be yellowish as well. My sister said that it is old, and would probably be better to be put down, but I wanted to check if it could be saved and live a normal life if possible.

 The two hamsters have been at my place for two days. I noticed the one with the huge growth does not seem to eat or sleep much. On query, my friend told me that he had brought it to a vet before when the tumor was smaller. The doctor said it wasn't advisable to operate as it was already old and gave him some ointments which didn't seem to work. He stopped after the fourth visit as the vet seems to be just visually checking the tumor.

He claimed that the tumor continued to grow very quickly despite the ointment and the hamster seemed to be balding, so he stopped administering the ointment to it. I have attached a picture of the hamster with its tumor. Please take a look and provide some advice on what I, or we, can do to help it. I may not check my email regularly, so please so text me at 9xx.


Thank you so much. Regards, J


    


REPLY FROM DR SING

 I am Dr Sing K Y. Thank you for your email. You posted one view. It appeared to be an ear tumour. If it is purely an ear tumour and the hamster is in good health, lit can be excised. If the hamster is sick (not eating, diarrhoea), the risk of dying under anaesthesia is high and so you have to decide whether you want to take the risk.

16. Dwarf hamsters get better treatment in Singapore nowadays

August 9, 2014 "I thought it is $60," the mother of a small boy brought her 2-year-old dwarf hamster with a large facial tumour of 8 mm x 6 mm x 5 mm in size. I had quoted $150 - $200 as this surgery would take a longer time and require stitching with the fine 5/0 sutures. Each packet of such fine sutures costs around $10. So she decided not to proceed ahead. After all the hamster is 2 years old and the life span is 2.5 years. Yet there are parents who will bring their children's pet hamster to Toa Payoh Vets for consultation and surgery if necessary. some are the fathers in their late 30s. Videos are at www.toapayohvets.com, goto 'HAMSTERS'.

15. Steroids on hamsters

From:
To: judy@toapayohvets.com
Date: Saturday, April 24, 2010, 5:28 PM

Hi

My name is XXX, I have been to your place before and I have 2 hamsters that require some medical attention.

Both are about 2 years old, 1 male and 1 female.

Male suffers from having skin lesions and pus filled abcess in skin folds, I clean him regularly and he is on prednisolone, his conditions fluctuate between good and bad, my previous vet has suggested to keeping him in a high dosage of steroids to keep the inflammation and growth down since not much can be done and he is rather old. However recently he has been losing alot of weight and the situation is worse.

The female one has been very healthy for most of 2 years. However she likes getting into fights. She has a little wound above her right eye cause by a fight that simply wouldnt heal. However, the major problems that she has a pus filled growth in her mouth, it was originally very small and on the outside(with no pus), so I also started her on prednisolone. Only this week did I really she was walking weirdly and lethargic, upon further inspection I realized her her mouth sacs were swollen and there was solid pus on the growth. I cleaned off the pus with cotton wool. Also she has a deep red swell on her abdomen, near her right leg. I use the same syringe for both hamsters, but I wash it before feeding medication to each of them. Also, she bit me about 2 weeks ago while I was feeding her, as I pulled away she fell off from about half a meter on the back.

I was wondering if you will be free for a consult on monday evening.

I can be contacted via

Cheers
XXX



I am Dr Sing. From what you described, the infections have overwhelmed the hamsters due to your use of steroids. I will be available during office hours. If you wish, you can leave the hamsters in my Surgery for daily check and treatment rather than just do it yourself.

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.