Home » Hamsters » A hamster’s eye does not open and is festering - what to do
Hamsters have good health and rarely make their owners worry about their pet's poor health. However, such animals also get sick. Sometimes owners experience that their eyes stick together. The article will tell you why this happens and how you can help if the hamster’s eyes do not open.
Why doesn't a hamster open its eyes?
So why doesn't the hamster open its eyes? Below we will look at some pathological reasons, the action of which leads to the inability of the animal to open its eyelids.
Some of them are not too dangerous, while in other cases the owner needs to immediately call a veterinarian.
Entry of a foreign object
One of the most common causes of eyelid sticking is the entry of a foreign object. As a rule, its role is played by sawdust and other “elements” of the litter. There are, however, cases when, as a result of using free sawdust from a nearby sawmill, a hamster gets metal shavings in the eye. Therefore, for the sake of your pet’s health, you shouldn’t skimp on the quality of its bedding! In all of the above situations, the hamster cannot open its eyes for two reasons:
- Due to the strong pain reaction, the animal does not want to open its eyes again.
- Since a foreign body is always “teeming” with pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microflora, the damaged organ will certainly become inflamed and inflammatory exudate will begin to be released. The latter glues the edges of the eyelids so securely that the hamster can squeak in pain from fear, but will not open his eyes.
How to handle an animal that has lost an eye
If your hamster's eye has leaked or fallen out, the first thing you should do is visit a clinic. There, the damaged tissue will be treated to prevent infection. In the future, they try not to expose the animal to stress; if possible, they refuse to walk or ensure safety with the help of a soft sphere. For hamsters, hearing and smell are more important, so they adapt quickly.
Sources:
https://kotsobaka.com/gryzuny/chto-to-s-glazom.html https:///homyaki/chto-delat-esli-u-homyaka-sliplis-glazki.html https:///lechenie/bolezni- glaz-u-khomyakov
Other causes of eye sticking in hamsters
Let's look at other causes of eye sticking in hamsters:
- Ophthalmological pathologies in pets with fluffy, long hair. It happens that it either gets into the eyes, or begins to grow so that the hairs rest directly on the surface of the cornea. For this reason, such pets should regularly trim the overgrown fur around their eyes.
- If grass from the nearest roadside is used to feed the animal , the “homa” may get stubble in the eye (these pets are not particularly brilliant, unfortunately).
- If the animal regularly runs around the house in free-range mode, then even more troubles can happen to its eyes. A pet can injure its vision organs with small elements of children's toys and various household garbage. In addition, in this case, household chemicals may get into the animal’s eyes, which will almost certainly lead to the hamster’s blindness.
Why is conjunctivitis dangerous?
Conjunctivitis for hamsters is not at all the same as for humans. If a person can cope with this problem in a few days with the help of eye drops, then your pet does not have the opportunity to overcome the disease on its own. For this reason, you need to be wary if you notice at least one of the signs of conjunctivitis. It is worth considering that conjunctivitis, as a rule, is the very beginning of the pathology. Without taking appropriate measures, conjunctivitis will quickly turn into keratitis, followed by ulceration of the cornea of the eye. If a hamster's eye is swollen, but the owner does not pay any attention to it for a long time, then the rodent may go blind and then die.
The same dangers await the pets of their owners, who not only do not pay attention to the problem, but treat the pet incorrectly.
Under no circumstances should you self-prescribe pills to your pet or, even worse, give injections. This should only be done by an experienced veterinarian.
If you prevent your hamster from getting sick or detect it in time, you won’t have to think about why your hamster’s eye popped out and how to help him in such a situation. Often, due to late detection of the disease, pets completely lose their vision.
Providing first aid to a sick hamster
Timely provision of first aid to a sick animal is extremely important:
- The pet is given complete rest and is not disturbed unless unnecessary.
- In some cases, it is possible to remove foreign objects and debris from the animal’s eyes. To do this, experienced breeders use a small syringe and warm saline solution.
- If an allergy is suspected, your pet can be given a couple of drops of Zyrtec or a similar drug. Diphenhydramine and other medications in tablet form should not be given, as dosing problems may arise.
Eye diseases associated with aging changes in the body
Very often, with age, hamsters develop such an unpleasant disease as cataracts. It manifests itself as white spots, clouding of the lens, and blurred vision. The animal gets really stressed because it begins to see poorly. Unfortunately, this disease can rarely be cured; all that remains is to make the animal’s life as easy as possible by following certain tips:
- Do not place the hamster's cage in direct sunlight, this will further irritate the eyes and worsen the situation;
- Don't give your animal a lot of sweets. In return, give a lot of carrots and zucchini.
- Do not place many objects in the cage, because due to poor eyesight the animal may hit them and injure itself.
This is all you can do for your pet to somehow make his life easier.
Treatment for stuck eyes in hamsters
As a rule, treatment of stuck eyes in hamsters does not cause any particular problems:
- If the entry of a foreign body was not immediately detected and it has reached inflammation, the animal is prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics (or other antibacterial agents, or antifungal drugs).
- In some cases, anti-inflammatory corticosteroids may be required.
- To prevent eye sticking, a sick hamster needs to be washed regularly. To do this, you can use both regular saline solution and more “vigorous” means in the form of a solution of furatsilin. Before use, all these products must be warmed to room temperature, since washing the eyes with cool solutions can only aggravate the course of the disease.
- If inflammation and subsequent gluing of the eyelids is caused by foreign bodies getting into the pet’s eyes, and it was not possible to remove this debris with regular washing, they resort to surgical removal of all excess. You should not try to pull them out on your own, as special tools and appropriate skills are required.
In what cases should you contact a veterinarian?
Sometimes trying to help a pet on your own is the worst idea, since unnecessary delay can lead to very sad consequences. Here are the cases in which you need to contact a veterinarian immediately:
- The animal feels so bad that it eats poorly or refuses food altogether. If your pet refuses water, you should call a doctor immediately, regardless of the time of day.
- Severe weakness and apathy. For normally active hamsters, these signs are atypical and strongly indicate serious health problems.
Oral and dental diseases
Hamsters, like any rodents, grow their incisors throughout their lives, so owners should pay special attention to oral hygiene and the animals' teeth. If the pet does not grind down its teeth, this will lead to injury, damage to the oral mucosa, the development of acute inflammation, the formation of abscesses, and abscesses.
Pathologies and dental diseases in Djungarians and Syrians are manifested by redness of the mucous membranes, hypersalivation, decreased appetite, weight loss, abnormal growth, deformation of the incisors, and inflammation of the cheek pouches.
Inflammation of the cheek pouches is one of the most commonly diagnosed pathologies. It is characterized by inflammation, prolapse (prolapse), and the appearance of pathological formations.
The disease develops due to injury to the oral mucosa. With this pathology, the animals behave restlessly, rubbing their cheeks and muzzle with their paws.
Appetite decreases. Saliva flows from the mouth.
As a rule, the pathological process affects the inner surface of the cheeks.
To relieve inflammation, you need to rinse your pet’s mouth with an antiseptic solution or chamomile decoction. To normalize digestion, give your hamster probiotics and enzymes.
For neoplasms, surgical treatment, restorative, and symptomatic medications are prescribed.
If your hamster has inflamed cheek pouches, treatment should be carried out by a veterinarian. The specialist will carefully turn out the cheeks and clean them of food debris. Inflammation will be relieved by bactericidal drugs, antiseptics, and medications for local and general treatment. After therapy, the hamster must be kept on a fasting diet for 12–14 hours.
Prevention and eye care for hamsters
Thus, timely prevention and eye care for hamsters will help get rid of many problems:
- As we already wrote above, in the case of long-haired pets, excess hairs near their eyes need to be trimmed.
- The pet should be examined regularly and, if necessary, wipe off crusts of dried discharge from the eyes using a cotton pad and warm, sterile saline solution.
- To avoid problems associated with foreign bodies from low-quality bedding getting into the eyes, we recommend using only high-quality bedding material. If you want to feed your pet fresh grass, you should only pick the juicy and soft parts of the plants.
Dzungarian diseases transmitted to humans
Some infectious diseases of Djungarian hamsters pose a serious danger to humans.
Tuberculosis
This disease is caused by a rod-shaped bacterium. It affects various organs, most often the lungs. Symptoms of tuberculosis do not appear for a long time. At the final stage of the disease, the hamster quickly loses weight and soon dies.
Listeriosis
The causative agents are Listeria bacteria, which enter the hamster’s body through nutrition or airborne droplets. The clinical picture depends on the form of the disease. In acute cases, the animal is depressed, does not eat, and lies motionless in the corner. Death occurs within 2-3 days.
Subacute and chronic forms of listeriosis are characterized by manifestations of nervous system disorders. The Djungarian hamster has problems with balance and coordination.
Ringworm
This disease is caused by a fungal infection. An infected hamster develops bald, rounded areas on its body. The fur in these areas looks like it has been trimmed short with scissors. Ringworm is itchy, so your hamster is constantly itching. The disease is treated with antifungal ointment.
Helminthiasis
The body of Djungarian hamsters is parasitized by flatworms, tapeworms and roundworms. Symptoms of helminthiasis:
- a sick animal loses its appetite;
- the coat looks untidy;
- disorders of the digestive tract - diarrhea, constipation;
- allergic rashes on the body;
- lethargy.
Parasitic diseases are not common in domestic hamsters and are treated with anthelmintic drugs. Most medications on the market are intended for larger animals such as cats and dogs. Therefore, the correct dosage must be prescribed by a veterinarian.
Attention! After contact with the hamster, you must wash your hands with soap. This simple precaution will help reduce the risk of contracting dangerous diseases.
Rabies
This disease is extremely rare in domestic hamsters. For a dwarf to become infected, it must be bitten by a sick animal. After purchasing the animal, it is advisable to observe it for 7-10 days, since during this period of time the rodent infected with rabies will die.
Attention! Rabies is transmitted through saliva and has no cure. If a person is bitten by a sick animal, they should go to the hospital as soon as possible and undergo rabies vaccination.
Salmonellosis
The disease is caused by bacteria of the genus Salmonella. It manifests itself with the following symptoms:
- diarrhea, vomiting, weakness;
- trembling in the body;
- conjunctivitis;
- bloody discharge from the nasal passages;
- exhaustion.
Young hamsters quickly die from salmonellosis. A person can become infected from a pet if they neglect the rules of personal hygiene - do not wash their hands after contact with the animal or cleaning the cage.
