Please note that the following table is not a comprehensive list of medical problems that occur in hamsters, nor is it a comprehensive list of all the possible causes for a particular sign. This is intended as a guideline only and should not replace having your hamster evaluated by an experienced small mammal veterinarian. Do not rely on your dog and cat veterinarian to treat your hamster unless you have researched them and are comfortable with their level of hamster experience.
Signs: Abdomen enlarged or swollen
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Bloating due to inappropriate diet
- Congestive heart failure
- Cushing’s
- Dystocia, problem pregnancy
- Gastrointestinal obstruction
- Tapeworm
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Signs: Appetite loss, anorexia
Common Causes:
- Dehydration
- Diarrhea
- Inappropriate food
- Malnutrition
- Malocclusion of incisors or cheek teeth
- Pinworm
- Sepsis (severe infection)
- Tapeworm
- Tyzzer’s disease
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- “Wet Tail”
Signs: Breathing, difficult or labored (dyspnea)
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Atrial thrombosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Cushing’s disease
- Heat stroke
- Hypothermia
- Hypoglycemia
- Ovarian cyst
- Pneumonia
- Sepsis (severe infection)
- Toxicosis
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Signs: Breathing, rapid (tachnypnea)
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Atrial thrombosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Cushing’s disease
- Heat stroke
- Hypothermia
- Hypoglycemia
- Ovarian cyst
- Pneumonia
- Sepsis (severe infection)
- Toxicosis
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Signs: Collapse or Coma
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Atrial thrombosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Heat stroke
- Hypothermia
- Hypoglycemia
- Sepsis (severe infection)
- Toxicosis
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Signs: Coughing
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Pneumonia
- Upper respiratory infection
Signs: Discharge from genital (Pus, blood, mucus)
Common Causes:
- Dystocia (difficult labor or retained fetus)
- Ovarian cyst
- Urinary tract infection
- Uterine infection (pyometra)
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Signs: Discharge from anus (Pus, blood, mucus)
Common Causes:
- Gastrointestinal infections (such as Tyzzer’s disease, other bacterial infections,
- Giardia, pinworms, tapeworms, Tritrichomonas, other parasites)
- Inappropriate antibiotics
- Inappropriate food items
- Trauma, particularly rough handling
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Constipation
Common Causes:
- Atresia anus (very young hamsters)
- Dehydration, particularly from water bottles running empty
- Gastrointestinal foreign body such as swallowed piece of string
- Tapeworm
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Diarrhea
Common Causes:
- Gastrointestinal infections (such as Tyzzer’s disease, other bacterial infections, Giardia,
pinworms, tapeworms, Tritrichomonas, other parasites) - Inappropriate antibiotics
- Inappropriate food items
- Stress, including recent shipment or rough handling
Sign: Excessive drinking
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis of the kidneys
- Bladder infection / urinary tract infection
- Cushing’s disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Diarrhea for any reason
- Kidney failure
- Ovarian cysts
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- Urinary tract infection
- Uterine infection (pyometra)
- Warmer than appropriate temperature
Signs: Exercise intolerance, shortness of breath
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Atrial thrombosis
- Congestive heart failure
- Heat stroke
- Hypothermia
- Hypoglycemia
- Obesity
- Pneumonia
- Sepsis (severe infection)
- Toxicosis
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Eye, bulging (Exophthalmos)
Common Causes:
- Abscess (periorbital)
- Glaucoma
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Tight restraint
- Tooth root abscess or injury
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Eye, Cloudy
Common Causes:
- Cataract
- Corneal ulcer
- Keratitis (infection of the cornea)
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Eye, crust
Common Causes:
- Conjunctivitis
- Corneal ulcer
- Dehydration
- Foreign object
- Inappropriate bedding (dusty, etc.)
- Upper respiratory infection
Sign: Eye, Squinting
Common Causes:
- Conjunctivitis
- Corneal ulcer
- Dehydration
- Foreign object
- Inappropriate bedding (dusty, etc.)
- Upper respiratory infection
Sign: Hair loss, asymmetrical
Common Causes:
- Barbering
- Early shed
- Mange (demodecosis)
- Ringworm (dermatophytosis)
- Trauma, cagemate aggression
Sign: Hair loss, symmetrical
Common Causes:
- Cushing’s disease
- Ovarian cyst
- Pituitary tumor
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Hair loss, focal
Common Causes:
- Barbering
- Early shed
- Mange (demodecosis)
- Ringworm (dermatophytosis)
- Trauma, cagemate aggression
Sign: Head Tilt
Common Causes:
- Ear infection
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- Vestibular disease
Sign: Nasal Discharge
Common Causes:
- Allergies
- Anemia from other health conditions
- Inappropriate bedding (dusty, etc.)
- Incisor malocclusion
- Upper respiratory infection
Sign: Polydipsia (excessive thirst)
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis of the kidneys
- Bladder infection / urinary tract infection
- Cushing’s disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Diarrhea for any reason
- Kidney failure
- Ovarian cysts
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- Urinary tract infection
- Uterine infection (pyometra)
- Warmer than appropriate temperatures
Sign: Polyuria (excessive urination)
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Cushing’s disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Inappropriate diet
- Kidney disease
- Ovarian cysts
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- Uterine infection (pyometra)
Sign: Pruritis (itching)
Common Causes:
- Allergies
- Cushing’s disease
- Dermatitis, bacterial
- Inappropriate bedding (dusty, etc.)
- Mange, demodecosis
- Pinworm
- Ringworm
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Sneezing
Common Causes:
- Allergies
- Anemia from other health conditions
- Inappropriate bedding (dusty, etc.)
- Incisor malocclusion
- Upper respiratory infection
Sign: Sores, draining
Common Causes:
- Cutaneous abscesses
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Sores, scabs
Common Causes:
- Mange, demodecosis
- Ringworm
- Self-mutilation (overgrooming)
- Trauma, bite wounds
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Sudden death
Common Causes:
- Atrial thrombosis
- Heat stroke
- Inappropriate food item
- Poisoning (pesticides, paint fumes, etc.)
- Sepsis
- Trauma
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- Uterine infection (pyometra)
Sign: Swelling beneath skin
Common Causes:
- Cutaneous abscesses
- Bite wounds
- Foreign object
- Impacted scent gland
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Swelling of the belly
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Bloating due to inappropriate diet
- Congestive heart failure
- Cushing’s
- Dystocia, problem pregnancy
- Gastrointestinal obstruction
- Tapeworm
- Tumor / Neoplasia
Sign: Urination, exessive
Common Causes:
- Amyloidosis
- Cushing’s disease
- Diabetes mellitus
- Inappropriate diet
- Kidney disease
- Ovarian cysts
- Tumor / Neoplasia
- Uterine infection (pyometra)
Sign: Wheezing
Common Causes:
- Allergies
- Cardiomyopathy
- Pneumonia
- Upper respiratory infection
By: Kevin Wright, DVM, DABVP
Featured Image: shawn_ang/iStock/Thinkstock
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