The hamster has a swollen stomach: what to do?

If during the daily examination of your ward you notice a swollen stomach, gently feel it. If the hamster has a hard stomach, then gases have accumulated inside. Bloating in a hamster is often caused by malnutrition. Remember if your pet has eaten food that is dangerous for him? Poor quality or stale food, spoiled food, food poisoning are some of the most common causes of bloating.

Sometimes the cause may be a metabolic disorder. How balanced is your pet’s diet? Is there a tendency to overeat? Does a hamster always have access to a drinking bowl with clean water? Are there constant stressors nearby? Examination and consultation of a veterinarian on nutrition will be very helpful.

If a hamster chews on a piece of any inedible material, the swallowed fragment can clog the intestines. The pet’s belly can swell from this.

Swellings similar to tumors may appear on the pet’s body, and not only on the abdomen. Cancer in hamsters is not uncommon, a timely visit to the veterinarian often saves pets lives. But do not panic ahead of time, because a swollen lymph node can also turn out to be a tumor.

If the swollen belly of a hamster is soft to the touch, this may indicate the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity – ascites. This is one of the possible reactions of the pet’s body to disorders of the liver, kidneys, and cardiovascular system.

Usually a bloated belly is not the only alarm signal, carefully evaluate how your ward’s appearance and behavior have changed. And rather take your pet to the vet. An adult hamster has a little more body strength than a baby hamster. But in the case of hamsters, the transition from malaise to a serious stage in the development of the disease is very fast, a couple of days of delay can cost your ward too much.

A ratologist or rodentologist is a veterinarian who treats hamsters, rats, rabbits, and their brethren. It is highly desirable for the owner of a hamster to contact a veterinarian-ratologist. Such a specialist will quickly figure out what the problem is and how to help your ward, give you comprehensive recommendations.

Try to arrive at the appointment with the ratologist as soon as possible and describe in detail to the specialist the picture of the ailment. Be sure to supplement the information with guesses about the possible causes of the hamster’s poor health (feeding errors, previous illnesses).

It is extremely important to carefully care for the pet after providing him with medical care. Follow all the prescriptions of the ratologist, especially regarding the dosage of medicines.

Wash and disinfect the hamster’s cage and all his belongings – just hold for half an hour in a solution of potassium permanganate or soda. While your ward is unwell, clean the cage every day, change the filler every day. We recommend using a hypoallergenic filler, cellulose or corn. Also, slightly crumpled soft paper towels without a pattern are suitable as bedding. Take the hamster only with clean hands, this will protect his weakened body from bacteria.

Consult with a ratologist about the diet of your ward. Responsibly treat the choice of professional pet food, it must certainly be fresh, the packaging must be intact, the smell of the food should not arouse suspicion.

Study the issue of prohibited and unwanted hamster foods in more detail, make a complete list and hang it on the wall. So the question “Can I get this berry for a hamster?” will never confuse you. Definitely, everything sour, salty, fatty, fried, spices and sweets, onions, garlic, exotic fruits should be included in the stop list.

Protect your hamster from stress. For these crumbs, a strong fright or constant stress is really dangerous. Let the noise of electrical appliances and loud conversations about work in an online conference do not disturb your ward.

Always seek medical attention without delay if your pet is unwell, then your hamster will live a healthy happy life. We wish your pet good health!