ok..a few days ago i said my hamster Beans had a bad foot. well that cleared up but we now have another problem. Basically he has wet tail and his chances are very slim :( We are taking him to the vets tomorrow but because he is so ill, he will probably be put to sleep...i have only had him 6 days as well :( they might offer medication to help it clear up but they don't alwas work...i don't want to put my baby through more pain but i don't want to loose him :(
any advice?
and he has been ill for about a week apparently but the symptoms were less obvious :(

Samantha. I'm sorry your hamster has wet tail. It is more common in Syrians than other hamsters.

With wet tail, if caught early enough baytril and a high protein diet and bathing the bottom you can pull the hamster round. To be honest if your hamster is as poorly as you say then putting him down will be the kindest thing.

Various things to look out for that may indicate wet tail are manic behaviour, a real aversion to being touched and obviously a wet rear end. The smell of wet tail is pretty nasty. Much more than just the normal urine smell.

When we sell hamsters I tell people what to look out for. Were you told when you bought the hamster to leave him be for 24-48 hours? They shouldn't be handled to allow them time to settle down. having said that, I always recommend that you do check them over for wet tail.

Whatever happens tomorrow, please do go back to the store where you bought the hamster. Tell them what's happened. Take your vet bill with you. They will pay it.
If you do decide to have another hamster, ensure that you thoroughly clean your cage to rid any smell of wet tail. the smell can set others off with it.

I hope you're okay, and please feel free to PM me if you need any help.
x

i bought him at pets at home and they just said put him in the cage and he should be fine after that...and my other hamster (who i have disinfected and put at the other end of my room) is a dwarf russian and i've only ever had dwarf russians so i'm not used to all the syrian illnesses. thankyou for the advice :) we took him back to pets @ home earlier and the woman was really nice and she said go to the vets and bring the bill back and they would pay for that plus another hamster if wanted..but i'm not sure :/
i mean, the only signs he looks ill are his bum..the awful smell which is nasty, he hasn't drunk although i managed to make him drink a small amount by hand...his ears are tightly fastened back and he is very much thinner than he was :( otherwise, he is cleaning himself up and just acting slightly normal. i am really confused about all this because i'm only 15 and i care about my animals so much! x

Samantha, it is really hard to spot illness in small animals sometimes. I'm a PAH store manager and have only been in the job for 10 months. I cannot believe how much I have learnt and how to spot illness. I am obsessive about spotting illness and will be overly cautious and get animals double checked and observed.

Don't beat yourself up over this. If you do decide to have another Syrian, maybe have a week break, sort your cage, choose your hamster and feel free to drop me a message and I'll run you through everything that I look for.

You can't always avert wet tail, but there are certain things to do that definitely help.

Take Care
x

its really good that you check lots :) i will update you on what the vet says. i hope it will be good.
my mum has just said to me it is better for him to have had his last week of love and complete attention instead of being in a cage with other hamsters in a shop. i suppose shes right :)
if something does happen, i may leave it a while before a new one.
and if i do get one, i shall get your advice on it :) thankyou! x

A hamster I got from PAH developed wet tail and we ended up taking him to the vets....(we had to diagnose it ourselves and tell the vet what it was as he actually seemed to have no idea :rolleyes: ). Anyway, we got some drops to measure out and put in his food and after about a week it cleared up. I think we managed to catch it after a couple of days though. He was fine after that but unfortunately died 6 months later for no apparent reason.

Just thought you might like to know that it doesn't necessarily mean your hamster will be put to sleep :)

thankyou :)
the person at PAH reckons that he has probably had it from maybe a day or 2 before we got him which was 6 days ago... but you never know, the vet could just give him drops :)

Just a little hope i had one with wet tail many years ago he had it twice he lived to be six think thats double there life span not sure but the very last attack finnished him off due to his age.
Dehydration is a big problem if they stop eating and drinking.Fingers crossed for you and i hope PAH have qauranteed all theres.It is also advised never to breed with any that have had signes of wet tail as it is also said it is possibly
genetically inherited although stress is a main factor.

I took him to the vets today. they have given him a 50/50 chance. they have said he is in a bad stage but they want to try these antibiotics on him because he still is very lively and happy(ish). if this medicine doesn't work after 48 hours, he may have to be put to sleep but he is a fighter. and he is willing to take the medicine. he has been dehydrated as he has not been drinking but last night i put some water on a lid and i think he found it easier to drink as he drunk quite a bit. the vet recomended putting a small amount of ribena in his drink to attract him to the medicine. i thought it was quite clever :D so hopefully, Beans will live longer :)

Hi Samantha,
It's good that the vets are giving him a go. If possible, give him sunflower hearts (seed) for extra protein. To get water to him, if you have a small syringe, try and drop some into the side of his mouth.

Was it baytril they gave him?

Good luck :)

Samantha I am keeping fingers crossed for you... Sending healing vibes to little Beans :)

beans is looking brilliant! he naturally had reddy purple eyes but when he was ill they went black but they are back to normal colourr!! but he is a skinny little thing now! but his ears are all perked up again :) my boyfriends getting jealous of all the attention i give my hamsters! he has being saying for ages now that i mother them too much...but they are my babies and beans is looking so well!!! *smileees* thankyou everyone! xxxx

Awww thats really great news, well done for helping him through it you :D

I've got to say I'm surprised, but so pleased he pulled through. Dead chuffed for you :) x

just to say fantastico

aww nice one! You live and learn- have never heard of this condition - does it only affect hamsters?

umm i hope it only affects hamsters :S coz i have 4 cats and a rabbit too, i don't want them catching summat :S
i think it is most common in syrian hamsters because i have never had any problems with my dwarf russians or chienese ones. and i'm sure someone told me that but i'm not sure.
thankyouu for all your beans support :) he is sleeping in his tubes right now looking cute as ever :D