Hamster with a bleeding tail

[MinxyKitten 10]

Hi there, my hamster has had a sore looking tail for a few days now, and when looking at it last night there is a bit of dried blood on it. I think it is a case of him biting at it for some reason. I am taking him to the vets tomorrow, but wondered if there was anything tonight that I can do to help. I will bathe it gently, but wondered if there was a cream that is safe to use?

[ami_j 10]

id say to just bathe it tbh cant think of a cream id use plus it may make it worse

does he scratch alot?

[*Peaches* 10]

I use tea tree cream for pig wounds, it helps to ease the soreness.

[MinxyKitten 10]

I haven't seen him scratching it however he did have some blood stains on his nails so I suspect he is, plus he is very lazy and gets up late when I am in bed so I am not aware of what he is up to. He is eating well though and does not seem ill in any other way, I dont have a lot of faith in the vets either as they arent often terribly used to hamsters

[ami_j 10]

which vets is he going too? peak is great with small furries...

if theres blood on his claws and hes biting his tail id expect hes got a skin complaint poor thing so hopefully the vet can work out whats making him itchy as well as treating the tail

[MinxyKitten 10]

Unfortunately I left Sheffield 6 months ago and now live in London, I still like the forumers advice on my little friends though! I hope it is something simple and not a skin cancer or something that he can't recover from, it is his second birthday tomorrow as well!

[*Peaches* 10]

I wonder if it could be a fungal type infection.... those kind of infections love warm and moist conditions

[ami_j 10]

a tumour would be visible...have you changed his diet recently? or there have been cases of lice coming in on bedding or it may be a hormonal thing

that would be a long trip to come to peak for sure lol

hope the little guys ok will be looking for the vet diagnosis on here

[MinxyKitten 10]

I think its as simple as him nibbling at it for some reason, nothing else has changed for him. However his nails have grown very long lately, and I have had to trim them for him, so possibly one might have been a bit sharp and so might have hurt his tail when washing. I just wish I could reason with him and say stop nibbling it! He is the sweetest kindest little thing and I can't bear to think of him with a sore tail!

[MinxyKitten 10]

Hi All - update on this one is that he left his tail alone for a few days and it healed itself good as new!

[Snagglepuss 10]

That's great news Minxykitten, hopefully he is right as rain now.