First and foremost, in any life threatening emergency for any pet, we urge you to seek the advice of a veterinarian. This information is not a replacement for a consultation with an experienced vet.
This is a consolidation of previous topics and oft-given advice for time-essential health emergencies.
Attacks from other pets How to recognize: your cat or dog has gotten hold of your hamster or into the cage, or your hamster shows signs of injury from an encounter. Treatment:
Spoiler
An encounter with another pet will have a variety of issues. We advise that you seek a vet after applying emergency first aid.
For bleeding, cuts, scrapes, and puncture wounds: see "Bleeding"
For suspected broken bones or concussions: see "Concussions and Broken Bones"
For nonresponsive behavior: see "Shock and hypothermia" but do NOT massage in case of internal injuries.
Bleeding How to recognize: cuts, punctures, or other damage to flesh resulting in the loss of blood
Method 1 - black tea bags
Materials needed: shallow bowl, boiling water, 5 black tea bags (any brand), paper towel or cloth
Treatment:
Spoiler
This method is an inexpensive and effective way to stop bleeding, even excessive bleeding from fights, first provided by missPixy here.
1. Boil water. Put all 5 tea bags in a small, shallow bowl and allow to steep for 2-3 minutes. Add a bit of cold water, if needed, to bring the temperature down to lukewarm.
2. Saturate the paper towel or cloth with the tea, and hold it against the wound for 1 minute. If the injuries are to the feet, let your hamster stand on the towel.
3. After the first minute, use a second clean dry cloth to check the progress (there will probably still be bleeding). Repeat step 1 as needed, using a freshly saturated paper towel or cloth each time.
Method 2 - styptic powder, baby powder, flour, or cornstarch
Materials needed: small bowl, q-tips (optional but helpful), toilet paper, and your preferred powder
Treatment:
Spoiler
This is useful especially for wounds that are not deep but continue to bleed, such as cuts, scrapes, and broken toenails. The powder will help the blood to clot and form a scab over the wound.
1. Use the toilet paper to clean the wound to the best of your ability. Apply pressure if your hamster will allow it, to slow the bleeding. Do not "scrub" the wound - just pat to remove pooled blood.
2. Place a small amount of your powder into a bowl. Use a q-tip (or your finger) to apply the powder to the surface of the wound. Apply as necessary. Do not remove the material after the bleeding has stopped - it is harmless to your hamster, and will fall off when it's supposed to.
Method 3 - pressure alone
Materials needed: if available, toilet paper or gauze pads
Treatment:
Spoiler
For when other materials aren't available. Pressure will slow and stop external bleeding, but a hamster may not sit still for it. Simply hold a folded piece of toilet paper or a gauze pad firmly against the wound. Maintain pressure until the bleeding stops.
If bleeding is excessive or will not stop, seek veterinary care.
Followup treatment for all 3 methods:
Spoiler
Remove the cause of injury. If the injury was due to fighting, separate the two hamsters immediately.
Monitor the wound for infection or in case bleeding restarts.
Provide your hamster with veggies rich in vitamin K - examples are kale, bok choy, spinach, and chard. Vitamin K helps the body rebuild platelets.
Concussion and Broken Bones (ex. from a large fall) How to recognize: Unresponsive behavior, misaligned limbs, Materials needed: a travel cage and a little bit of bedding Treatment: Concussions and broken bones cannot be treated at home. A vet is required. To prevent further injury, the pet owner should minimize the hamster's movement until a vet can be reached.
Flesh Wounds How to recognize: broken skin from a variety of causes such as falls, fights, or sharp objects
Method 1 - removing debris
Materials needed: small saucepan with lid, table salt, Q-tips or cotton balls, syringe (optional but preferable)
Treatment:
Spoiler
Before cleaning the wound, be sure that any bleeding has stopped (see "bleeding").
You will first need to prepare a saline solution, which is a sterile fluid that will discourage infection and be less damaging to healthy flesh than pure water. Combine 1 cup of water and 1/2 teaspoon of salt in a saucepan. Put the lid on the saucepan and bring the water to a boil. Leave the lid on and let the water boil for 15 minutes, then set the pan aside for the water to cool.
1. Irrigating a wound involves your hamster getting a little wet - since hamsters are very susceptible to getting chilled when wet, precautions should be taken. Place yourself, your hamster, and your supplies in a secure, warm room. I would suggest placing your hamster in the bathroom sink or tub and taking a heater in the bathroom with you. Do not proceed until you have taken these precautions.
2. Use your Q-tips or syringe to apply the saline solution to the point of injury. Depending on the size of the injury, a syringe is better at flushing, while a Q-tip can gently dab. Avoid getting the hamster wet anywhere but the point of injury, especially the ears and face.
3. Once the wound is clean, keep the hamster in the warm room until completely dry.
Followup treatment:
Spoiler
Anything other than a minor cut or scrape should be evaluated by a vet in case antibiotics are necessary to prevent infection. Meanwhile and for very minor injuries, keep the wound clean and apply a disinfectant/healing agent (like manuka honey) until the wound has closed and scabbed over.
You will first need to prepare a tea from the thyme. Thyme had natural antibacterial properties without the chemicals or medication in OTC products. Combine 2 sprigs' worth of the leaves with about 1/2 cup of boiling water. Let steep - the darker the water gets, the more of the beneficial oils have seeped or of the leaves and into the water. The tea can then be stored in a sealed container for up to 48 hours.
1. First and foremost, since hamsters are very susceptible to getting chilled when wet, precautions should be taken. Place yourself, your hamster, and your supplies in a secure, warm room. I would suggest placing your hamster in the bathroom sink or tub and taking a heater in the bathroom with you. Do not proceed until you have taken these precautions.
2. Apply the (now cooled) thyme tea to the affected area.
3. Return the hamster to its cage once completely dry.
Followup treatment:
Spoiler
Apply tea twice daily until the wound has scabbed over and closed.
Alternative antibacterial: manuka honey
Heat Stress or Heat Stroke How to recognize: Materials needed: Treatment: Followup treatment:
Hypoglycemia (for diabetic dwarfs) How to recognize: Materials needed: Treatment: Followup treatment:
Respiratory Distress How to recognize: clicking, difficulty breathing, runny nose, closed eyes Materials needed: eyedropper, mugs, boiling water, and thyme*
*Found in the produce section at the grocery store.
Treatment:
Spoiler
Thyme is a natural antibiotic and decongestant, first provided by missPixy here. Note that thyme will manage the symptoms, but it shouldn't be used as a replacement for antibiotics from your vet in the case of an infection. 1. Take about 10-12 sprigs of the fresh thyme and put them in a mug. In a separate mug, boil some water.
2. While the water is boiling, make a little emergency nest for your hamster, mixing some more thyme leaves into the bedding.
3. Hold your hamster and massage him or her, making sure you keep them warm. 4. Take some more sprigs of the fresh thyme and start crushing it under your hamster's nose, to start the decongestion process.
5. When the water boils, pour it to cover only over the thyme. Stir it occasionally, and let it steep for about 5 minutes. 6. Put a paper towel over another, clean mug, and pour the tea into this new mug. The paper towel will filter out the leaves.
7. With your eyedropper or syringe, take up a couple of hamster mouthfuls' worth. let this sit for about 30 seconds or so until it is not hot (you don't want to burn your hamster's mouth). Test by a few drops on your hand first.
8. Give your hamster a few drops of the tea, while continuing to massage him/her and crushing the thyme leaves under his nose.
From missPixy: I have found that, after the tea, you will need to massage him and crush the leaves under his nose for at least an hour to ensure adequate recovery.
What do I mean by "adequate" recovery? i mean 1) your hamster doesn't feel cold anymore; s/he is beginning to regulate body temp on their own; 2) your hamster starts moving in your hand, and can walk a few steps, or even completely away from you; 3) his or her eyes start to open a bit.
Until you see all three of these recovery signs, your work is not done. this remedy WILL NOT work in 5 or 10 minutes. you may need to bring your hamster to work with you or take the day off to stay with your hamster, until your hamster responds in the ways I've described. You'll probably want to monitor him or her for another 24 hours even after the recover signs happen, just to make sure there isn't a relapse.
Followup treatment:
Spoiler
Address the cause of respiratory distress. Only environmental causes can be fixed at home. For example, in a dry climate, such as desert areas or during the winter, a humidifier will help alleviate sinus inflammation and congestion (what makes you "sniffly" in winter when you don't have a runny nose).
A respiratory infection or cold requires a trip to the vet for antibiotics (see the A-Z Guide for safe medications).
Shock and Hypothermia How to recognize: not moving, cold, "out of it" or unresponsive to touch Materials needed: none Treatment:
Spoiler
The focus is to get your hamster warmer and to get blood circulating. Focus on the core (head and abdomen) and not on the extremities (legs and tail). The core is where the vital organs are (brain, heart, lungs) and it is essential to get warm blood flowing in those areas first before worrying about the limbs. Also note that focusing on the limbs first could send the even colder blood to the vital organs and cause more damage. In any event, once the core of the body is warming up, blood will naturally circulate and warm the limbs without outside help.
1. Remove your hamster from the cage and take it to the warmest room in the house (If you have a space heater, take it to the bathroom, as the small space will warm up quickly and sitting in the tub will prevent your hamster running away when s/he feels better).
2. Sit down with your hamster in your lap, where the body heat from your legs will warm your hamster.
3. Gently massage your hamster with your fingertips in small, circular motions. Do this all over the body - nose to tail, front and back, as much as your hamster will allow.
4. Continue massaging and keeping your hamster in your lap until they are walking around normally. Ears should be up and eyes bright before returning to the cage.
Followup treatment:
Spoiler
Address the cause of the hypothermia. If the room is too cold, move your hamster to a warmer room or invest in a space heater, or else your hamster will continue to have relapses. At the very least, put an electric heating pad under half of the cage.
If your hamster went into shock from being wet (leaky water bottle, etc.), make sure your hamster is sufficiently dry before returning to the cage, and take steps to prevent your hamster from getting wet again.
Any sign of respiratory stress after an incident of hypothermia should be taken seriously and brought to a vet's attention.
Edited by tbiM20, 20 October 2015 - 12:20 AM.
missPixy, pawlove, Poofthecat and 13 others like this
For bleeding and cuts, especially if you hit a quick when nail clipping, some styptic powder is always pretty handy. We have a small container on hand. It does sting, but it will clot the wound quickly. Since we clip nails at home, I have it here JUST in case.
Looks great besides that! This will be super helpful when people need some help fast and can't wait for a reply. If there's anything else I can think of that might help, I can post it here.
For bleeding and cuts, especially if you hit a quick when nail clipping, some styptic powder is always pretty handy. We have a small container on hand. It does sting, but it will clot the wound quickly. Since we clip nails at home, I have it here JUST in case.
Looks great besides that! This will be super helpful when people need some help fast and can't wait for a reply. If there's anything else I can think of that might help, I can post it here.
Oh yes, styptic powder! Thanks, I'll add that. That's the same way I use baby powder... I have a dog with all black nails, it is very easy to nick the quick.
For superficial wounds too, perhaps a method on how to make and use saline for cleaning? Depending on the hamsters injury it might be necessary to clean it.
I have a short haired Syrian hamster! He had a wheel that was too small for him and now he has some sort of sores on his back. This is not an emergancy, but he has had them for a while. Thank goodness that he isn't in pain or anything! He is acting normal, but how do I get rid of the sores? Any Ideas? Please reply!
Help! My hamster got mysteriously cut on the fold on his leg. No one was around when he got cut so no one knows what happened. I plan on trying the recommended ideas to help clean it. If anyone has any other ideas please tell me. My grandmothers friend who is a veterinarian and she said to put neosporin on it but I'm not sure. Any advise or words of wisdom?
Help! My hamster got mysteriously cut on the fold on his leg. No one was around when he got cut so no one knows what happened. I plan on trying the recommended ideas to help clean it. If anyone has any other ideas please tell me. My grandmothers friend who is a veterinarian and she said to put neosporin on it but I'm not sure. Any advise or words of wisdom?
Well, I would post a thread about it to inform people about this, maybe in the Ailments and Illnesses sub-forum?
Is it still bleeding? You could try using flour to clot the blood and then put thyme and manuka honey on it so it heals.
