625. Follow up on the dwarf hamster with foul-smelly right ear

This dwarf hamster is a tough cookie as she had survived 4 operations. Details are at case report:
http://www.sinpets.com/hamsters/20110922rotten-smelly-right-ear-abscesses-dwarf-hamster-singapore_ToaPayohVets.htm

E-MAIL FROM DR SING DATED SEP 22, 2011

How's the hamster now, Sep 22, 2011?


E-MAIL REPLY FROM OWNER DATED SEP 22, 2011
Thanks for checking in. XXX is active. Her wound is dark and dry around the edges but moist in the centre. (will try to take a photo) Sometimes, the wound has that odour, even after swabbing. She grooms and rubs the area quite often.

She is being given water from a syringe (0.05ml every 3h or so) and seems to urinate fairly regularly. Her stool count is still under 10/day but the consistency of the stools appears to have returned to normal.

She nibbled on the mashed up food pellets once, but on subsequent occasions, did not want any. She is willing eat (perhaps two or three) sunflower seeds that have been shelled for her and also seems to like this triangular black seed (can't identify) from the mix. Will mash up some peanuts and see if she will eat that. Will also try to find a proper weighing scale.


E-MAIL REPLY FROM DR SING DATED SEP 23, 2011
I did smell this rotten bad smell when I operated recently on your dwarf hamster. It was a faint foul smell from the wound and did not persist. The smell is from the bacteria deep inside the wound. It could be an anaerobic type of bacteria.

Buy a bottle of 6% hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy. Put some on the cotton tip and try to swab deep inside the wound once or twice per day. If the smell persists, the hamster needs the antibiotics. This will be given, if necessary, after she has produced normal stools.