A father with 2 lovely little daughters aged 8 years and a younger one, brought this 14-month-old female dwarf hamster to Toa Payoh Vets on Dec 28, 2013. The nose swelling was a gigantic inflamed swelling of 1.5 cm x 0.8 cm x 0.5 cm. Incredibly large and hard. She has wet tail too.
She was hospitalized for treatment with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory and fluids.
Only on Jan 2, 2014 was the abscess softened and the hamster could eat. Pus could be seen lying inside the bridge of the nose as a swelling. The hamster was given isoflurane gas anaesthesia and the abscess lanced. There was a lot of bleeding after expressing the pus. The tip of the nose had a circular scab which concealed caseated balls of pus. These were removed.
The hamster was in shock after the surgery and I thought she would die. Subcutaneous fluid and medication were given for 2 days. The blood clots were cleared on Jan 3, 2014.
On Jan 4, 2014, she looked better (image above) and was sent home for owner to nurse her. It is not easy to treat a hamster with a gigantic hard inflamed nose as the bacterial infection inside the bridge of the nose spreads extensively. The principles of treatment is similar as that for the dog or cat but in the dwarf hamster, the risks of anaethesia in a sick hamster is much higher.
Vets must perform too and a hamster is expected to be alive and cured at the end of hospitalization. This hamster survived and everybody is happy.
Some Youtube videos have been posted.
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