1416. Recurring cheek tumours in a dwarf hamster

Sunday Jul 20, 2014

A young couple with a daughter and son in primary school brought an overweight 14-month-old dwarf hamster, too heavy for the exercise wheel, for surgery.

"His medical bills cost more than a person," the father said. "Three times every 2 months, the cheek tumours grow. Shall we put the hamster to sleep?"

We did not say a word. We were dead serious on euthanasia.  Our answer will be "No" but the patriarch has to decide. He who pays the piped piper calls the tune.

The pretty slim tanned little girl with long hair and black eye brows in a rectangular framed face would be 10 years old and her sibling would be 7 years old.  What will the father decide?  The use of CPF monies for the treatment?


Can this fat hamster take another anaesthesia?  So heavy. He stuffed his cheek pouches with meal worms.

"He could eat 50 worms a day," the father said.
"No wonder he puts on so much weight. 65 grams bodyweight is too much. 45 grams will be ideal," I said.   

Electro-excision of the cheek tumours by Dr Daniel. Two 4/0 dissolvable stitches close the skin wound.  The father was given the tumours inside a formalin-bottle when he came for the hamster in the afternoon. A very kind father, I was surprised as some Singaporeans would request euthanasia.

"These could be fatty tumours," I advised the father to cut out the meal worms and slim the hamster to 45 g.