2301. Lip commissure ulcers in a hyperactive dwarf hamster and a syrian hamster

Saturday Sep 1, 2015

Bright sunny day with clouds greyed by the haze coming from the forest fires in Sumatra. I dare not exercise in the public park for fear of breathing in the micro particles.

Today, I have another case of two. Coincidences. 2 hamsters with lip commissures  


CASE 1. 
2 sisters brought in Haku (white in Japanese), 4-month-old Syrian hamster.
"Sure does not look white at all," I said.  "It is more a tricolor."
"The sides of the mouth have bleeding. Sometimes they heal and come back again."
The hamster wriggled and turned and even bit the lady owner. She had to wash her hands.
"I need a bit of gas anaesthetic to check the mouth and trim the lower teeth," I asked permission from the owner as anaesthesia can be risky. "Without sedation, I can't do a proper examination and trim the teeth!"
She could see the hamster was extremely firsky.

Video:  Two lower divergent teeth trimmed off by 3 mm. Upper teeth trimmed 1 mm to even them.
             Lip commissures ulcerated at 3 mm across, cleaned with disinfectant.
             Cheek pouch surprisingly empty but clean and not inflamed.


CASE 2.
I saw this hyperactive dwarf hamster 4 days ago for a very itchy body. I got the hairs clipped and there was a big wound on the back spinal area. This could be bacterial or fungal infection. I gave the medication to wash the skin. Now, he is scratching his left cheek again. I call him the most hyperactive dwarf hamster.    

"He still weighs 40 g, same as 4 days ago," I said. "There is a yellow pus on the right cheek commissure."

The daughter had come. She phoned her mum which area was itchy. It was the right side under the neck. I could see inflamed skin around the right cheek pouch. There was an impacted cheek pouch. Lots of seeds were fished out.
"Ration the hamster to 10 'seeds and pellets a day," I advised. "He likes to hoard and his right cheek pouch was bulging full with seeds."  I got the seeds out.

Video
Lip commissures are common in some dwarf hamsters. As to the cause, it is hard to say. Traumatic injury from sharp sunflower seeds? Gripping iron wires or metallic things?