3603. A hamster has a fiery red ear. What happened?

 Thur 10 Jun 2021. 
Hamster has fiery red ears. Scratching. 
"How long?" I asked.
"I think it is 2 days," the man said.

The hamster has an itchy red right ear. Consultation. The right ear canal has a big ear tumour which got infected as the hamster kept scratching it. The hamster was anaesthesized by gas and the ear cleaned. The owner did not turn up one week later for excision of the right ear tumour. UPDATES AT: https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/06/10-jun-2021.html

INSTAGRAM PICS

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Consultation

Pre-anaesthetic

Anaesthetic
Ear checked - large firm tumour 5 mm x 5 mm inside

ear canal. A blob of yellow white pus oozing out of it is cleared.

Post-ear irrigation

Left ear canal opening is thin, no firm tumour in ear canal

VIDEO - CONSULTATION WITH OWNER

VIDEO 1 - 1114   R ear itchy scratches till bleeding. normally owner does not see her as she hides. Last two days, very itchy scratching of R ear

VIDEO 2 - 1123.  Anaesthesia gas. Quieten. Check thoroughly. Palpated a firm lump at opening of ear canal and extended deep inside. Near ear canal resection to cut off inside tumour too. Hole - pus oozed out. Cleared.

VIDEO 3 - 8756.  Ear irrigation and cleaning procedures videoed .

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ANOTHER HAMSTER STORY

 1. INSTAGRAM  @toapayohvets

1 JUN 2021. BE KIND TO PETS VETERINARY STORIES. .
THE CASE OF THE SQUEAKING HAMSTER --- SHOW AND TELL
Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow)

This 2-month-old male dwarf hamster’s fractured left hind leg was amputated at the knee level at Toa Payoh Vet 3 weeks ago. She consulted me on 27 May, as tele-consultations & photos were not as good as a proper physical examination.  

"Now Hammie has two unusual behaviours," Ms Thompson said. “Firstly, he squeaked loudly for some time on two occasions. Secondly, he used his right hind paw or both front paws to scratch his left ear vigorously every day!"

"The intense squeaking suggested pain," I pointed to the bruised brown patch on the left scrotum. "Self-inflicted biting and friction on the bedding led to bruised genital and pain."  Ms Thompson was satisfied with my cause and effect explanation.

“As for the inflamed left ear, frequent scratchings with the right hind paw to relieve ear itchiness were the cause,” I explained. “Some dirt or sand had lodged deep inside the left ear canal.  I showed her the close-up digital photos of the affected areas to account for the behaviours after I treated the itchy left ear via ear irrigation. 

SHOW AND TELL using CLOSE-UP PHOTOS gain the trust of the owner as the dwarf hamster's ear and scrotum are relatively small in area. Ms Thompson could see the inflamed areas clearly and she felt much happier after viewing the close-ups. “Please WhatsApp the photos to me,” she reminded me as she boarded her GrabRental taxi home to her Orchard Road condo to continue her work from home after lunch.

UPDATES AND MORE INFORMATION AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2021/05/3597-case-of-squeaky-dwarf-hamster.html