5951. Vet Case Study. Tele-consultation. A dwarf hamster who loves eating suddenly stopped eating and drinking. What to do?

What is testicular torsion?
Twisting of the testicle that cut off the blood supply to the testis. 

Symptoms:
1. Scrotal swelling. (yes).
2. Scrotal pain. The hamster licks the scrotal skin till it is red and hairless. (yes).
Red irritated scrotum.
Frequent licking of the area.

3. Frequent urination. Urine stain around the prepuce. (yes).
4. Fever. Stopped eating on 19 July 2024. Antibiotics. Ate a little and peed after antibiotics.
 

5. Death within 3-4 days in hamsters.

Diagnosis:
Ultrasound in humans.


Treatment:
In hamsters and dogs, neuter.  In human, untwist and attach to the scrotum, but torsion may recur.

What happens if you ignore testicular torsion?

 Testicular torsion is a surgical emergency

 If not treated quickly enough, the testicle dies in about 6 hours in human, as it has no blood supply. This could also lead to infection and death. Fertility problems not in a hamster's case.

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VET CASE STUDY: ANOREXIA. Part 1.

Three dwarf hamsters grow up together in Malang, a city in East Java, Indonesia.

ABANG loves eating. He is one year old now. He weighs 60 grams. 

The normal weight of dwarf hamster is 45 to 50 grams.

He is thrice the size of his 2 siblings. He just loves food.

On 19 July 2024, he stopped eating, pooping and peeing.

His owner Catherine promptly consulted the local vet. 

The vet said he did not know what caused his anorexia. 

He prescribed antibiotic and anti-histamine.

But ABANG still did not eat, poop or pee.  

Catherine searched the internet and WhatsApp me at Toa Payoh Vets, Singapore.

She sent me the videos and information for a tele-consultation.

 

This is a BE KIND TO PETS Veterinary Educational Video

Sponsored  by Toa Payoh Vets. 

 

Vet Case Study. ANOREXIA. Part 1. Tele-consultation. A greedy hamster suddenly stops eating and drinking. What to do? 

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.toapayohvets.com

+65 6254-3326, +65 9668-6468
judy@toapayohvets.com

UPDATES ARE AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/07/5951-vet-case-study-dwarf-hamster-stops.html

 

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Vet Case Study. ANOREXIA. Part 2. Tele-consultation. A greedy hamster suddenly stops eating and drinking. What to do? 

Report by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow), Toa Payoh Vets

ABANG, dwarf hamster, Male, 1-year-old, 60 g.
Lives in Malang, East Java, Indonesia.
 

On 19 July 2024, he suddenly stopped eating.
On 21 July 2024, he passed away.
 

19 July 2024:

Owner Catherine's vet told her he did not know 

what caused this sudden anorexia (not eating). 

She WhatsApp me for a tele-consultation.

She sent me videos of ABANG

and information about his housing, feeding and no abnormal overgrown front teeth.

He had no respiratory or pain problem in the back area.

21 July 2024:

ABANG died in the afternoon.

He ate a little and had peed earlier, 

after being given the antibiotics and anti-histamine orally.


Cause of death:

1. Not possible to ascertain the cause of death as there was no autopsy.

2. X-ray of the abdomen or blood test were not done. 

3. Video evidence of urine staining of the prepuce

and redness in the right scrotal sac (0:00:09 - 0:00:14).

This suggests a urinary or reproductive system involvement.

3.1. Urinary tract infection - severe painful urination. No peeing.

3.2. Testicular torsion of the right swollen testicle causing bleeding and death.

3.3. Other abdominal tumour or obstruction of the bladder or urinary system.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.toapayohvets.com

+65 6254-3326, +65 9668-6468
judy@toapayohvets.com

UPDATES ARE AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2024/07/5951-vet-case-study-dwarf-hamster-stops.html

  

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TELE-CONSULTATION FROM INDONESIA

WHATSAPP TO DR SING KONG YUEN.

Friday, 19 Jul 2024:

Good morning. I am Catherine from Indonesia. 

I want to consult for my hamster. 

Male Campbell hamster, 1 year old. He did not want to eat and drink since yesterday. No fever, no cold, no wheezing or micturition disturbance. No eye and nose discharge. He became less active. How am I supposed to do, Doc? 

Thank you

 

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HOW LONG HAS YOUR HAMSTER STOPPED EATING?

Since the Friday 19 July 2024 morning. The night before he did not show any sign of illness. He still ate and drank as usual Doctor. But today morning I gave him food, he was unresponsive to my food. And I notice that he did not pee and poop also.

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WHAT TYPE OF FOOD DID YOU FEED HIM?

Mixed seed : lentils, oat, flaxseed, sunflower seed, pumpkin seed. Dried hongkong worm. Veggie : pokcoy

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QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Catherine: Actually what are your considerations about the illness Doctor? 🥲

Dr Sing: I am reviewing all the videos and text from you. Please let me know
 

1. Dates when your hamster stopped eating and when he died
2. Date he saw the vet.
3. What did the vet do? Did he check the mouth and teeth?
4. Why the sides of his mouth (left and right side of lips) are reddish pink and hairless? See your video when you videoed his teeth for me.
5. Your video. Hamster was upside down. His right scrotum was “swollen” in size compared to his left. Do you notice that?
6. Dates he stopped pooping, (no faecal pellets)
7. How you know his weight was 60g? He looked fat.
8. Where did you buy the worms?
9. Is the hamster food in a sealed packet when you buy online? Or packed in a container by pet shop?
10. Did you soak the fresh vegetables in the water overnight to get rid of insecticide?
11. Please send images of scrotal areas of hamster, and include the other two hamsters.

Thank you Doctor

1. He stopped eating on 19 July morning died on 21 Jul 2024. 
2. We visited a vet on 19 July afternoon
3. He only touched my hamster and didn't know what to do
 

4. The sides of his mouth were wet after I gave him medicine and porridge
(Her vet had prescribed Ciprofloxacin and Chlorpheniramine maleate which were given to the hamster after consultation. The owner bought Baytril liquid the next day and fed the hamster which did pee a bit. The vet did not do any X-ray of the abdomen).

5. Really? I didn't notice the differences Doctor
6. He stopped poop and pee on 19 Jul. I noticed it because his toilet area was not dirty as usual
7. I weigh him with scale. He simply loved eating!

8. From hamster store
9. Yes it was sealed
10. I didn't soak the vegetables in water before feeding him, Doctor 🥲
11. Okay doctor.

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Good afternoon Doctor. Thank you so much for your care and advice from my hamster. My hamster has passed away yesterday (21 July 2024) morning Doctor. He getting better first after antibiotic, he ate a little and got pee. 

But his condition getting worse yesterday dawn Doctor and he passed away at 1.15 pm. 

I thank you so much for your caring Doctor. I also already separate another 2 hamsters Doctor.

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POSSIBLE CAUSE OF DEATH WITH NO POST-MORTEM DONE:

THURSDAY 25 JUL 2024:
Good morning.

1. Most likely your hamster died from a very virulent bacterial infection as he seemed to respond to antibiotics like Baytril by eating and peeing.

2. It is also possible he had an abdominal blood vessel twisted.

3. Very difficult to be sure as no post mortem was possible.

No more worms and check insecticide in vegetables. Feed only branded reputable hamster food to your other 2 hamsters.

Okay Doctor. Thank you so much for your advice and please upload video to your Youtube channel Doctor

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Was your hamster cremated?
I buried my hamster doctor in my garden

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