AN EMACIATED DWARF HAMSTER HAS A GANGRENOUS MASS DANGLING FROM HER MOUTH - VETERINARY STORY by Dr Sing Kong Yuen, BVMS (Glasgow).
Thur 13 Oct 2022. Dwarf hamster, F, 1.5 years old. Emaciated, 33g body weight
The young lady was quoted $3000 for treatment of the black smelly gangrenous everted cheek pouch by Vet 1, so she phoned up several vet clinics. "Some don't perform hamster surgeries, others have a long waiting list", she said to me. "Finally I googled the web and found that Toa Payoh Vets had a video of everted cheek pouch surgery on hamsters."
"How long had the pouch been everted?" I asked.
"I saw it 1 day ago."
"The everted cheek pouch does not become black in just 1 day," I said. "Neither do dwarf hamsters become emaciated. A normal hamster weighs 40 - 50 g, but this weights 33 g!"
15 OCT 2022: CASE STUDY
EVERTED
CHEEK POUCH of the dwarf hamster had become black gangrenous and
smelly over some weeks. Hamster is emaciated at 33g as the lower
teeth had embedded in the pouch.
Hamster is active and eating
after electro-excision of the pouch and trimming the teeth under
gaseous anaesthesia. It was a high risk anaesthesia (video) as the
hamster was motionless towards the end of surgery. But the hamster
recovered fast from anaesthesia.
This emaciated hamster should
weigh 45-50 g if normal. He is a tough cookie as gangrene and not
able to eat and drink properly and painlessly should have killed him!
SEEK A HAMSTER VET EARLY!
This owner told me she was quoted
$3000 vet fees from another vet for the treatment of her hamster.
#evertedcheekpouch #dwarfhamster #singkongyuen #toapayohvets
#singapore #shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
UPDATES
AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4121-dwarf-hamster-is-emaciated-and-has.html
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INSTAGRAM STORY
15 OCT 2022: CASE STUDY
The
EVERTED CHEEK POUCH of the female, 1.5-year-old dwarf hamster had
become black gangrenous and smelly over some weeks. She was emaciated
at 33g when normal bodyweights are from 45 – 55g. What to do?
“She
is active and eating very well” reported the owner 3 days after my
electro-excision of the pouch and trimming the teeth under gaseous
anaesthesia. It was a very high risk anaesthesia as the hamster was
motionless momentarily towards the end of surgery (see video). But
she breathed and recovered fast when I thought she had passed away.
This emaciated hamster is a tough cookie as gangrene, not
able to eat and drink properly and daily pain in the mouth due to the
cheek pouch being embedded by the lower overgrown teeth and the
curling upwards and inwards of the overgrown upper teeth should have
caused her to die from malnutrition and sepsis.
This
owner told me she was quoted $3000 vet fees from one vet for the
treatment of her hamster. Other vets were not free or do not do
hamster anaesthesia and surgery. She googled “everted cheek pouch”
and found Toa Payoh Vets had treated some cases. Hence she WhatsApp
me.
This was a happy outcome for the owner
and for the vet. But it is better for many vets not to undertake such
high risk anaesthetic cases as owners do not forget when anaesthetic
death occurs.
SEEK A HAMSTER VET EARLY!
#evertedcheekpouch #dwarfhamster #singkongyuen #toapayohvets
#singapore #shutterstock.com/g/toapayohvets
UPDATES
AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2022/10/4121-dwarf-hamster-is-emaciated-and-has.html
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VIDEO SCRIPT ACCORDING TO SUGGESTIONS BELOW
HOOK. Owner's two videos to Dr Sing Kong Yuen on 12 Oct 2022 shows a big black
mass dangling from the left side of the hamster's mouth.
First video from owner WhatsApp to Dr Sing Kong Yuen. Not clear although
I can see the black everted cheek pouch.
2nd video was clearer. Everted cheek pouch normally should be pink
but this hamster has a gangrenous rotting black cheek pouch hanging out for some weeks
WHAT TO DO?
Dangling left cheek pouch for many weeks
Vet 1 quoted $3000 for treatment - Phoned other vets
Some vets too busy, some not treating hamsters
Internet search - "everted cheek pouch"
HOW TO DO SURGERY - Electricity to cut away the gangrenous cheek pouch.
This procedure is called electrosurgery.
RISKY ANAESTHESIA - "Died" at end or anaesthesia (see video). Hamster is
emaciated, malnourished and in great pain - not fit for anaesthesia but there
is no choice as death will result soon.
HAPPY OUTCOME
Owner's video on 16 Oct 2022.
ADVICE
NO DELAYS IN SEEKING VETERINARY TREATMENT
$3000 FEE BY VET 1
INTERNET SEARCH FOR HAMSTER VETS - "everted cheek pouch".
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FOUR VIDEOS DOCUMENT THIS CASE
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