# Hamster pyometra?



## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Can this really be treated with anti-bs? Her tummy is swollen. I have her booked into with local vet cos my little boy is in school this afternoon and I don't hacve time to get to other vets...who would operate on her if needed...and back in time  

But her tummy is a little swollen and she smells a little and she feels colder today


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## droopal (Apr 9, 2010)

You can get 2 types of Pyometra, closed and open, if its closed its more serious, as the puss cannot escape, if its open, and you can see oozing, you have more of a chance of getting it treated. if she is cold, it sounds like she has already started going into shock. if you can get her to the vet asap, that would be a big help to her. I would be prepared for the worst, as she is cold. I am really sorry, I hope the vet can do something. I have had a few hamsters with pyometra. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your hamster.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

droopal said:


> You can get 2 types of Pyometra, closed and open, if its closed its more serious, as the puss cannot escape, if its open, and you can see oozing, you have more of a chance of getting it treated. if she is cold, it sounds like she has already started going into shock. if you can get her to the vet asap, that would be a big help to her. I would be prepared for the worst, as she is cold. I am really sorry, I hope the vet can do something. I have had a few hamsters with pyometra. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for you and your hamster.


I know the earliest local vet appt I can get is 4:30!!! But local vet is not rodent-savvy really. Am presuming they are going to prescribe anti-bs...will these help...at least till I can get her to good vet?

What I thought was her niples showing I think was her tummy swelling 

SHould I get her cage on/next to a radiator to warm up or will that not help?

Am so upset!! My poor baby!!!

Btw thanks droopal....been sat here for half hour or so constantly refreshing this page!!


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## LostGirl (Jan 16, 2009)

Im not sure  I hope so, fingers crossed she comes through

Could you put a warm bottle of water with a towel over it or do u have a heat mat? Just on one corner? X


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

Critical care:-

Hot water bottle filled with warm water covered with a towel as said above. Add some material to the cage for her to snuggle into or use shredded newspaper which insulates very well. 

Water - make sure she is hydrated, you may have to syringe some water into her mouth. Add a teeny bit of sugar to it to give her a boost.

Pyo is open or closed. Closed is more acutely life threatening, open doesn't always ooze out freely sometimes pressure has to be applied to the abdomen for the pus to be visible

Short term AB's will be effective, long term she needs to be spayed or she will be on AB's for the rest of her life as it will never get rid of it completely. My ham was spayed at 1 1/2 years old, she was very very sick with her pyo and made it through really well. She died a little under a year later from an unrelated condition x


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

Don't put her cage on the radiator, it will get too hot and you can't regulate it xx

AB's will get her out of danger til you can find a vet who can spay her x


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

oh god niki 

anti-b s are better untill your can get her to a savy vet, depending on how bad her infection is, a strong course MAY be enough to get rid of it (it did in one of my old girls) but depending on the severity, and her age and condition surgery may be the only/best option


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Daynna said:


> Im not sure  I hope so, fingers crossed she comes through
> 
> Could you put a warm bottle of water with a towel over it or do u have a heat mat? Just on one corner? X


I don't have a heat mat  though my sis may have a small one...will ask. If not will use a hot water bottle under the cage! Thanks for the advice hun!



ceretrea said:


> Critical care:-
> 
> Hot water bottle filled with warm water covered with a towel as said above. Add some material to the cage for her to snuggle into or use shredded newspaper which insulates very well.
> 
> ...


Thank you so much hun!!! I had to name her quickly for the vets...so gone with Belle....cos she is so beautiful! But she is only 4 months so hopefully has that on her side too! Am glad there's so much I can do for her! Internet was depressing....conflicting views on anti-bs but nothing on critical care....thanks so much hun!!!!!



ceretrea said:


> Don't put her cage on the radiator, it will get too hot and you can't regulate it xx
> 
> AB's will get her out of danger til you can find a vet who can spay her x






Lil Miss said:


> oh god niki
> 
> anti-b s are better untill your can get her to a savy vet, depending on how bad her infection is, a strong course MAY be enough to get rid of it (it did in one of my old girls) but depending on the severity, and her age and condition surgery may be the only/best option


That was my favourite post....most forums etc seem to be saying how fatal this is!! No sucdcessful case studies!!! Thanks hun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

if it makes you feel any better, there was a survey done on one of the german hamster forums about hamsters having surgery for pyometra, out of 6 hamsters operated on in a year 4 made a full recovery, 1 never woke up, and one died about a month later

as shes still so young she will have that on her side


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

Lil Miss said:


> if it makes you feel any better, there was a survey done on one of the german hamster forums about hamsters having surgery for pyometra, out of 6 hamsters operated on in a year 4 made a full recovery, 1 never woke up, and one died about a month later
> 
> as shes still so young she will have that on her side


And if you consider most of those hams were probably older girls. My vets gave good odds, 2 out of 3 hams made it. But thats because they'd only done 3! She recovered very quickly too.


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Oh guys than you so much! I will get her to the local vet for hopefully anti-bs then when they have had a little affect I will try get her booked in for surgery at the other. Thanks  I lOVE this site!!!!!!!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Moment of truth now...off to vets!!!! Am nervous...she is pretty cold still


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

good luck hun!!!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Effing useless vets!! Seriously what training do these people get!!! I felt like I was going in with more info than he had!! Unsurprisingly told me he wouldn't risk operating on her...for her uterus would be the size of her whiskers  Which are long!!!! Gave me anti-bs but agreed I was right to seek out the other vets. He said it might be pyometra...or miscarriage....which I said...I though he might say UTI but no mention at all...he basically repeated what I said...and I hate saying things cos I don't like to sound disrespective!!

Anyways I have got Baytril... 0.1mls twice a day...that sound right? She didnt seem to swallow it though...but it didn't dribble out. But the water did! It's like she is dead when on her back...but then is tottering around the cage fine!! I did read somewhere they can play dead on their backs....should I be holding her differently for administering it?


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

how much does she weigh hun?

i tend to scruff mine to give them meds, the only worry with laying on their backs, is it could go down the wrong hole, i like their heads to be a bit higher then their bum when i give meds


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

0.1 mls twice a day sounds right depending on weight

I'd go to a different vets hun who will operate on her confidently :/ All you need to do is ring up and ask "is there a vet there who will operate/spay my hamster?" You'll soon find one.

She might be pouching the baytril, you can put it on a dry piece of bread or piece rich tea biscuit and let it soak in. She can eat the food and still ahve the AB's. Baytril doesn't taste very nice I'm afraid :/


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

Lil Miss said:


> how much does she weigh hun?
> 
> i tend to scruff mine to give them meds, the only worry with laying on their backs, is it could go down the wrong hole, i like their heads to be a bit higher then their bum when i give meds


Ahhh...well will give her another dose about idnight...and will hold her up....thanks hun!

Not sure on her weight...they didn't tell me and don't wanna disturb her till later cos she has been somewhat messed about.



ceretrea said:


> 0.1 mls twice a day sounds right depending on weight
> 
> I'd go to a different vets hun who will operate on her confidently :/ All you need to do is ring up and ask "is there a vet there who will operate/spay my hamster?" You'll soon find one.
> 
> She might be pouching the baytril, you can put it on a dry piece of bread or piece rich tea biscuit and let it soak in. She can eat the food and still ahve the AB's. Baytril doesn't taste very nice I'm afraid :/


Ooh yeah have got bread  The one I usually see...though is far away...said they would operate on Harry ( CRD) if the cream didn't work.

Thanks!

Btw he did say that the food supplement stuff was suitable but I could use veg baby food...will this help...cos she does seem pretty weak!


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

niki87 said:


> Ahhh...well will give her another dose about idnight...and will hold her up....thanks hun!
> 
> Not sure on her weight...they didn't tell me and don't wanna disturb her till later cos she has been somewhat messed about.
> 
> ...


Baby food is good, there's stuff called nutristat which is fab. You can by it by the tube at The Rat Warehouse under the 'health' section


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

my poorly hamsters get a mix of oxbow CC herbivore, oxbow CC carnivore & baby food, it works really well, you can also crush freeze dried mealies into it for added protein


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

ceretrea said:


> Baby food is good, there's stuff called nutristat which is fab. You can by it by the tube at The Rat Warehouse under the 'health' section





Lil Miss said:


> my poorly hamsters get a mix of oxbow CC herbivore, oxbow CC carnivore & baby food, it works really well, you can also crush freeze dried mealies into it for added protein


OK thanks guys...again!!!

She is eating...she's just been foraging now...but cos she is so weak I will feed her some veg baby food later and look out for the other products...see what I can get quickly!!


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

She took th anti-bs better this time thanks to the scruff hold  Though hardly anything else...then again she is actually looking better...guessing some of erlier's lethargy was tiredness!!!


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

awww bless her, hopefully she is on the mend, iv got everything crossed for her hun


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## zany_toon (Jan 30, 2009)

Sorry to hear that she is so unwell Niki, I hope that she recovers well and am keeping my fingers crossed for her x


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## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

OK wel I have no idea now....her chest part ofher tummy seems swollen now  Am so confused!


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## ceretrea (Jan 24, 2011)

niki87 said:


> OK wel I have no idea now....her chest part ofher tummy seems swollen now  Am so confused!


I'm sorry I don't know what that could be?


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

oh bless her, as shes so tiny it could easily be her bits swelling up and making her whole body swell, theres not much space in there to allow for swelling really 

how is she in her self today hun? if shes till swelling i would actually be tempted to raise the dossage a bit, depending on her weight, me and my vets seem to find upping the dossage has the best results with serious infections


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