# Syrian With a Fractured Leg. Did I make the right decision?



## DeadLee (Feb 22, 2012)

Hi all thanks for reading.

Last night when I got my Syrian Bailey out I noticed she was dragging her back right leg along. At first I thought it was paralyzed as she didn't seem to be in pain. However, when I took her to the vets first thing this morning an x-ray confirmed it was fractured.

I have no idea how she did it as she was fine the day before and she hasn't been dropped or anything. As she is two years old I was told amputation surgery could be fatal. I was given the option of a splint/pins but was warned that hamsters tend to just rip them off. Plus it can be very difficult to splint the whole leg. The other option was euthanasia.

The final option and the option I chose to take was to take almost everything out of her cage so she can't hurt herself and give her pain medication. The vet seemed to think that the fracture will heal in about three weeks and no longer cause her pain. I am too keep giving her pain medication every day via a syringe during this process. However, her leg may not function as well as before.

Do you think I am doing the right thing or should I have tried amputation or a splint?

Below is how her cage looks now. I took the tubes out some time ago as when she got older she decided she could no longer be bothered to get out of her penthouse to use the toilet and begun wetting the bed.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Hi, I'd have done the same as you. I have had a Syrian with back leg deformity and club feet and currently am looking after a baby Syrian who had a fall at two weeks old and ended up draggingbhis back end around. I would say that keep up the metacam and maybe put other things in her cage to make life interesting. A few tunnels maybe? Toilet roll innards and balls. Hopefully as it heals she will get more use back in it. Good luck. I also use megazorb as a bedding as it's nice and soft for their feet.


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## Lil Miss (Dec 11, 2010)

yep the option you have chosen is the option most people actually recomend with broken legs in hamsters, they are so small you cant really do any thing to fix the break and a GA isnt recomended unless absolutly necasary. it is the option i chose when one of my dwarfs got her leg stuck in the bars and was stuck hanging there till i found her.

you can scatter feed her and hide nommy treats in her bedding to make life a little bit more interesting for her till shes fully healed.

even if she doesnt regain full use of the leg animals adapt very well


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

Ditto what others have said. Only other thing I would look out for is that the leg still has blood flow. Bruising and swelling will be normal, but if the tissues look black as in necrotic not bruising (bad smell too) then get her straight back to the vet. Also keep an eye out that she doesn't chew on the leg - if she can't feel it and it annoys her... Not that there's anything you can do about it otherwise - she will chew off anything (like splints, bandages) you put on, and I don't think I have ever seen a hammy wearing a neck cone like a dog, lol.

Is there any way you can temporarily house her in one of those plastic small animal tanks (or similar) whilst the leg heals? My hamsters used to love climbing, id hate to think of her hurting herself worse by climbing around the bars. Unless that base tray is deep enough to keep her from reaching them?

Hope she heals up, i'm sure she will adapt to it long term.


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## DeadLee (Feb 22, 2012)

Based on your suggestions I decided to build a bin cage for her. I bought the biggest RUB I could get and some chicken wire. I cut the most crooked hole in the top and cracked most of the lid in the process (hence the duct tape) but I managed to make a ventilated lid. I then bought some new toys and a new house that she can't climb on top off. I also got a new water bottle and slotted it into a block of wood inside the cage so it is nice and low for her.

Have a look at the pictures below. It may not be as interesting as her old cage but I think it will be an OK home for 3 weeks or so whilst she heals up.


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## Rafa (Jun 18, 2012)

I think it's lovely how much trouble you've gone to for your hamster girl.

She's lucky to have such a caring owner.


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## Phoenix24 (Apr 6, 2013)

Great work, a nice safe place for her to recoup. 

I think fractures take around two months to heal*, so better leave her in there longer to be on the safe side.

*ETA: mostly because of her age.


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## DeadLee (Feb 22, 2012)

She is now walking on her leg. It points inwards a bit but it's better than her dragging it behind her like before.


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Great to hear she's recovering! Just watch her if you put the wheel back. Because her leg won't be functioning the same she might get sore points on her feet. I'm going through something similar at the mo with a Syrian I'm meant to be fostering but I'm going to end up keeping !:lol:


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