# Is my hamster just fat and old or should i be worried ?



## mariebx19

This is my syrian hamster Gizmo.He is roughly around 2 and a half-3 and a half.Not too sure as i got him off my sister when she could no longer look after him.For a week or 2 now he has barely been coming out of his bed.He always came out late at night then started coming out later and then down to only once a night but he would only come out to collect food then straight back in.I try getting him out throughout the day and night but he isnt interested.He did have an exercise ball in his bed 24/7 but turned it into a bed which i have had to take out as he gets stuck trying to get in and out.Also had to change his tunnel to a bigger size.I dont see him eat alot but he is forever storing food.Drinking and doing the toilet fine.Anyway his belly is huge,looks like he has swallowed a golf ball or something...just wondering if it is his age,just fat or something i should be worried about.Through the weekend i will be bringing him out his bed to run around and in his ball for a bit wether he wants to or not then if he is still as big by monday he will definately be going to the vet.But dont want to put him through the stress if it is normal.His belly feels soft.


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## Lil Miss

he needs to see a vet NOW im afraid, that is certainly not normal and not just fat, it is very over to one side, his upper body and limbs actually look very scrawny to me, it is most likely to be a tumor to me, but with any luck it will be a cyst or an abscess.
i could be wrong though

what do you mean by an excersize ball in his cage, does he not have a wheel?


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## blade100

First off is he def a male? Does he have the big balls? 
If he is a he then I'd say that looks wrong and could be a tumour growing inside him.

If it's a girl then it could be closed pyometra. A womb infection that warrants a spay.

In any case he does warrant a vet visit, how long has he been getting bigger for?


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## Lil Miss

blade100 said:


> First off is he def a male? Does he have the big balls?
> If he is a he then I'd say that looks wrong and could be a tumour growing inside him.
> 
> If it's a girl then it could be closed pyometra. A womb infection that warrants a spay.
> 
> In any case he does warrant a vet visit, how long has he been getting bigger for?


looks male to me blade, you can see the testicals here 
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y418/louise_b2010/270320141466_zpsfc8bbd19.jpg
and here
http://i1273.photobucket.com/albums/y418/louise_b2010/290320141472_zps25873ea8.jpg


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## mariebx19

he has an exercise ball on a stand in his bed.yeah he is definately a male.will be taking him first thing tomorrow morning.im hoping its nothing but if it is a tumor or something,would he be ok with sedation/operation ?


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## Lil Miss

they need an actual wheel, atleast 8" in diameter in their cage, a ball will just be seen as a nesting spot as you have found out 

depending on what it is where its located and how far spread it is, surgery is an option, as long as your vet is clued up on rodents, GAs on small furries always carry a risk though. good luck at the vets


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## blade100

Ah yes I see what you mean 

It looks a pretty big mass though, fingers crossed for him.


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## mariebx19

He did used to run in his ball but now he barely even comes out his bed either.


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## blade100

If he's old they do slow down but he could also be in pain with whatever it is in his belly.


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## noushka05

He really does need to see a vet im afraid. One of my old hammies had the same symptoms as yours, I though it was a closed pyo, so the vet opened her up to have a look, it turned out she had a huge fluid filled cyst on her liver, it actually burst while the vet was operating, so she was very lucky she was operated just in time to save her.

I did a few threads about Truffles - pre op & post op. Heres one before she was operated on, the pics don't really show how distended her stomach was though http://www.petforums.co.uk/rodents/218127-truffles-my-poorly-little-hammy.html

Everything crossed your hammy will be ok.


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## blade100

How did it go at the vets?


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## mariebx19

Just back from the vets and she forced his eye open (was shut for 2 days) to check it and gave me eyedrops to take home,to apply 3 times daily for 1 week.Clipped his teeth and they are actually so short you can barely see them,i thought their teeth were supposed to be big (obviously not too big though) and she was basically saying bye to me so i had to mention his belly (which is what he was in for) for the 3rd time and she held him for literally 2 seconds then said he is just fat.So i will be buying a big wheel and im glad it is nothing serious


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## blade100

If that was my vet I'd be wanting another to take a look at him! 
You can clearly see that the hamster is not fat that there's something not quite right. 
He needs an X-ray taken to see if there is a mass in his stomach, it could he a tumour or cyst.
Holding him for 2 secs and saying he's just fat is not acceptable.:thumbdown:


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## Rafa

I used to keep Syrians and I had two develop big abdomens when they were older.

Both had tumours and I had them put to sleep.

You said yourself he's behaving strangely, not eating and reluctant to come out of his bed. That would suggest that there's something wrong with him.

His stomach does look big, but the rest of him looks thin.


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## Lil Miss

mariebx19 said:


> Just back from the vets and she forced his eye open (was shut for 2 days) to check it and gave me eyedrops to take home,to apply 3 times daily for 1 week.Clipped his teeth and they are actually so short you can barely see them,i thought their teeth were supposed to be big (obviously not too big though) and she was basically saying bye to me so i had to mention his belly (which is what he was in for) for the 3rd time and she held him for literally 2 seconds then said he is just fat.So i will be buying a big wheel and im glad it is nothing serious


sorry but you need a new vet, that is not just fat, he needs xrays taken to determine what it is, not all vets have a clue when it comes to small furries


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## mariebx19

He is eating perfectly fine haha Never stops looking for food.


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## blade100

You stated in your first post " I don't see him eat a lot"


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## mariebx19

I do see him eat but not alot because he takes it all into his bed i suppose but he is acting really fine in himself actually.Especially the past 3 nights he has came out and ran around the room for ages and sometimes when i put him in he has climbed the cage wanting out again so he gets out even longer.He hunts the room for food...all the time.Not sure if he is pooing much or at all but gave his bed another good clean out today so will check that in the morning.He trys to climb up on me when im sitting which he has always done but now he just needs a little push getting up haha and he struggles to get through stuff he used to but i will get him a big wheel for his cage and keep an eye on him,watch everything for the next 2 days or something and see if i think he is ok.


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## ForestWomble

He defiantly looks like he has a growth of some sort - as others have said his tummy is huge, but the rest of him looks tiny! 

If it's a tumor all his food could be 'feeding' it and he could be starving to death, you really do need to get him to another vet.


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## Lil Miss

please please please seek a second opinion for a hamster savy vet, a few days could be the difference between being able to do something about it or not, i promise you this is not just fat


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## noushka05

I agree with the other posters, please get a second opinion. His stomach isn't normal at all. Had I not taken my hammy back to the vets the cyst growing inside her would have burst and killed her. Please see what a different vet has to say.


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## mariebx19

My hamster is very loved and has had a good life while he has been with me.He is 2 and a half years old so pretty old.Even if it is something i would never put him thrnugh sedation or an operation so as long as he isnt in pain he will be left to live the rest of his life with plenty of cuddles and treats.


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## ForestWomble

He could be in pain though, that could be why his behaviour has changed.

Please get him seen by a small animal savy vet, then decide what you wish to do.


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## Lopside

My husband took our Syrian to an emergency vet over him spraying blood from his nose and hie eye had gone dull....she said he had punctured his eyeball and to take him home and it would dry up. When I got in from work and he told me I was furious. She hadn't even sent him home with pain relief. So I found another vet who I knew to be good with rodents and he straight away said lymphoma and the poor little chap had to be PTS. You could see the swelling on one side of his skull. Much more subtle than what your hamster is displaying. I was livid with the other vet. Any living thing that has a growth inside it must be in pain. And no animal deserves to live in pain if we can help it. Just because they are small doesn't mean they font count. 
Honestly I think your vet has got it wrong and just gone for the easiest hamster diagnosis. I too would recommend you find a vet with a better knowledge of rodents and get him there ASAP.


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## polishrose

Another one here who doesn't agree that he's fat-a friend had a hamster who looked exactly like this and it ended up being kidney problems.Please find a better vet.


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## Rainbow79

I don't post here usually but this caught my eye. I had a hamster years ago that looked exactly like yours, all pear shaped, something had burst inside him and he was full of water, he was put to sleep instantly. Your hamster does not look at all normal, your vet has give you a really shoddy examination if they think that looks fat. You need to see a proper vet, if that was my hamster, at 2/3 years old, I wouldn't even be potching around, I'd be asking the vet straight to put him out of any discomfort ASAP.


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## Rafa

mariebx19 said:


> My hamster is very loved and has had a good life while he has been with me.He is 2 and a half years old so pretty old.Even if it is something i would never put him thrnugh sedation or an operation so as long as he isnt in pain he will be left to live the rest of his life with plenty of cuddles and treats.


I'm afraid cuddles and treats mean very little to any animal suffering pain.

You've been given very good advice here. You had noticed that your hamster's behaviour had changed, that's why you posted in the first place.

His behaviour is typical of an animal in pain. I have no doubt that you love him, so please get the best care you can for him and get him to a vet who knows small animals.


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## blade100

This person has been online yesterday seems she/he chooses not to seek proper vet treatments or if has would be nice to know what the outcome is.
This person came on here asking whether there hamster is fat had should she be worried? Well no your hamster does not look fat and yes you should be worried!
Poor thing is probably suffering alone in silence. As others have said small animals are very good at hiding pain.


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## mariebx19

blade100-just seen your last comment and if i want to come on here and not comment then that is up to me.Took gizmo to another vet today for a 2nd opinion.He is still coming out of his bed and lively but his ears are back alot and just incase he was in pain.The vet there was really nice and straight away she said it definately isnt just fat.He has a build up of fluid which she said could be caused by anything-heart failure,tumor on the liver etc She said he will not be in pain but will be uncomfortable and if i choose to put him to ssleep today she wouldnt argue about it.I couldnt do it when he is lively but as soon as he stops eating or stops coming out of his bed i think i will make the hard decision to put him to sleep as hard as i will be,just hope i dont regret doing it sooner than when i do


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## ForestWomble

I'm glad to hear you took little Gizmo to the vet.

Sorry to hear the result wasn't good, though I'm not surprised to be honest. 
I have had a lot of hamsters and know how hard the final choice is, but as difficult as it is for us, it's the best thing you can do for them in the end.

Enjoy how long you have left with your little furry and please keep us informed, we are here to support you through this difficult time.


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## mariebx19

Thanks.Yeah i knew deep down that it wasnt right which is why i took him.I wish i had the gutstoday to say to the vet to put him to sleep but he is quite lively so dont know if i could unless he isnt coming out his bed and stuff.His ears are always back though and not sure if it would be better for him.Just dont want to do it then regret not doing it sooner  Ahh it's just so difficult having pets,you get so attached.











WHEN I FIRST GOT HIM


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