Tumors in hamsters are dangerous and this disease can kill the hamster. In this article, we have explained causes, types, prognosis, signs and symptoms, and treatment plans for tumors in hamsters.
How long can a hamster live with a tumor? If your hamster has a malignant tumor, he can live for 2 to 3 months. It depends on the type and severity of the tumors.
As a hamster grow older, its body begins to change. Sometimes tumors grow on the body of the hamsters. These tumors grow due to the massive growth of cancerous cells in the body of the hamster. These tumors can be very dangerous for your hamster.
How long can a hamster live with a tumor?
Hamsters have a short life-span. If they are suffering from tumors they can live for a year or two. According to scientific research, these appear in hamster the same as they appear in humans. The digestive system and the immune system of hamsters are pretty much the same as humans.
It is still unknown how a hamster gets a tumor, cells of the hamster have proper programming. Hamster’s body keeps renewing its cells. But sometimes this programming can be very dangerous.
Old cells in the body of the hamsters do not die, but the body of the hamster keeps producing new cells. This is not healthy for the hamsters, and it causes an overgrowth, which can be very dangerous for the hamsters.
In this situation, the hamster’s lungs start growing, and they become overgrown. Overgrown lungs will be very dangerous. If the lungs of your hamster become overgrown, it will make the treatment difficult.
Benign and malignant tumors
Two types of tumors appear in the hamsters. One is malignant, and the second one is a benign tumor. Benign is not dangerous, and it will affect your hamster a little bit. Benign tumors are overgrown cells. These cells do not move from one place to another place of the body. If a lump grows on the hand of your hamster and it grows in a specific size and then it stops growing, it is benign.
In other words, a lump that grows on a certain part of the body, then it stops growing, and it does not cause more lumps on the different parts of the body then this tumor is benign.
Malignancy is dangerous, and it will severely affect the health of your hamster. It can spread to the other areas of the body. It also means that if it grows on the hand of the hamster, then it will grow on the shoulder, and if it grows on the leg of the hamster, then it will grow on his belly.
Just take your hamster to him; he will examine your hamster. And he will tell you what the possible solution is. The Vet will collect some samples, and he will study all the samples. Maybe the Vet will do an x-ray of your hamster. And after all this process, he will tell you that your hamster is in danger or not.
Signs and Symptoms
Some little lumps will start appearing on the body of your hamster. This is the only sign which will appear on the body of your hamster. This lump will be fleshy and hard, and it will not grow like tissue and skin. When you touch it, it will feel harder. This lump will not hurt your hamster; this will hurt only when you will press it down.
If a lump appears on the skin, you will quickly see it. If the lump appears under the skin, then it will not be easy to see. If you want to see the lumps, then hold your hamster tightly, it will start appearing on his belly.
Just keep in your mind that male hamsters have testicles near the tail, and female hamsters have teats near the belly. If your hamster has these signs, then there are 40% chances that your pet has this disease. These signs will also indicate that your hamster has other health issues.
First is your hamster will become, and he will not eat much food. He will start losing his weight, or he can gain his weight. Your hamster will start drinking more and more water. In other words, the thirst of your hamster will be increased.
Your hamster will start hiding in the corner, and he will not come out soon. Your hamster will start facing the problem of fur loss, and this situation will be dangerous for your hamster. Your hamster will also face diseases like diarrhea. Even the grooming of your hamster will be stooped.
Treatment of tumors
First, you have to do is make an appointment with a vet. You have to look for a vet who is an expert on small animals. It will be much better to find a veterinarian who is known as exotic.
These veterinarians have much experience with rodents, hamsters, and birds. These veterinarians have more knowledge of the hamsters than the typical veterinarians.
When you reach the clinic of the Vet, he will see what the problem with your hamster is. He will turn over your hamster to see the lumps.
Once the diagnosis process is over, then he will discuss treatment with you. The decision of a proper can take a few hours to several days depending upon the situation of your hamster.
There is only one treatment, and it is to remove the tumor. If it is inside like it is on the liver or the kidney, then it will be tough for the Vet to remove it.
Stay near to your hamster when the Vet is performing surgery, surgery for a small animal like a hamster can be hazardous, so make yourself ready for anything.
The Vet can put down your hamster during the surgery, and it will be dangerous. Putting down your hamster will not be easy for you.
Just think that your hamster can live healthy with this disease or not, and this thought will give you some courage. It will grow slowly, and it will spread on the other parts of the body of your hamster. It can also make your male hamster smell so bad.
This disease will slowly kill your hamster if you don’t decide on the time. But if the lump of your hamster is small and it is not growing too much or not spreading anywhere, then don’t go for surgery, let your hamster live his life.
Nature will heal your hamster, don’t worry. There is also another option, and this option is chemotherapy. Chemotherapy is also very dangerous, and very few humans survive who go for this treatment. So think twice before going for this treatment.
Post-surgery care
If the lump is removed, then it means that your hamster went through surgery. When your hamster wakes up, the Vet will keep your hamster with him for 4 to 5 days. He does this for more observations. After four to five days, you can pick your hamster from the clinic.
You have to take care of your hamster properly a little mistake will put your hamster’s life in danger. Also, he will give you a diet plan.
Keep in mind that after the surgery, the scar of your hamster will remain red for a few days. If the scar is red, then it means that the scar is typical. The scar will remain red until the wound heals. Check your hamster wound daily. Check it properly and make sure that the wound is not infected.
Sometimes it happens that after the surgery wound gets infected. If the wound is infected, then take your hamster to the vet clinic. He will check his scar, and he deeply guides you.
A sign of wound infection is that a white and yellow liquid will ooze out from the wound. This liquid will also smell very bad. This condition will also be terrible; don’t just wait, take your hamster to the nearby animal clinic.
After surgery, do not try to hold your hamster. Don’t give him the food you were giving to your hamster before his surgery. Always monitor your pet because your hamster will try to reach his wound, and he will try to lick his wound.
Also, put the foam inside the cage of your hamster. Don’t use any paper bedding or any other bedding. If it is winter season, then keep the cage of your hamster in a warm room. But if it is summer, then keep his cage in a cool place. Also, visit the clinic of the Vet with your hamster two times in a month after surgery. This is also helpful to treat ringworm in hamsters.
Causes of tumors
Usually, hamsters love to store food inside their cheeks. If your hamster is storing food in the cheeks, then it’s perfectly normal, but it becomes a problem when pouches of the cheek become impacted.
As a hamster owner, you know that your hamster put food in his cheeks, but he cannot push the food out. In this case, you should help your hamster to remove the impaction. Tooth decay or tooth problems can also cause an abscess on the face of the hamster.
As a hamster grow, his testicles also start growing. If the testicles of your hamster don’t retract when the body of your hamster is cool, then there hundred percent chances that your pet has this disease. You should also know the causes of rectal prolapse in hamsters for better results.
Lumps also appear on the mammary glands of the hamsters. Lumps on the mammary glands of the hamster usually appear near the nipples. Touch the place near the nipples where your hamster has lumps if these are hard then the hamster is suffering from this disease. Also, swelling on the mammary glands can cause infection, and this swelling can cause this disease.
Abscess lump
An abscess is a pus-filled area that is caused by bacterial infection from any type of wound or a cut or scratch. It appears when hamsters hurt themselves, or they got a cut or a scratch, or they injure themselves. When a hamster injures himself, then his injury gets infected, and then these can appear.
A little scratch or cut will create many problems for your hamster. If your hamster gets a cut or he is injured, then immediately take him to a vet. You must treat diabetes in your pet for a rapid recovery.
Also, follow the instructions and give the antibiotics to your hamster correctly. In one or two days, your hamster will get rid of the cuts and scratches. Don’t keep anything in your hamster cage that could injure him.
Cyst lump
A cyst is a soft, movable, and round lump that contains fluid air and other dirty substances. It does not develop into cancer. It can appear on any part of the body. It can also appear in the tissues and bones. This tumor develops due to the blockages in the drainage system.
The Vet will provide you with a diet plan, and you have to follow that. If it is on the outer part of the body, then the Vet will perform surgery. You can pick your hamster from the Vet after 3 days of the surgery.
After the surgery, you have to pay full attention to your hamster. Place a blanket inside the cage; you can buy a hamster blanket from the supermarket or a pet shop. Don’t use any other bedding. Also, keep an eye on your hamster and check his wound every day.
If the wound gets infected, then take him to the Vet. Also, don’t put any toys in his cage and feed him only when you are around his cage.
This tumor is also very dangerous, and it can take the life of your hamster. It is recommended to take your hamster to the Vet after every two months. Keep your hamster’s cage clean and give him fresh food. Also, don’t let play your hamster with the things which can hurt him.
