| Hamster Ailments Part 1 |
Wet tail is a highly contageous bacterial infection causing severe diarhea in hamsters. Because of the diarhea, the area around the tail gets wet and dirty, hence the name. As it gets worse or your animal starts to loose weight and/ or becomes unsually grumpy/snappy at you It is extremely important to get your hamster help at the first signs of this disease. Left untreated it is fatal. Over the couter remedies are rarely helpful by themelves in stopping wet tail. Wet tail is an imbalance in the intestinal flora. In fact all hamster have that fluctuation in their digestive tract at all times. Stress, extreme changes in diet (food and water), and some foods can trigger an infection, or contact with an infected animal can all trigger a seige of wet tail. This is common only in Syrian hamsters. ... and it is almost always fatal. What some vets may not tell you, is they dont always have a handle on what to do (fear to admit failure?). Forcing extra water and feeding dry oatmeal may help some animals recover, but most will soon have a relapse and die, or have a very shortened life. Hamsters should be kept in a clean environment, since transmission of the bacteria from the mother or other hamsters to the young occurs when the young eat fecal-contaminated food or water. Before acquiring a young breeder hamster, ask the source about the occurrence of wet tail in the breeding facility. Choose your hamsters from lines of hamsters that has no history of this disease. Avoid stressing young hamsters when moving them to a new environment, e.g.; limit handling them the first few days, keep the hamsters on the same food they were eating for a few days and then slowly switch to a new food if necessary, etc. Preventing it is much easier then curing wet tail. Some strains and family are more prone to this, that is why you never breed an animal that has had wet tail. The male could pass the weakness down to the offspring, and a female would be stressed by raising a litter, almost certain to trigger the relapse. Dirty cages and food that has gone off can trigger the disease, and it is not uncommon in young syrian hamsters raised in poor conditions. Stress is a huge factor in wet tail, and the move from a pet store to a new home can bring on wet tail which is why it is so common in younger hamsters. Lack of exercise, unwelcome cage mates, or presence of other animals perceived as a threat can all cause stress. Extreme temp changes and drafts are not good for your pet, and can cause stress that leads to disease. In my opinion, the disease can be carried in a family line. Not that it passes from on parent to the offspring, but I think there is a weakness, or susceptibility, for the disease in some lines. Animals that have had this disease should never be used for breeding, but I repeat myself for good reason. If you have a cage in which a hamster has died for WT, you will need to clean it completely. Take all cage parts, equipment with trays and wash in hot water, dish soap and bleach. Scrub thoroughly and let dry. Store it for at least 2 weeks then wash again and rinse with full strength white vinegar, let stand for a few minutes, rinse in water and let dry completely before using again. |
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