1. Long incisors- like beavers, the incisors grow too long due to the lack of regular grinding on softwood blocks, pumice, etc., which affects chewing and causes the hamster to stop eating, become weak, and even starve to death. Use bone pliers or pruning shears to cut off the excessively long part in time, and wipe the swollen lips clean with anti-inflammatory solution for 3 consecutive days.
2. Throat obstruction- eating large pieces of feed or other foreign objects causes difficulty swallowing, and it is difficult for hamsters to spit out the food that enters the oral cavity, so it is easy to cause throat obstruction. After small pieces of food are obstructed, hamsters show restless jumping, often make swallowing movements with their necks extended, and accompanied by cough. The main symptoms are increased breathing or difficulty breathing, often choking quickly, congested eyes, inability to stand and eventually death. Therefore, do not give hamsters hard or hard-shelled feeds casually, such as pine seeds and large grains. In case of mild obstruction, drop-feed plant oil immediately to lubricate the esophagus, so that the food can be swallowed into the stomach. Severe obstruction often suffocates to death before measures can be taken.
3. Gastritis- inflammation of the surface layer of the gastric mucosa, mainly due to a large proportion of grain feed in the feed, lack of crude fiber; feeding indigestible food; sudden change in feed variety; excessive feeding of delicious feed causing overeating; or gastritis caused by stomach distension, etc. Ingestion of mud, drinking unclean water, or eating moldy feed contaminated by pesticides can also cause stomach obstruction. This disease often occurs acutely, with sudden onset, depression, severe pain, loss of appetite or refusal to eat. Chronic manifestations include decreased appetite, moderate constipation, gradual emaciation, weight loss, drooling, wet lower lip and corners of the mouth, and tangled fur. In case of acute gastritis, stop feeding for 1-2 days, replace granular feed with soft feed, feed fresh tender green feed, and use grape fresh milk as a drink, and take 2-3 ml of aluminum hydroxide gel orally. The main treatment for chronic gastritis is to improve feeding management and drug treatment, but the effect is not significant.
4. Constipation- Constipation is mainly caused by improper feed, resulting in weakened gastrointestinal motility and poor intestinal muscle nutrition. The unquiet feeding environment can also cause gastrointestinal motility abnormalities and constipation. When hamsters have constipation, mild cases have no obvious symptoms, only the shape of the feces becomes smaller, and there are usually no pores in the feces, and the color is darker. In severe cases, defecation is significantly reduced or stopped, the feces are very small, dry and hard. The diseased hamsters do not eat or drink water, squat in one place, reluctant to move, with bent back and painful appearance, depressed and closed eyes. Long-term constipation leads to gradual emaciation, and the weight loss is very obvious. When treating, in addition to adjusting the ingredients, the following drugs can be used for treatment: 2% liquid petrolatum or soft soapy water for oral or rectal lavage, 5-15 ml each time; 10%-15% hot vegetable oil and water mixture for oral administration or enema, 5-15 ml each time; rectal infusion with enema can also promote defecation.
5. Intestinal obstruction- Constipation can cause intestinal obstruction. Some hamsters suffer from trichophagia, which causes hairballs to form in the digestive tract. In addition, a large amount of coarse fiber in the feed or the use of a large amount of antibiotics for the treatment of diseases can reduce the ability of intestinal microorganisms to digest coarse fiber, which can also cause constipation and secondary intestinal obstruction. Therefore, try to use less or no broad-spectrum antibiotics, and use sulfa drugs for inflammation is relatively safe. The initial symptom of intestinal obstruction is constipation, and there are fewer cases of acute symptoms of intestinal obstruction suddenly, so it manifests as constipation symptoms. Diseased hamsters dehydrate quickly and their eyeballs sink. The abdomen is slightly bloated, and hard feces can often be felt in the abdomen. The diseased hamsters show abdominal pain, stretch their forelimbs forward, and lie with their abdomen on the ground. Severe cases lie on their backs with their limbs curled up. Duodenal obstruction is the most obvious. Preventive measures: Be highly vigilant once constipation occurs, and do everything possible to eliminate constipation and prevent secondary intestinal obstruction. When intestinal obstruction has formed, treatment is mainly based on promoting defecation. If oil-based laxatives are not effective, 10%-20% sodium sulfate can be tried or deep rectal enema with soft soapy water, combined with laxatives, is effective for mild intestinal obstruction. For severe intestinal obstruction, where the intestines are already inflamed or necrotic, the use of laxatives is not only ineffective, but also carries the risk of intestinal rupture and perforation. Surgery may be necessary for treatment when necessary.
6. Intestinal torsion and intussusception- This disease occurs suddenly during the mating process when chasing or fighting, and during intense exercise. Once the disease occurs, it will be severely painful, the limbs and whole body will tremble, unable to stand, and sometimes make squeaking noises, and severe cases can cause death. On autopsy observation, twisted or intussusception intestines can be directly found, and the mucosa is acutely hemorrhaging with bleeding. Because this disease comes on suddenly and causes rapid death, measures are often not taken in time and the diseased hamsters have already died. In rescue, artificial untwisting of the intestines can be effective for some diseased hamsters.
7. Vitamin deficiency- Various nutrient deficiencies are caused by defects in the feed preparation, and prevention should be the main focus with treatment as the auxiliary. The most common deficiencies in vitamins are vitamin A and B1 deficiencies. When vitamin A is deficient, the diseased hamsters often suffer from keratinized dermatitis, respiratory tract infections, decreased reproductive performance or infertility, obvious dry eye disease or night blindness. The diseased hamsters often show non-spirited eyes, cloudy appearance, dull and inelastic fur, and weight loss. The breeding rate of male hamsters decreases significantly, sexual behavior disappears, female hamsters have prolonged estrus or do not enter estrus, pregnant hamsters have interrupted pregnancies, and fetuses are absorbed or miscarried. When baby hamsters lack vitamin A, they become thin and weak and may become blind. Give each diseased hamster 100 international units of vitamin A per day, and then provide it through the feed appropriately after a week. When vitamin B1 is deficient, the hamster's movements cannot be coordinated, they are nervous, easily excited, and typical symptoms include convulsions, sudden muscle spasms in the limbs and body, and after a spasm occurs, they can move normally, but if it continues to develop, it can cause death. When treating, a large dose of vitamin B1 should be taken, taken continuously for 2-4 weeks, and the dosage should be 10 mg per hamster per day.
8. Calcium and phosphorus metabolism disorders- Lack of calcium and phosphorus in the feed or improper calcium-to-phosphorus ratio, or lack of vitamin D in the feed can all cause calcium and phosphorus metabolism disorders. The typical symptom of this disease is sudden muscle spasms throughout the body, which is similar to the spasms caused by vitamin B1 deficiency, but the spasms caused by this disease mostly occur before and after feeding, and the important difference is that the swaying does not occur with the spasms caused by this disease, and the diseased hamsters stick their abdomens to the cage floor, with stiff limbs and stretched forelimbs forward and their heads leaning back. Treatment measures: Increase the content of calcium and phosphorus in the feed, adjust the ratio of calcium and phosphorus and the content of vitamin D. Or use glucose calcium muscle injection, 1-1.5 ml, once a day, continuously injected for 3-5 days.
9. Hair loss- Hamster fur is precious, and hair loss is a big loss and often occurs. There are two reasons for hamster hair loss: one is the lack of unsaturated fatty acids in the feed, and the other is nervous hair loss caused by hamsters. The leathers after hair loss will lose their value for fur making. The symptoms often mix the two aspects together, often with nervous hair loss as the main. Whether it is active in the cage or activities such as artificial feeding and watering, the diseased hamsters will shed hair sporadically or in tufts, and the cage will be full of residual hair. The skin will be severely exposed, keratinized, and scaly. These hamsters cannot participate in breeding. Oral or feed the feed adding unsaturated fatty acids, feed immediately, no overnight. Give 2 capsules of linoleic acid per day for one week, and feed properly with feed.