Help!! Hamster's back legs and behind is bloody

[finknottle]

Hi, I have purchased a Syrian Hamster that is about 8 weeks old. This morning i was going to change the bedding when I noticed that there seemed to be a kidney shaped piece of red tissue that is prutruding ffrom her back side. I thought I would leave her alone and have done for the last three hours but now it seems to have come out further from her body connected to her body by a long pale yellow tub. I'm sorry if this is difficult to follow, its hard to describe. :(
Can anyone tell me what is happenning? Does a vet need to be called?
Thanks very much,

[o0sapphirerat0o]

I know exactly what you are describing, I had this happen to a hamster of mine when I was younger (if I only knew then what I know now :( and he died) I don't know what it is called I think that yellow tube you are seeing is his intestines*but do NOT quote me on that!*, but I do know if you don't get him to a vet SOON he WILL die.

Goodluck and keep us updated

[finknottle]

I think it's wet tail but I'm not sure. It looks like a prolapsed rectum but I'm no expert :( From what I can see the vet needs to come quickly or they pass away quick.Its Easter Sunday here and its awful difficult to get aa hold of one. Should I clean her as best I can (obviously being careful of the prolapse) or just leave her alone? She is drinking a lot so that isn't a problem.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

I would take her off the shavings or care fresh and put her on news paper (a flat sheet) with a "little bit" of carefresh so it won't stick to badly, maybe try to keep the area sticking out moist, and try to find a vet asap, aslo pedilyte will help her from getting dehydrated (it something is actually sticking OUT and not attached TO her rear, then it is not wet tail)

[finknottle]

The vet put her down. He said there was nothing he could do :( I miss he a lot more than I thought I would.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

I'm so sorry (and I would definitly find a different vet, with small animals their first reactions always tend to be "put them to sleep". Did he say what it was? If it WAS a prolapsed rectum (as you suspected) then there are ways to fix it.

Again I'm so sorry!

[Zouave]

There are sometimes ways to fix a prolapsed rectum, but not always.

Most vets who claim to know something about hamsters and gerbils KNOW LESS THAN WE DO. I know that from experience. But that does not mean you should not find a good small animal vet; it can be done with effort. I found one. A start is to call them and ask a question or two of the receptionist. A GOOD vet WILL call you back, and will sound concerned and knowledgeable, and will have researched a little the question you asked about. A bad one will not return the call, or will just say "bring her in".

Sorry about your loss.

[Jiffykat]

So the vet did or did not know what it was?

[finknottle]

He just said the condition was very common in hamsters and there was no point in going to extreme measures to try and cure her. I told him that money didn't matter but he said that the cost wasn't the issue (I was afraid he just meant that it was 'uneconomical' to give antibiotics etc....that's hardly the point when you love your hamster!) but that she would die anyway.

[o0sapphirerat0o]

I have had MANY MANY hamsters, all but 1 died of old age (and he died becuase the same reason as yours, but I was about 6, parents didn't know any better, and he died at home
:( ) It is NOT common! Wet tail is common (syrians) diabetes is common (dwarves) having their rear fall out is NOT common! (lol)

[Jiffykat]

But what was it?

[o0sapphirerat0o]

sounded like a prolapsed rectum (as finknottle suspected) but I'm no vet, so I can't say for sure.

[finknottle]

got new hamster :D she's a chubby little thing,called her pudding. from the same batch as muggins who i miss very much............