- Pneumonia
Everyone knows that individuals from the hamster family do not live very long. However, babies tend to hibernate, and therefore, if the hamster does not move and is breathing heavily, it is worth making the first inspection yourself. Usually the first signs of the disease appear almost immediately and are noticeable even to an inexperienced breeder. If the pet lies on its back, squeaks, and after trying to turn it onto its stomach, jumps up and runs to the opposite corner of the cage, most likely it simply fell and could not turn over on its own.
Symptoms that indicate your hamster is not feeling well and precautions to take
The hamster is a very gentle and sensitive animal, and if he is not well, we will immediately notice it: in fact, he expresses his emotions very clearly and shows without shame (thankfully!) that he is not feeling well.
Read also: What to do if your dog has epilepsy
Please note and always keep in mind that if a tamed hamster shows signs of hypothermia (hypothermia), it is not hibernating and you should be concerned about its health. In this case, you need to constantly monitor his condition!
Sudden changes in temperature can cause your hamster to have a runny nose and trouble breathing. If your little pet only lies down and does not react to any external influences, he may be cold. But not only the above situation should alert you. If your little rodent seems lethargic, mopey, has puffy eyes, and sneezes frequently, it may be in a draft. Under such circumstances, it is best to contact a veterinarian, only he can help the small animal properly!
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Why is the hamster shaking, breathing rapidly and becoming lethargic?
In addition to the reasons listed, trembling, rapid breathing and lethargy in a hamster can occur in the following cases:
- Shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, or trembling may be a sign of anxiety.
- Problems with the nervous system and mild excitability can cause trembling when you sharply touch or pick up an animal. Overstimulation of the system causes unusual muscle movements and thus tremors in the body. Try to handle a nervous pet delicately so as not to scare it. Hamsters are usually afraid of sudden noise, changes in their usual environment, sudden movements, and other animals near their home. But in such cases, the trembling is not continuous and stops after some time.
- Medical conditions such as diabetes, stroke, heart failure, skin parasites, heat stroke, and poisoning can cause trembling, lethargy, and shortness of breath. Shaking is a common sign of a health problem in hamsters.
- If your hamster has a stroke, he will appear dizzy, oscillate back and forth even while sitting, and shake. A stroke can have mild or severe course and consequences, but they can go away over time.
- Age-related changes in an animal can also cause trembling and lethargy. Older hamsters (over 1.5 years old) are more likely to have strokes.
Signs of death in a hamster
It is possible to determine the approaching death of a pet by behavior and external changes.
Behavioral features
The animal becomes lethargic and apathetic. Does not want to communicate with its owners or other rodents. The animal does not show curiosity, does not strive to get out of the cage, and does not show interest in food. The rodent stops storing food because it feels that it will soon die and will no longer need food.
If a decrease in activity is observed during the cold season, make sure that the hamster is not hibernating. External signs are similar to the symptoms of a number of diseases and manifestations of old age.
External symptoms
It is possible to recognize approaching death by a number of external signs:
- Sudden weight loss. An animal that senses the approach of death ceases to be interested in food, which is why it quickly loses weight and loses adipose tissue.
- Dullness of the eyes. The organs of vision cease to shine and gradually become more and more cloudy.
- Condition of the coat. Hair becomes dull and thins. Several hairs may stick together to form “icicles.”
Animals behave differently. Some hamsters die quietly. Others begin to “cry”, gradually these sounds turn into wheezing.
Dull eyes and refusal to eat are some of the signs.
Statement of death
Unlike animals in a torpor, the dead do not breathe and have no pulse. To check, hold a mirror to the animal’s nose. If it fogs up a little, the hamster is still alive. The dead animal cools down within several hours. During torpor, body temperature decreases slightly.
Baldness
Baldness (alopecia) is a consequence of vitamin deficiency. Often occurs in winter due to prolonged feeding of dry food. In this case, no medical procedures are necessary. Baldness goes away quickly when the animal begins to eat green food. Therefore, caring owners should prepare green complementary foods for the winter and store them in the freezer.
Hamsters go bald for various reasons. The most likely is a lack of vitamins.
Sometimes owners are concerned about dark spots on the sides of the hamster's skin. But this is not a disease. The lateral glands are sometimes marked with excessive pigmentation, and this does not affect the health of the pet.
Sleeping or dead?
This is not difficult to determine. The main thing is to be patient.
- In a state of torpor, the hamster’s body, although cold, hard and motionless, can still hear its heartbeat. It is rare - only a few beats per minute.
- The animal also occasionally continues to inhale and exhale. Hold a mirror to its muzzle: if the hamster is alive, after some time traces of fogging will appear on the glass from its breathing.
Other diseases
If your hamster is breathing frequently "out of the blue" without being scared or tired, this indicates respiratory or heart failure.
Pneumonia
You need to listen to the breathing of a tiny animal - wheezing, gurgling, snuffling indicate problems with the lungs. If you've recently had a runny nose and your hamster has become lethargic and reluctant to eat, it could be pneumonia (pneumonia). The animal simply cannot breathe, so it tries not to move and freezes in one place.
Treatment consists of antibiotic therapy - for small rodents, Baytril 2.5% is traditionally used at a dose of 0.4 ml per 1 kg of weight (for a dzhungarik weighing 50 grams, this is 0.01 ml). Injections are given subcutaneously 1 time a day for 10-14 days.
Agony
If a hamster lies motionless with his eyes open and breathes heavily, and before that he was sick for several days, then he dies. There is no way to help a rodent in agony; even an experienced veterinarian can only end the suffering by euthanizing the animal.
Consider whether your hamster has wet tail fur (a sign of diarrhea), a sudden increase in abdominal contour, or sudden weight loss. Hamsters have a very fast metabolism, so they cannot be sick for a long time: without proper treatment or in case of severe problems, they “burn out” in a few days.
Temperature-related disorders
If a previously healthy animal suddenly falls into a coma, it is possible that it is hibernating. Breathing will be very rare, and the pet will be cold to the touch. In nature, dwarfs hibernate in winter, waiting out cold, hunger and short daylight hours.
Low room temperature
If the heating was turned off in the apartment, or you did not feed the hamster for several days while going on vacation, this could provoke torpor. The body will be cold, the heartbeat will be extremely rare (1 beat every 15 seconds). A sleeping hamster can barely breathe; due to its small size, it is difficult to understand whether there is breathing at all. But if the body remains soft, the rodent has not died. To awaken the animal, the cage is placed in a warm room (more than 20 C), the feeder and drinking bowl are filled. The hamster should wake up in 2-3 days.
Heat
The Djungarian hamster lives in the steppes, and the Syrian even in semi-deserts, but both species are extremely sensitive to high temperatures and direct sunlight. Tiny nocturnal rodents with dense fur have no protection from overheating - they do not sweat or breathe through their mouths like dogs. Heat stroke is deadly for them.
Signs of hyperthermia:
- the hamster does not move and is breathing heavily;
- weakness;
- convulsions;
- impaired coordination of movements.
In case of acute overheating, heart failure leads to the death of the pet. Death may not occur immediately, but within a couple of days due to the failure of all organs, if the temperature has risen so much that proteins have coagulated in the blood and organs (at 44 C).
Situations in which there is a risk of heat stroke:
- transportation in a car;
- a cage on a windowsill or balcony, outside (sun);
- near heating devices;
- in a stuffy room with high humidity.
It can be difficult to understand why a hamster is lying on its side and breathing heavily if by the time the owner returns the sun has already gone and does not illuminate the cage.
Treatment for heat or sunstroke
Transporting a pet to a clinic in case of heat or sunstroke is not the best solution; time for first aid will be missed. What can you do without the help of a veterinarian to help your pet:
Reduce temperature
First aid is to cool the body, but not too sharply: applying ice or immersing the hamster in water is prohibited! The animal is placed on a tile or ceramic dish, or on a damp towel. Gently wet ears and paws with cool water.
Fighting dehydration
Heat stroke very often occurs when there is no access to fresh drinking water. When the animal is unconscious, it can no longer use the drinking bowl. However, it is also dangerous to drink a hamster from a syringe: it will not swallow, and the liquid will enter the lungs, making breathing difficult and causing pneumonia.
The liquid (sterile Ringer's solution or sodium chloride) is injected subcutaneously into 4-8 ml of Syrian and 2 ml of Djungarian hamsters.
Antishock therapy
Although all potent medications are best used as prescribed by a doctor, in a situation with acute overheating, the hamster may not survive to take the ratologist. If you feel like you have nothing to lose, you should inject prednisolone 30 mg/ml intramuscularly (in the hind leg) with an insulin syringe. The dose for a Dzhungarik is 0.05 ml, for a Syrian - 0.1 ml.
The prognosis is unfavorable: the pet may die
Whether your pet survives may depend on how long it was exposed to the high temperature. If the hamster does not die immediately, on the first day after overheating the owner often notices that the hamster falls over on its side and can barely walk. Neurological disorders are associated with swelling of the brain, and if the pet survives, coordination of movements will gradually be restored.
Interesting video
Djungarian and Syrian hamsters are very cute, funny, unpretentious animals to keep and care for. Therefore, many people keep them as favorite pets. But unfortunately, the life expectancy of a hamster is short.
Even with proper maintenance and systematic care, the animals live from 1.5 to 2.5–3 years. At the same time, there are many factors that can accelerate the death of a small pet. And it’s not always possible to understand why hamsters die and how to help your pet. Why do hamsters die? How to understand that a dzhungarik is dying? What to do if your hamster dies?
Causes of hibernation and how to prevent it
Hibernation can be triggered by a sharp drop in temperature. However, even a slight change in temperature, combined with a lack of food and water, can also lead to hibernation. Even in warmer months, a hamster without food may fall into a deep sleep to conserve its energy.
The hamster hibernates for several hours. During the colder months, you will need to check your hamster morning and evening. Check the temperature of the room in which the hamster's cage is located. Perhaps other parts of the apartment are warmer.
Electric heaters are inexpensive and safe, but they are difficult to maintain a constant temperature in the room. A heating pad placed under the cage may be a good idea. Heating pads designed for human use are not designed to operate 24/7 and may pose a fire hazard. Buy a reptile heating pad.
They are self-regulating and safe for 24/7 use. You can place a heating pad on one of the corners of the cage or place it under the bottom of the cage. This will help keep the hamster warm, but don't set the heating pad too hot as this may melt the plastic cage and cause burns on the legs and belly.
Don't think that just because your hamster has built a cozy and big house that he is safe from hibernation. In fact, if your hamster has built an unusually large house, it is a sign that he is desperately trying to stay warm.
Death from old age: how hamsters die
The main cause of natural death of all hamsters without exception is age-related changes in the body (wear and tear of the myocardium, blood vessels). Unfortunately, nature has given rodents a rather short life span, and all animals, without exception, die of old age. You can tell that a hamster is dying of old age by its changed behavior.
Signs of aging:
- cloudy, unclear look;
- decreased activity;
- decreased appetite, refusal to feed;
- poor coat condition;
- the appearance of bald spots, bald spots on the neck and head.
Before death, the hamster eats less, stops stocking up, does not spend time on the running wheel or drum, has little interest in the outside world, and almost all the time sits motionless in the corner of the cage or does not leave its house. The pet moves slowly, very carefully.
If you see your hamster dying, try to save it. Of course, if he has cancer or is old, it is impossible to help the rodent.
The death of a hamster can be confused with paralysis or sound sleep. Therefore, do not rush to bury the rodent. Make sure the pet is really dead. If the animal is dead, it will have no pulse, no breathing, and the body will be cold.
It is difficult even for a veterinarian to determine exactly when death from old age will occur. But still, in order for the retirement period to be as favorable as possible for the rodent, the owners must surround their little pet with affection, attention and care.
One of the most popular, but short-lived pets is the hamster. Cute little ones who are always running somewhere seem to be in a hurry to live. And this is not without reason, because on average hamsters live about two years, and with good care they can live up to three. Any owner who chooses to keep this cute animal will almost inevitably face its death. So what standards should you follow to ensure your pet lives a long and happy life? And what to do if the hamster died?
Common causes of falling on your back
However, not everything is so scary. When a hamster falls on its back, it may just be playing. The main reasons that can cause an animal to fall are:
- the presence of a sand bath in the cage - in order to independently get rid of the parasites living in the fur, the hamster falls on its back and begins to swing in the sandy mass. This usually causes remorse among breeders;
- a fight with other representatives of the hamster order - in such cases it is worth taking care of the immediate resettlement of the hamsters, since one of the fighters may end badly.
And yet, if the hamster falls on its back, tumbles, runs on the drum, behaves actively, eats well, there is no need to worry, since everything is fine with it. In order to understand what provoked such animal behavior - a desire to have fun or illness, it is enough to observe for some time.
