Hamster has a very swollen back foot, what can I do?

[Amapoleon]

Dd has just taken him out and is back foot is very swollen and he can't put any weight on it. It looks very lightly grazed.

[bella39]

Sounds infected - will need to go to the vet.

[ilovesprouts]

may be its fallen when climbing

[FabulousBakerGirl]

You need a vet.

Is he making any noise?

[KingCanuteIAm]

Darn, Bella beat me to it!

A simple light graze will not cause swelling so you really need a vet to look at it.

[Amapoleon]

Thanks, he seems to be fine other than a swollen foot.

[FabulousBakerGirl]

Is he making any noise?

[Amapoleon]

No he isn't making any noise, he looks completely normal until you look at his back leg. Would it swell if it was dislocated?

[KingCanuteIAm]

Yes it would swell if it was dislocated, or infected, or broken. There are lots of possible causes, which is why you need a vet to look at it really.

[Amapoleon]

I will take him just wondered if I could do anything overnight.

[KingCanuteIAm]

Other possible causes are cysts, tumours, arthritis on the joints... and so on.

[KingCanuteIAm]

It is difficult if you don't have any clues, things that will help one thing will hurt another IYSWIM. If you are going in the morning then I would leave it alone myself, just try to keep him quiet, maybe you can confim him to a small area of the cage?

[Amapoleon]

Thanks, dd's goldfish has already died this week , so i'm hoping it's not fatal.

[FabulousBakerGirl]

He isn't making any noise because he is injured and in the wild they stay quiet to avoid being found by predators.

You need to have him seen asap and the chances are if anything is broken he will have to be put to sleep as they are too small to have a GA.

[Amapoleon]

Oh I see what you mean, I thought you meant was he sqeaking. I'll have to wait till later to see if he is rummaging about. Thanks.

[bella39]

Hammies can have GA's.

It may just be an infection and he may only need antibiotics.

Good luck & keep us posted.

[Amapoleon]

Thanks, will do.

[ilovesprouts]

hope its ok

[worley]

what colour is the swelling? mine bumped his leg and got a big haematoma (blood blister) it was massive, drained it off and he lived quite a while longer.

[Amapoleon]

It's skin colour.

[FabulousBakerGirl]

I was going on what I was told when my hamster broke his leg. They said he was too small for a GA and he had to be put down.

[bella39]

Sorry to hear that, FBG. I don't know the full circumstances of your hammie but his leg may have been too badly broken to fix.

[FabulousBakerGirl]

I feel so guilty as he got it stuck in a toy I bought him. He was a real charater and sweetie even though we could never hold him.

[KingCanuteIAm]

Amapolean, did you get to the vet? Hope hammy is ok?

FBG, if you bought a nammy a hammy toy and he got injured by it the fault is with the design and/or manufacture not you. I know it is awful when a pet gets hurt though

[FabulousBakerGirl]

I know you are right but I was trying to give him something nice for Christmas and it ended up killing him.

The shop knocked off the cost of the toy on my next purchase.

[KingCanuteIArnt]

Ugh, sometimes I think a gesture like that is just adding insult to injury IYSWIM.