I believe she has a so called wet tail but not sure. You asked "what's going on your hamster?" It's been several weeks.

Hello and welcome to Just Answer. This is Dr Mike and it will be my pleasure to assist you with your questions today. I have over 22 years of experience, I can understand how stressful it is for you. I will do my utmost to assist today and to see if we will be able to resolve this quickly for you. Please be patient with me as it takes time to review and write detailed recommendations. Shortly you will receive an offer from Just Answer for a phone call, this is not directly from me and you do not have to accept it. If you prefer we can continue this whole conversation here. I will begin our discussion today with some questions to better understand your concerns.

Will it be possible to send some photos of the affected area? Are the stools more normal now? What medication did you use and for how long did you use it?

No hurry). Totally understand.

Reviewing now. Thank you. How have the stool’s been?

What medication had you used and for how long? Did it seem to help too?

Is the skin red or irritated under the black area?

Yes. I was waiting for the reply as to what medications and for how long had been on it? I had not heard a reply to that one.

No problem.

As it seems that the GI tract is not fully back to normal first will discuss this. Then will discuss skin assistance in the back areas in more detail too. Many times when they start to get diarrhea or GI tract alterations this can be from an alteration in the GI microflora, leading to looser stools. In hamsters this can be very serious and can progress quite rapidly. At pet stores or online there is a product called Wet Tail Drops. It can help with GI problems in hamsters. It can be found online or at pet stores. As this condition can progress very rapidly the sooner it is addressed the better. Ensure keeps eating and drinking well. Additional heat like a heating pad may be of benefit to help keep the core temperature up. Clean the dirty fecal material from the back to keep the skin clean. Warm water and if you have chlorhexidine can help to keep the skin clean and to prevent secondary skin infections there too.

Psyllium husk, which is the active ingredient in Metamucil, can be added at a rate of 1/10th tsp (a small sprinkle) twice a day to the food. This will add fiber and will also be soothing to the lining of the intestinal tract. It can assist as a fiber source to help form stools and provide more GI regularity and also acts at times as an “indirect probiotic” as more beneficial bacteria in the Intestines can grow in the psyllium husk. This can be mixed into the food or even liquids that you are providing for ease of administration. Psyllium husk can be found over the counter at the pharmacy. Metamucil is one brand name, there may be many generic powder forms also to look for.

Ensure they staywarm as they they are prone to getting more chilled.Normaltemperature is 101F. A heating pad or socks filled with rice warmed in a microwave can help to keep core temperature up too.

If becomes weaker and not taking oral supplementation well, then can use a syringe to gently place sugar waterin the mouth, Karo Syrup also can be placed on the gums to assist in getting blood sugar levels back up.

Often being seen at your veterinarian is ideal with this condition however I do understand that this can be harder often to find a veterinarian to see hamsters too.Many supplements are available also when they are not feeling so well and next is one example also.

https://oxbowanimalhealth.com/product/critical-care-herbivore-anise/

Sulfatéis is a good sulfa class antibiotic.

Sulfatrim

Sorry autocorrect)

The concern is the in the skin there can be opportunistic bacteria and yeast that can proliferate to higher levels and can potentially cause skin problems. This is seen more often when there is skin damage by way if moisture or damage. The excess moisture can allow the normal yeast and bacteria that colonize and to proliferate to higher levels, as these levels increase then more issues may arise. Topical sprays with chlorhexidine and miconozole can assist with yeast and bacteria control.This can be applied to the area 2-4 times a day. They can kill the yeast and bacteria as they are applied.The chlorhexidine can address yeast and bacteria and the miconozole will also will address yeast. There is a topical spray that has lidocaine and hydrocortisone in it.Thiscan be sprayed onto the red and itchy skin to alleviate much of the clinical signs also. This can be done 2-4 times a day as needed also the reduce itch and inflammation. The following are some example to look for, these can be found over the counter like at pet stores, pet section in some stores or online like at Amazon.

1. Miconahex plus TrizSpray by Dechra.

The chlorhexidine will help to clean and disinfect and to address yeast and bacteria. The miconozole will address yeast also. This is just one brand example too look for. Most important look for chlorhexidine as the active ingredient with other brands too.

2. Veterinary-Formula-Clinical Care. Premium Itch Relief. The lidocaine and hydrocortisone will help with itch, pain and inflammation.

https://www.dechra-us.com/Files/Files/SupportMaterialDownloads/us/US-025-DET.pdf

Combined benefits of both type of products above is most important in the above discussion. The one spray with chlorhexidine can address potential bacteria and yeast and the other spray with the hydrocortisone can address the inflammation and itch. Together the two items work very well together

Until able to acquire the above items. The area can be cleaned withChlorhexidine mixed with water 1 part to 4 with water. Thiscan be found at the pharmacy over the counter.It may go by the name Hibiclens or Hibiscrub. Topical hydrocortisone can be applied to reduce pain and inflammation.

These items are over the counter and can be found at pet stores,the pet section like at Wal Mart or Amazon. I gave one brand example however many different brands are available. Most important is to look for the same active ingredients.

The market for this species is very small and such not many products are available for them. That is where we look for the active ingredients. That is most important. If you can find a product only for this speciesthat is great. However in practice those are the same active ingredients we use on these species too. I hope that this helps to explain this better.

That is where the above GI issues as above may not have been fully resolved. Once you finish reading all we can message more. No hurry.

We can keep this message open for some days such that we can stay in touch as our little one moves forward.I am here daily and will be happy to hear how things are going.The messages now come directly to my phone for ease of this.

Gastrointestinal tract.

GI tract.

That is where the Wet Tail drops and psyllium husk added to the food can be most beneficial too. Not that the meds you used were wrong. Issue just may not be fully resolved.

All fine at one time. The topical is just a topical. Psyllium husk is just s fiber supplement and not a drug.

It is safe if some is licked too. It is very dilute and low concentration too

That bit of flesh may be from some irritation/inflammation to the tissue from all the moistened tissue there over this period of time.

Not so much. Just like when tissue is irritated it may swell some. As there is has been loose stools, feces stick to the back end. This is common to lead to skin issue. This is why I added the skin discussion too. Same as if we had wet feces stuck to our skin it will lead to

Skin infection and swelling too.

The first discussion on wet tail addresses how this can happen from stress, change of diet or just can even happen at times as the bacteria in the GI tract may change. May be nothing you did wrong or could change. Just can happen key is to assist as soon as possible.

Looks like a great set up. That is where may not have been anything different you could have done. May have just been something that can happen from time to time too.

It sounds like a good diet you are feeding now too. Should be good to stick with it too.

Sounds like a great idea there on that too. It may be that was getting more fluids in the food such that was not drinking as much too. They are very good at regulating fluid it intake too.

That is good to keep cleaning that way till get the chlorhexidine to clean with too. The chlorhexidine just is more effective to prevent/address skin infection and irritation too.

The market for this species is very small and such not many products are available for them. That is where we look for the active ingredients. That is most important. If you can find a product only for this speciesthat is great. However in practice those are the same active ingredients we use on these species too. I hope that this helps to explain this better.

Wipes will work good too.

How long were you planning to be gone on your trips?

I have seen a few make it well last 4 too. It really just comes down to at this age as long as an issue is fixable or not. Like cancer is not fixable but a skin infection is, if that helps to explain it better.

As long as seems to be doing well/stable then not so much a reason to have to cancel your trips.

Those are all very good signs and yes international travel not the best for her too) I have dual residency in Paraguay and fly my cat Oscar in my profile picture back and forth from South Dakota to Paraguay 8,000 miles. Know first hand what it is like flying with pet))

You are more than welcome. We can keep this message open for some days also, I am here daily and am readily available for follow-up. Please keep me updated as to any changes or concerns that may arise. Above was discussed information to assist however if any changes occur veterinary visit is next step. If you wish for my help in the future. You can ask customer service to forward your questions to me, Doctor Mike. Start the questions “ForCustomerMcIntyre only and no other expert” I am here daily and will be happy to follow up. It has been a pleasure assisting you and Cookie today. I wish for a speedy recovery and have a great day. Thank you for using Just Answer. Dr. Mike.

Safe trips this summer too my friend:-)

Then if they stools are now all firm just may be good to have the drops on hand. However based on the whole prior conversation this is what had been worried about as the prior gi signs that you had on the antibiotics for may be more signs of wet tail. However now if more back to normal then may not be so much wet tail now. Wet tail is a term for looser stools that then tend to accumulate on the back end and lead to a sign of back end being wet more. As there was still more feces stuck on back end had been concerned this may have still been occurring.

Happy to help. Keep me updated and have a good day)

Have you seen any more blood since you wrote last? How are things going this morning?

Sorry to hear that. Will it be possible to ask if can start in antibiotics for potential infection? Atleast address “fixable” issue to give a chance?

I will be around all week too if more questions and updates arise too my friend. Stay positive:-)

How are the medications working? Glad to see she is overall feeling quite well.

Have her stools been a bit more firm prior to tbis? Do you have much antibiotics left or are you getting lower on them?

Generally antibiotics do not lead to constipation so much but can affect the GI tract just as can with us too. If able to add a few sprinkles of the psyllium husk to the food and even Míralax, if more concerned of GI slow down/irregularity they can assist some too.

Then the psyllium husk for GI regularity and the Miralax which can cause more fluid to be drawn into the GI tract. Together they can assist to soften the stools too. Then if goes of antibiotics and things worsen may want to consider starting back on antibiotics again too.

I meant to keep on antibiotics as planned. If when stop antibiotics and things get worse then may look to start back on the antibiotics. Then some psyllium husk and Miralax now added to the food to help with more GI regularity too.

Keep me updated and stay positive:-)