why is my hamster bleeding from its bottom? – Multiple internal and external factors can cause bleeding at the bottom of your hamster, and none of them are good. Most commonly, hamsters get a cut from the cage during playing. Accidental dropping of the hamster can also be one of the reasons. Moreover, hamsters are prone to certain medical conditions that cause bleeding from their bottom.
Before jumping to the cure, you have first to identify the source of the bleeding. If you have a female hamster, you will have to be more vigilant. The vaginal opening and anus of the female hamsters are pretty close to each other. It is why new hamster owners can quickly get confused.
Identifying The Source Of Bleeding
As mentioned earlier, identifying the source of bleeding in the female hamsters is a little tricky. In the case of a female hamster, there are three possibilities.
There could be an external injury on its bottom, which could be bleeding. Secondly, the source could be the anus of the female hamster. Lastly, the blood could also come from the uterus of the hamster.
We will move to the reasons later. Let’s find how to identify the source first.
to identify the source of bleeding from your hamster bottom, Follow these simple steps:
- Take a soft paper towel.
- Pick up your hamster.
- Gently press the paper towel on the bottom of the hamster.
- Remove the paper towel and see if you can identify the source.
It is the simplest method to find where the blood is exactly coming from. Once you have identified the source, here’s what you have to do next:
If There Is An Injury
Have you found a cut on the bottom of your hamster? The first thing to do in this case is to avoid panicking. Check if the blood has dried or is it still bleeding. If it’s still bleeding, gently apply pressure on the wound using a piece of cloth.
Stopping the bleeding should be your first priority. Hamsters are tiny creatures, and excessive blood loss could have profound implications.
Once the blood has stopped, take your pet to the vet for further examination. Even a few ounces of lost blood can damage the mental and physical health of your hamster drastically. Hence, you should not take this lightly and pay a visit to the vet immediately.
If The Blood Is Coming From The Anus
In many instances, the anus of the hamster could be the source of bleeding. There could be several reasons behind bleeding from the anus, from internal injury to bacterial infection. Following are the conditions that most commonly occur:
Wet Tail
Many hamster owners buy hamsters because they think these little creatures won’t require much attention. Sorry to break the bubble for them, but this is not true. Slight carelessness can take these little creatures’ lives.
There are also some diseases that can be fatal if not addressed in real-time. One of these medical conditions is “Wet Tail.” If you have kept any other pets before, you will be well aware of this term. However, in the case of pets like cats and dogs, the mortality rate due to this condition is significantly lower.
As the name indicates, the bottom of the hamster becomes wet in this condition. It happens due to diarrhea caused by a bacterial infection in the hamster’s stomach.
You will be amazed to know that this bacterial infection is usually triggered by stress in these little furballs. Have you recently changed its environment? Is the hamster scared by your pet cat? These rodents are pretty sensitive and very bad at handling surprises.
In the early stages of bacterial infection, you usually won’t see any blood coming. When the disease advances, blood also starts coming with other excretions.
How To Deal With This?
If your hamster is showing signs of a wet tail, including hunched appearance, loss of appetite, and loss of energy, the news is not great for you. If you are also witnessing blood coming out the hamster’s bottom along with other symptoms, then there’s no time left to waste.
Carry your hamster to an expert vet before the situation worsens.
Kidney Infection
Another reason behind the blood coming out of your hamster’s bottom could be an infection in its kidney. Multiple factors that include but are limited to high blood pressure, immune system disorders, and viruses can cause this kidney infection.
In case of a kidney infection, you will see blood coming out of your hamster’s anus. This disease usually occurs in young hamsters with developing immune systems.
You can quickly identify a kidney infection in your hamster by checking the following symptoms:
- Puss in the urine.
- Low energy levels.
- Unusually high consumption of water.
- Presence of blood in the urine.
How To Deal With This?
Without waiting for the hamster to cure by himself. Yes, the best way to deal with this condition is by visiting the vet immediately. Just like Wet Tail, kidney infections could also be fatal for hamsters if left untreated.
You can easily save the life of your little friend by giving them proper attention and your time.
If The Blood Is Coming From The Vaginal Tract
Taking care of a female hamster requires more effort than handling a male hamster. There are some medical conditions that only occur in female hamsters. Some of these medical conditions can result in bleeding from the rear of your hamster.
Have you identified blood coming from the vaginal tract of your little hamster? The following could be the reasons behind this mishap:
Pyometra
Pyometra is a disease that commonly hits old female hamsters. In this condition, the uterus of the female hamster is infected. The mortality rate associated with this condition is relatively high. On top of that, this is a harrowing experience for the hamster.
Scientifically speaking, there are two types of pyometra identified in the hamsters. The first type is called open pyometra, and the second one is referred to as closed pyometra.
Starting with the open pyometra, in this condition, pus or blood due to the infection is excreted. It only happens when the cervix of your hamster is opening. The excretion comes out through the vulva of the female hamster.
This type of pyometra is considered a better type because the infectious pus or blood leaves the body. The other type of pyometra, closed pyometra, is not that forgiving.
The worst thing about this type is that identifying it is pretty tricky. If you don’t observe your hamster every day, you won’t notice closed pyometra in its early stages. It is because, in this case, the infectious substances accumulate inside the body instead of leaving it.
Vomiting, lethargy, and increased drinking are the most common symptoms of pyometra in hamsters.
How To Handle This?
The best rule of thumb is to take your hamster immediately to the vet upon witnessing symptoms of pyometra. You can easily save your hamster’s life by taking action in time.
She Is Pregnant
If there are just a few drops on the bottom of your female hamster, then she’s probably pregnant.
Have you noticed an increase in the girth of your hamster? Is she gaining weight at an unusual rate? These are the symptoms of pregnancy.
Female hamsters, especially first-time mom hamsters, usually face some complications during their pregnancy. It is because their body is adjusting to the change.
How To Handle This?
If the bleeding is not excessive, you can give your hamster time to adjust to their body changes. Wait for one day and check if the bleeding has stopped or not.
If the bleeding has stopped, you can relax, and if not, you should consult your vet straight away.
You can also make some changes in the bedding to make it perfect bedding for your hamster. When hamsters are pregnant, they need proper nesting materials for giving birth to their babies.
FAQs
There are several conditions in which you may witness bleeding from the rear of your male hamster. These conditions can include injury on the bottom of your hamster, bacterial infection, and viral kidney infection.
This is a misconception that hamsters bleed before they die. In fact, hamsters die due to excessive bleeding. Even small amounts of lost blood can turn hamsters anemic. It is why hamsters die soon after bleeding.
Technically speaking, No. Hamster’s do have a short reproductive cycle called the estrus cycle but you can’t call it periods as the word periods is generally associated with the menstrual cycle of women.
Hamster’s Bleeding Buttoms Explained
One of the biggest nightmares of hamster owners is watching the bottom of their hamster bleed. There could be multiple reasons behind this phenomenon. There are conditions like pregnancy in which bleeding is quite usual but other reasons are something to be worried about. In this thread, we thoroughly discussed how to identify and deal with such problems.
