Hamster owners, beware! Wet hamsters tails are a common occurrence for hamster’s owners.
However, wet hamster tails can lead to severe and fatal conditions if not addressed immediately.
This blog post will explore what hamsters with wet tail is, how it develops, and why it is so dangerous for your hamster.
What Is Wet Tail?
Exotic vets may recommend treating your hamster with a wet tail with antibiotics, but this is not always the case.
Wet hamsters tails are a symptom of a viral infection that can lead to severe conditions, including kidney failure and death in hamsters if left untreated over time.
Wet hamster tail symptoms include difficulty eating, lethargy or lack of energy, decreased appetite, weight loss (or possibly weight gain), and urine or droppings that are bloody.
To fix this, mix wet tail drops or hamster medicine with a small amount of food and then feeding the hamster.
If you’re buying a hamster at a pet store, make sure it’s not lethargic, interested in food, and has clear eyes.
Hamster’s tails may appear moist and icky, but this can be due to too much water in the hamster cage.
However, a hamster owner needs to worry if their hamster has decreased appetite, weight loss or gain, lethargy (or lack of energy), unusually bloody urine, or droppings.
How serious is Wet Tail in Hamsters?
A wet hamster tail is a severe condition and often leads to kidney failure if left untreated.
The virus that causes wet hamster’s tails can be fatal to hamsters.
Hamster owners have reported losing their hamsters as early as five days after the onset of symptoms due to severe complications from wet hamsters tail infection like renal failure.
True wet tail is the same as proliferative ileitis.
Proliferative ileitis is a widespread cause of bloody diarrhea in hamsters.
It is also a leading cause of severe kidney failure and death, even with antibiotic treatment.
Infection of the gut by this virus can lead to potentially life-threatening conditions such as renal failure and death if not treated immediately.
Proliferative refers to the proliferation of the cells lining the small intestine, which leads to ulcerations.
The resulting intestinal bleeding leads to blood in urine from hemorrhage and bloody feces from intestinal damage.
Ileitis means inflammation of the ileum or the last portion of the small intestine.
Urinary tract infections (UTIs)
Urine leaks many times as a result of polyuria and is often cloudy.
Infections of the urinary tract can be bacterial or fungal and are most common in females due to their longer urethra.
Symptoms may include increased frequency of urination (frequent trips outside), painful urination, blood in the urine (hematuria), and decreased appetite.
It may mimic the symptoms of the wet tail, including weight loss and lethargy.
UTIs are often caused by excessive bladder pressure, leading to urine leakage or urinary tract infections, which can be fatal if left untreated over time.
In most cases, UTIs in hamsters can heal on their own with antibiotics given orally for at least two weeks combined with cage rest (no playing).
Discomfort and weight loss are also symptoms of Wet Tail in hamsters.
Hamster owners will notice their pet is in discomfort, and they may lose weight if the condition worsens over time.
To fix this issue, wet tail drops or hamster medicine should be mixed with a small amount of food before feeding your animal.
If you’re buying a new hammer from a pet store, make sure it’s not lethargic and interested in food.
Polyuria and incontinence
Veterinary examinations in hamsters with UTIs often reveal polyuria and, in some cases, incontinence.
For your pet to recover from a Wet Tail infection or a urinary tract infection, they will need antibiotics in the form of wet tail drops or hamsters medicine mixed with a small amount of food.
Wet Hamster Tail is only contagious to other hamsters in cases where multiple animals live together, and one becomes infected first.
This is because Wet Hamster Tail is caused by a virus transmitted through excreta from an animal carrier.
How to Treat Wet Tail?
If you cannot take your hamster to an exotics vet, you should treat the infection at home with antibiotics.
The topical drops are orange-flavored and contain an antibiotic called enrofloxacin, which will help kill the infection.
If you want to try home remedies without antibiotics, a vet has suggested adding some apple cider vinegar and honey (each in equal parts) to water into a dish for the hamster to drink.
The apple cider vinegar will help with bacterial overgrowth in the gut from the wet tail, and honey is known to have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Owners can purchase and put these drops without consulting a vet beforehand.
However, suppose a hamster is lethargic and not eating food for over 24 hours after treatment or refuses to drink the mixture of apple cider vinegar water with honey.
In that case, it should be taken to an exotic vet.
What Causes Wet Tail?
The hamster is showing signs of wet tail according to the symptoms of diarrhea and a ruffled coat.
The symptoms of Wet Tail are most likely to be seen in young hamsters or those who have been stressed, such as by transportation.
It is essential to be aware of all wet tail symptoms so that if your pet starts showing signs, you’ll know to get them treated as soon as possible.
Don’t wait to find out if the situation improves. Your pet will be suffering greatly and may die before you’re able to get them seen by a vet.
Female hamsters are more susceptible to UTIs because their urethra is so much longer.
In most cases, it’s a bacterial infection that can be treated at home with antibiotics.
Symptoms of Wet Tail
in hamsters often include increased frequency of urination, painful urination, blood in urine, and decreased appetite.
No one has found a cure for this disease, and no traditional remedies work either.
Wet Tail is a disease in hamsters that mimics the symptoms of wet tail.
However, the two diseases are different, and they can be treated by antibiotics if caught early on.
Unless you take action, your hamster will die from a Wet Tail infection.
Treatment of Wet Tail
A hamster has difficulty fighting off infections, so if your critter shares a cage with another rodent, separate them and watch for symptoms in the other one.
A veterinarian may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection or just in case they show signs of getting sick.
Clean the cage thoroughly before placing your pet back inside because boiling water will kill germs, and cage cleaner with antibacterial elements will also work.
Clean the bedding and wipe down the bars or tank with a diluted bleach solution.
Clean the food and water dishes with hot soapy water or an automatic dishwasher, then rinse them thoroughly.
If you have multiple hamsters living together, make sure they don’t share their bedding to prevent cross-contamination.
It is also essential to wash your hands after handling a wet pet because the infection could spread from one animal to another.
The wet tail virus is transmitted by direct contact with the excreta of an infected hamster or indirect transmission through contaminated food and water bowls, bedding, cages, and other items close to a sick hamster.
Conclusion
Wet tail, also known as wet-tail disease or hyperhidrosis (due to the excessive amount of urine produced), is a deadly condition that can occur in hamsters.
The main symptom of this ailment is an excess production of watery urine which leads to dehydration and death if left untreated.
Fortunately, there are ways you can prevent your pet from contracting this fatal illness by following the tips below.
First off, make sure any new additions to your home have been fully vaccinated before bringing them into contact with other animals – especially vulnerable ones like young hamsters who may not be able to handle exposure to pathogens just yet.
Secondly, keep all food dishes clean and change out soiled bedding regularly for fresh, clean bedding.
