The hamster's eyes do not open with what to treat. The hamster got his eye what to do. The hamster got an eye, how to help the animal in this case

After sleep, problems arise with the independent opening of the affected organ.

The main reasons for the inability to open lie in:

  1. Allergic reactions. Swollen eyelids interfere with normal functioning.
  2. Lowered immunity. The animal becomes vulnerable not only to infections, but also to ordinary drafts.
  3. Unsanitary conditions. Rare room cleaning stimulates pathogenic microflora for pathogens.
  4. The wrong choice of bedding or uncontrolled walks. Sharp pieces of filler, improper storage of household chemicals and carelessness of households can lead to disastrous consequences.
  5. Lack of preventive examinations. Advanced conjunctivitis causes blepharitis that spreads to the eyelids. Due to their swelling, the hamster cannot open the eyelids, and the constant itching leads to hair loss.

Eye problems can be secondary. With inflammation of the cheek sacs, severe swelling appears, which interferes with the opening of the eyelids.

Reasons why the eyes may not open

Purulent discharge from the eyes is explained by the following reasons:

  1. Injuries. An unsuccessful walk outside the cage, civil wars and small pieces of sawdust and hay can injure the eye. At mechanical injury only 1 eye suffers. In addition to pus, redness appears due to blood in the vitreous body (hemophthalmos) or protrusion of the eyeball.
  2. Corneal injuries. Damage to the protruding part leads to secondary infection and acidification. When the wound is tightened, a thorn is observed. The eyelids may stick together.
  3. Abscess. A purulent induration (barley) is observed on the edge of the eyelid, causing pain and causing local redness.
  4. Conjunctivitis. Unlike trauma, conjunctival disease affects both eyes. A hamster, of various breeds, both a Dzungarik and a Syrian, cannot open its eyelids. Depending on the underlying cause, there is pus (infection) or transparent selection (allergic reaction). Inflamed eyelids swell up, narrowing, making cracks.
  5. Cataract. Aging of the body disrupts functioning visual function... The clouding of the lens forms a grayish spot that becomes white over time. The disease is irreversible and ends in blindness. With cataracts, the spot is not observed on the surface, but inside the eye, affecting the pupils.

Eye diseases and their symptoms

Diseases of the eyes in hamsters can be recognized by the following signs:

  • the hamster's eye is very swollen and does not open;
  • the eyelid area is always wet and sticky;
  • the hamster has a watery eye, a grayish or yellowish purulent fluid is constantly released, sometimes with blood;
  • barley or a bump may appear;
  • the inflamed areas turn red.

it clear signs what's inside small organism the animal has inflammation. This is why the hamster does not open his eyes. A sick pet will behave differently - its activity sharply decreases, it becomes inactive, most time of day sleeps. During the period of this illness, hamsters may completely refuse to feed and drink.

It can be conjunctivitis, the treatment of which is very difficult and lengthy. But often the hamster's organ of vision turns sour and festers due to other diseases, which are much more difficult to cure. For example, if it's a cold, the hamster's eye festers, plus he can sneeze, wheezing appears in his breath.

How to deal with this scourge? Our tips and tricks below will help you with this. But first, we will list a list of the main diseases of the organs of vision in the domestic hamster.

If your hamster has a watery eye, it could be an infection or an allergic reaction.

Distinguishing these diseases is very simple:

  • Clear discharge from the eyes indicates an allergic reaction, which is most likely caused by the presence of fruits in the diet or the presence of poor-quality sawdust bedding.
  • Milky to gray discharge from the eyes is an infection that is transmitted by airborne droplets and is treated medically with antibiotics.

In addition, when a hamster's eye turns sour, it is accompanied by loss of appetite, drowsiness and inactive pastime. This is the signal to start treatment. But an attentive owner should initially make sure that the animal is really sick, and not just a foreign object in the hamster's eye, causing excessive tearing.

The most common diseases that occur in small domestic rodents and cause sour eyes:

  1. Cold. It is accompanied by lethargy, shortness of breath, sneezing, and often coughing.
  2. Conjunctivitis. The eyes swell, stick together, the animal is alarmed and itches all the time.
  3. Mechanical damage is associated with increased aggressiveness of the animal or occurs due to the careless handling of the owners.

It is often found that when breeding hamsters, they begin to behave aggressively and fight for territory. During the fight, they can seriously damage the opponent's eye socket, after which the eye can leak out. In this case, it is very dangerous to make unreasonable decisions, and the animal must be taken to the clinic.

Diagnosis of disease and inflammation

The presence of an ailment can be recognized by the following symptoms:

  • increased tearing;
  • cloudy discharge from the eyes of various shades (white, gray, green, yellow);
  • change in the size of the eyeballs;
  • sticking of the eyelids and the impossibility of opening them;
  • decreased activity;
  • refusal to eat and water;
  • avoidance of bright light;
  • redness and swelling of the eyelids;
  • soreness of the affected organ;
  • itching and hair loss.

For home diagnostics, use saline or room temperature boiled water to soak dried pus. After cleansing, carefully inspect the eyelids for injuries, barley, thorns, and others. alarming symptoms.

When cleaning the eyelids, avoid cotton wool, which can cause injury due to lint. Cotton pads are considered completely safe.

Do not use 1 disc for 2 eyes. In this case, the infection will spread.

Treatment of diseases

After the examination and detection of the disease, the veterinarian prescribes treatment for his "little patient", which consists of several stages:

  • if the hamster's eye is festering, this is a sign of a bacterial infection that needs to be destroyed;
  • salvation of the eyeball, if possible;
  • reduce the risk of further damage to the organ of vision;
  • anesthetize the sore area;
  • and only at the very end, the specialist begins to treat the underlying disease that caused inflammation of the organs of vision (glaucoma, dental disease, trauma, etc.).

Consider one more point, the immunity of a sick rodent is the same as that of any pet weakens during illness. Therefore, here should be given Special attention nutrition. You can feed the animal only with permitted products. You should also exclude some of the permitted delicacies from the diet, so as not to aggravate the course of the disease.

The dietary treatment consists of cereals, a small portion of animal protein. The animal's water needs to be changed several times a day.

If in a few days you have not noticed an improvement in the condition of a sick pet, you have no other choice but to take him to the veterinarian.

Any suppuration is an infection that can be transmitted to other pets and requires compliance with safety measures:

  1. Insulation. Move all the rodent's roommates to another cage.
  2. Disinfection. Throw away or thoroughly disinfect the patient's personal items. Regular soda will help in this matter.
  3. Diet. Without normalizing the diet, any treatment will fail. Increase the amount of vitamins, watch the norm of protein and grains.

Change the pad to absorbent diapers or corn litter during treatment.

To eliminate the infection, buy:

  1. Antibacterial eye drops (albucid, tobrex, floxal, ciprovet). Use, drip them 4 times a day, drip 1 drop into each eye.
  2. Pharmacy chamomile, furacilin or saline. Remove suppurations several times a day to avoid sticking eyes.

Running diseases are fraught with loss of vision, so if there is no improvement in 2-3 days, be sure to contact your veterinarian.

In case of complications (panophthalmitis, progressive cataract, prolapse of the eye), they resort to surgical intervention with the removal of the affected organ. In other cases, the veterinarian, focusing on the diagnosis, offers the following therapy options:

  • antibiotics to get rid of a secondary infection or underlying disease;
  • drops used for injuries and wounds;
  • surgical intervention involving temporary suturing to restore the functionality of the eyes.

Avoid the use of systemic antibiotics (baytril). The capillary layer located on the iris and retina prevents the passage of any substances. In this case, only local therapy (drops) is effective.

If the hamster's eye is festering, it is necessary to urgently show the animal to the veterinarian. It is unacceptable to prescribe treatment on your own, this can not only harm the pet, but also lead to his death. It is especially dangerous to give medicines to pets that are intended for humans. In this case, you can disrupt the work. internal organs and just make a mistake with the dosage, which will be fatal for a small animal.

It is also dangerous to start diseases. If you find that the hamster's eye has come out, it means that the infection is spreading in full swing, and, in addition to treatment, the eye will need to be surgically removed.

Prophylaxis

Keeping your hamster healthy is easy.

  1. It is best to let your hamster go for walks in a ball that will protect it from injury and dust.
  2. It is forbidden to use hair sprays, sprays, perfumes in the vicinity of the cage.
  3. Do not handle the animal with dirty hands, especially after contact with other animals.
  4. The bedding in the cage should be changed at least a couple of times a week.
  5. The food should be of good quality and suitable for the hamster. The drinker should be washed daily.

The hamster's eyes are a delicate organ that is often damaged. If domestic hamsters show signs of illness, their eyelids stick together, despite all the care and complex preventive measures, there is no need to delay contacting a specialist.

Timely treatment will protect pet, will improve the quality of his life and allow him to live happily ever after.

Agree, any disease of domestic hamsters is better to prevent than to cure later. And for this you need to create your pet the necessary conditions content. Given the causes of such diseases, caring owners should:

  1. Use cage flooring specifically designed for hamsters. Such material should not contain stabbing, cutting objects, as well as a lot of dust.
  2. Should not be kept in the same cage a large number of rodents. They can injure each other, resulting in various diseases, including eye.
  3. Genetically predisposed individuals should be immediately excluded from the general “herd”. Such hamsters can be a carrier of the infection from birth, transmitted to them from the mother or father.
  4. In the process of keeping, the cage with rodents should be placed in a bright, but protected from the sun place. Direct exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation negatively affects the health of pets.
  5. Regular examination of animals will help you to early stage to identify not only carriers of diseases, but also to prevent the development of an already begun disease in hamsters.

To avoid ophthalmic diseases, do not forget about preventive measures:

  1. Check your pet every day. Any changes in the normal state require medical diagnosis.
  2. Don't neglect cleaning. Change the water every day, rinsing the drinker with baking soda, and the bedding at least 2 times a week, and be sure to wet clean.
  3. Avoid sharp-edged bedding. Sharp chips under the feet are a serious hazard.
  4. Base your diet on quality rodent-friendly foods.
  5. Exclude constant access to sunlight. Bright light provokes the development of cataracts.
  6. Keep your hands clean to avoid infecting your hamster during close contact.

Prevention of eye health is the most important set of procedures that can reduce the risk of loss of vision.

Loss of visual function - serious problem reducing the quality of life.

When registering alarming symptoms, do not self-medicate. An incorrect diagnosis can make the condition worse.

Cleanliness is the key to health! To keep your beloved pet in excellent health, you must follow the rules of hygiene. The cage must be regularly cleaned of contamination, and all household items in the hamster must be disinfected. The water must be changed, regardless of its consumption, in order to prevent excessive proliferation of harmful bacteria. Also, the absence of drafts plays an important role, since a fragile animal can pass through the room lightly.

Simple and, most importantly, the most in an efficient way prevent sour eyes is proper nutrition... Do not give the animal fruits and vegetables of unknown origin, do not feed products with various questionable additives. And remember that natural organic food has never done any harm to anyone.

Pets should be well monitored. Otherwise, they can get sick. In the animal world, it is not like in humans. We feel that we feel bad and can help ourselves or ask for help. But in animals, things are not so simple. They will not talk about illnesses or when something hurts them, they will not ask for help. Therefore, we must do everything for them. We are responsible for those we have tamed. Monitor behavior and signs that something is wrong with the rodent. Today we will talk about serious illnesses. If one eye is larger than the other, or if an eye has crawled into the hamster, what to do?

Unfortunately, it is impossible to say for sure what is the reason that the hamster's eye fell out. Therefore, we will only consider the main reasons. These can be various illnesses and irritations. The main ones are the advanced form of conjunctivitis and abscess in the retro orbital cavity of the eye. Speaking simple language- a variety of inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye with all the consequences.

See also: what to do if your hamster does not open his eyes.

What to do if a hamster's eye got out

Unfortunately, most likely you will not save him. But you can still save the second and the hamster itself. The first thing to do is to urgently take the rodent to the veterinarian. You yourself are unlikely to be able to do something, because you need to make the correct diagnosis and begin treatment in accordance with it.
If in your locality no veterinarian most likely there is an agrarian institute. You need to find it, Google will help you with this. Almost every such institute has a veterinary faculty. In their laboratories, they can sometimes do even more than a doctor in a veterinary clinic. Therefore, find this department and talk to the teachers, the hamster will definitely be helped. The main thing is not to hesitate.
If an eye has got into a hamster, and there is no clinic or institute around, then most likely you will not help him. But in order not to regret missed opportunities, you can try the following. Cleanse them from all unusual secretions, instill antibiotic drops. It can be Cyprovet, Cypromed and others. You will need Baytril 2.5% veterinary antibiotic. You have to take a ten-day course.
But if an eye has already fallen into a hamster, then he cannot be saved. It's another matter if one eye is larger than the other when the process is just beginning.

See also: Hamster hair falls out.


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Symptoms of the disease

Diseases of the eyes in hamsters can be recognized by the following signs:

  • the hamster's eye is very swollen and does not open;
  • the eyelid area is always wet and sticky;
  • the hamster has a watery eye, a grayish or yellowish purulent fluid is constantly released, sometimes with blood;
  • barley or a bump may appear;
  • the inflamed areas turn red.

These are clear signs that there is inflammation inside the small animal's body. This is why the hamster does not open his eyes. A sick pet will behave differently - its activity sharply decreases, it becomes inactive, sleeps most of the time of the day. During the period of this illness, hamsters may completely refuse to feed and drink.

It can be conjunctivitis, the treatment of which is very difficult and lengthy. But often the hamster's organ of vision turns sour and festers due to other diseases, which are much more difficult to cure. For example, if it's a cold, the hamster's eye festers, plus he can sneeze, wheezing appears in his breath.

How to deal with this scourge? Our tips and tricks below will help you with this. But first, we will list a list of the main diseases of the organs of vision in the domestic hamster.

If it does not open

Only the attending veterinarian will help to establish the correct diagnosis. Therefore, if the hamster does not open his eyes, you need to urgently take your pet and take it for examination.

If for some reason you do not have the opportunity to visit a veterinarian at the moment, you will need to do the following:

  1. A hamster, whose sour, inflamed and completely closed eye, should be quarantined, that is, separated from its fellows in the cage.
  2. The dwelling of the animal, as well as all the accessories that are in it, need to be disinfected (as an antiseptic, you can use a solution of potassium permanganate or a soda solution).
  3. At home, a rodent's eye can be dripped with special drops "Albucid", which are sold in any pharmacy. You need to drip every day so that the sore and swollen eyelids of the hamster completely open.

But before instilling this medicine, you need to treat the inflamed area with saline. Soak a cotton swab in a lukewarm solution and drip onto the inflamed area. In the absence of saline, you can use ordinary boiled water. Its temperature should not be higher than room temperature. With suppuration, blood secretion and protrusion of the organs of vision in hamsters, the drug "Tsiprovet" helps very well.

Redness

If the hamster has one eye closed, but did not fester, but only turned red, at first you can help him on his own. At home, you can make a weak saline solution from boiled water and rinse the inflamed organ with it several times a day. Salt as an antiseptic eliminates any pathogenic microflora formed on the mucous membrane. Also, as an antiseptic, you can use chamomile infusion or infusion based on black tea. It is necessary to wash the inflamed organs of vision in a hamster at least three times a day.

If such preventive treatment was useless and you did not open your pet's eyes, you need to take your pet and show it to the veterinarian.

Conjunctivitis

This disease affects not only people, but also animals - the hamster is no exception. Moreover, the treatment of such a disease is quite difficult for domestic hamsters. In some cases, if timely measures are not taken, the animal may simply die.

Conjunctivitis - initial stage one of the most serious pathologies in an animal. If a hamster's eye festers and does not open, it is possible that some kind of infection or virus has settled inside his body. At an advanced stage, conjunctivitis can cause the development of keratitis, and there it is already close to such a pathology as corneal protrusion. What to do in such a situation so as not to start the disease?


Therefore, if a hamster has a swollen eye, has swollen a lot, and its owner does not pay attention to his pet, at first the rodent may go blind, then completely die.

The same outcome awaits those lovers of domestic rodents who are illiterate in the treatment of their animals. Remember that any treatment prescribed on your own can end in dire consequences for your own household.

With a timely reaction to the disease of the animal, you will never have a question about why the hamster's eye got out or why it is completely closed and festering.

Blepharitis

This disease can be a consequence of advanced conjunctivitis. In this case, the inflamed eyelid sticks together, and inflammatory process spreads deeper and deeper inward. At an advanced stage, both organs of vision can be closed. This disease is accompanied by redness and swelling of the eyelids.

What to do in this case? You can treat such a disease if you contact your veterinarian in time. Often, the treatment regimen is identical to the treatment regimen for conjunctivitis. Often, special eye drops are used in the treatment of this ailment, for example, Ciprovet or Floxal, and also, additionally, tetracycline ointment.

With such a disease, the hamster should be put on a dietary diet, and the cage should be disinfected.

Bulging eyes

It is rather not a disease, but a consequence of trauma to the eyeball, which has a bad effect on the general condition of the animal. Hamster eyes can be damaged both in the fight against other rodents for survival, and dangerous objects contained in the cage - chips, sawdust, wire, etc.


As a result of injury, the penetrated pathogenic bacflora begins to multiply rapidly, penetrating even under itself eyeball... Such a pet is likely to face surgery to remove the damaged organ. Otherwise, the bacterial infection can develop further, affecting the entire body. Then the rodent is almost impossible to save.

Belmo

A separate case, although quite common, when a hamster has an eye White spot... Veterinarians call this pathology a thorn. main reason that a hamster's eye turned white - this is an injury, in some cases a cataract.

It also happens that a hamster has a white spot on the eye that completely covers the entire eye. Khomkin's white eyes need to be examined by a veterinarian to determine whether it was an injury or indeed a cataract. But neither one nor the other is an infectious disease, therefore, no drops and ointments can be treated. Your pet will continue to live, but already with the resulting defect.

Pseudo-eye diseases

It is not uncommon for a pet hamster to have eye inflammation due to another condition. This phenomenon is possible if the cheek pouches become inflamed in the rodent. As a result, the animal's eye hurts, watery, the lower eyelid swells. After a while, the eye can be observed as it stuck together and increased in size.

In such a situation, you need to do the following - seek help from a veterinarian. There is such a procedure as cleaning the cheeks. It will not only alleviate the suffering of your pet, but also relieve such consequences as redness, swelling, inflammation and suppuration of the eyes.

Treatment of diseases

After the examination and detection of the disease, the veterinarian prescribes treatment for his "little patient", which consists of several stages:

  • if the hamster's eye is festering, this is a sign of a bacterial infection that needs to be destroyed;
  • salvation of the eyeball, if possible;
  • reduce the risk of further damage to the organ of vision;
  • anesthetize the sore area;
  • and only at the very end, the specialist begins to treat the underlying disease that caused inflammation of the organs of vision (glaucoma, dental disease, trauma, etc.).

Diet restrictions

Consider one more thing, the immunity of a sick rodent, as well as of any pet, weakens during an illness. Therefore, special attention should be paid here to nutrition. You can feed the animal only with permitted products. You should also exclude some of the permitted delicacies from the diet, so as not to aggravate the course of the disease.

The dietary treatment consists of cereals, a small portion of animal protein. The animal's water needs to be changed several times a day.

If in a few days you have not noticed an improvement in the condition of a sick pet, you have no other choice but to take him to the veterinarian.

Preventive measures

Agree, any disease of domestic hamsters is better to prevent than to cure later. And for this you need to create the necessary conditions for your pet. Given the causes of such diseases, caring owners should:

  1. Use cage flooring specifically designed for hamsters. Such material should not contain stabbing, cutting objects, as well as a lot of dust.
  2. Do not keep a large number of rodents in one cage. They can injure each other, which as a result will cause various diseases, including eye diseases.
  3. Genetically predisposed individuals should be immediately excluded from the general “herd”. Such hamsters can be a carrier of the infection from birth, transmitted to them from the mother or father.
  4. In the process of keeping, the cage with rodents should be placed in a bright, but protected from the sun place. Direct exposure to sunlight and ultraviolet radiation negatively affects the health of pets.
  5. Regular examination of animals will help you at an early stage to identify not only carriers of diseases, but also to prevent the development of an already begun disease in hamsters.

Conclusion

As you can see, pet hamsters don't have that many eye diseases. Taking proper care of your pets and providing proper conditions of detention can easily warn them. Correct and balanced nutrition, keeping in hygienic conditions is the main task of any livestock breeder who decides to acquire a dwarf furry.

slonvkvartire.ru

If a hamster appears in the house, we must be very attentive to his health. After all, it depends on the health of the hamster how he will behave. Sometimes our little friends have eye problems. We don't always know what to do if the hamster's eyes won't open or what to do if the eyes stick together.

Hamsters lead a restless lifestyle. It happens that they fight among themselves or I can just get sawdust in the eye, which causes inflammation. If you do not pay attention to the inflamed eye in time, there will be a need for serious treatment.

Hamster eye diseases and their treatment

Since a hamster's eye is bulging, a disease such as conjunctivitis is common. Eye infections are usually itchy. And scratching the sore spot with your paws provokes its spread. First, the eyes of our pet are watering, then pus appears.


When we saw that the hamster's eyes sour, then the answer to the question of what to do in the first place can tell us ethnoscience... Sometimes rinsing several times a day with tea leaves or chamomile infusion is enough for the inflammation to go away. If this procedure does not help, you need to see a doctor. It is the doctor who will tell you which drops you need to buy for treatment or an ointment that is put behind the eyelids. Often prescribed solutions of Albucid, Sofradex, and tetracycline ointments, sometimes antibiotics, vitamins.

During treatment, a sick pet must be separated from healthy animals so that they do not become infected, and kept in a darkened place, since his eyes are very sensitive to bright light.

It should be remembered that all objects with which the hamster came into contact must be disinfected.

Conjunctivitis is not only infectious, but also of an allergic nature, when the cause of eye disease in hamsters is the malnutrition of the animal. For treatment, be sure to revise the pet's diet.

Other hamster eye diseases include cataracts, corneal ulcers or diseases resulting from diabetes mellitus, inflammation of the cheek pouches.

Therefore, if you saw that the hamster does not open his eyes, and you do not know what to do, it would still be correct to take the little rodent to the clinic.

womanadvice.ru

Eye diseases and their symptoms

If your hamster has a watery eye, it could be an infection or an allergic reaction.

Distinguishing these diseases is very simple:

  • Clear discharge from the eyes indicates an allergic reaction, which is most likely caused by the presence of fruits in the diet or the presence of poor-quality sawdust bedding.
  • Milky to gray discharge from the eyes is an infection that is transmitted by airborne droplets and is treated medically with antibiotics.

In addition, when a hamster's eye turns sour, it is accompanied by loss of appetite, drowsiness and inactive pastime. This is the signal to start treatment. But an attentive owner should initially make sure that the animal is really sick, and not just a foreign object in the hamster's eye, causing excessive tearing.

The most common diseases that occur in small domestic rodents and cause sour eyes:

  1. Cold. It is accompanied by lethargy, shortness of breath, sneezing, and often coughing.
  2. Conjunctivitis. The eyes swell, stick together, the animal is alarmed and itches all the time.
  3. Mechanical damage is associated with increased aggressiveness of the animal or occurs due to the careless handling of the owners.

It is often found that when breeding hamsters, they begin to behave aggressively and fight for territory. During the fight, they can seriously damage the opponent's eye socket, after which the eye can leak out. In this case, it is very dangerous to make unreasonable decisions, and the animal must be taken to the clinic.

Treatment

If the hamster's eye is festering, it is necessary to urgently show the animal to the veterinarian. It is unacceptable to prescribe treatment on your own, this can not only harm the pet, but also lead to his death. It is especially dangerous to give medicines to pets that are intended for humans. In this case, you can disrupt the work of internal organs and simply make a mistake with the dosage, which will be fatal for a small animal. The only safe thing to do is rinse closed eye drops of Albucid and drip them several times a day. If the eye festers, the animal urgently needs to be isolated from other animals and taken to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible.

It is also dangerous to start diseases. If you find that the hamster's eye has come out, it means that the infection is spreading in full swing, and, in addition to treatment, the eye will need to be surgically removed.

By the way, did you know about hamster allergies in children? Look, this is interesting!

lovelyhamster.ru

Mechanical damage

Many people believe that the hamster is an extremely cute animal that is never capable of showing aggression. Nevertheless, there come times when a rodent is able to resist even an animal several times its size. The hamster shows the greatest aggression during the period of sexual reproduction, as well as in those moments when someone interferes with his personal space or exerts a physical effect. Owners of hamsters often fall prey to their sharp and thin teeth, and the wound is lacerated, so a lot of blood is released.

A hamster bite can lead to serious illness, so the wound must be properly treated with an antiseptic. If you have symptoms of an inflammatory process or other ailment, then you need to contact a specialized medical institution.

If the damage happened recently, then it is not at all difficult to understand, because his eye will water, he will squint, while many are interested in why the hamster has red eyes. Of course, the animal is not able to point out the cause, however, after damage to the eyes, it will cause significant pain. This leads to a change in the behavior of the animal: he becomes lethargic, constantly hides in his house, and reacts nervously to any manipulations directed at him. With mechanical damage to the cornea, there is a likelihood of a secondary infection, often a symptom of this condition is purulent discharge. After a while, the eyes turn sour, the problem becomes obvious.

Not everyone knows what to do if a hamster's eye is festering, first of all it is necessary to conduct an examination, for this the eyelids are cleared of liquid. To do this, you can not use any chemical agents that can damage the mucous surface of the eye, for example, hydrogen peroxide. If the eyes are stuck together with pus, then it is impossible to open them by force, since this is fraught not only with pain, but also with more serious consequences for the pet's health, so you need to patiently soak the eyelids. The best and safe means boiled water is either saline, it is important to consider that the liquid must be warm.

Use cotton pads or gauze swabs. Regular cotton wool cannot be used, because small fibers will remain on the eyelashes and eyelids, which will certainly lead to severe irritation. For better protection against infection, separate tampons should be used for each eye, that is, at least there should be two of them. Sometimes a white spot appears on the eye, which indicates the healing of the scratch, and a scar appeared in its place. In addition to physical discomfort, this education does not manifest itself anymore. In some cases, after removing the pus and visual inspection, it is possible to determine that the wound is not on the very surface of the eye, but on the eyelid. In this case, Tatracycline ointment is used, it contains an antibiotic, the usual remedy cannot be used.

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Trauma

It is not for nothing that little pets are forbidden to run around the apartment without a special ball. Animals can get injured, even while in a cage, including damage to the organ of vision. The injury is characterized by damage to one eye. The hamster can get hurt in a fight while keeping animals together, or stumble upon a sharp straw in the hay.

Corneal injury

When the damage is fresh, it is difficult to understand what the matter is: the hamster's eye is watery, he squints, does not allow him to see if the eye has turned red. The animal cannot say about it, but after the injury the eye hurts a lot. Because of the pain, behavior changes: the pet becomes nervous, inactive, hides. When the cornea or other structures are injured, a secondary infection quickly builds up, and pus appears. The eye turns sour and the problem becomes apparent.

When a hamster's eye festers and does not open, the eyelids must first be cleaned for inspection. Do not use liquids for this that are not safe for the mucous membrane of the eye, such as hydrogen peroxide. If the eyes are stuck together, the eyelids are not severed by force, but patiently soaked. The best harmless remedy is warm saline or boiled water.

Use a sterile gauze pad or cotton pad. You can not take ordinary cotton wool: small fibers remain on the eyelids and eyelashes, causing irritation. In order not to carry the infection, separate tampons are needed, at least two.

When a scratch heals, a scar may form on the cornea, then a white spot is noticed on the hamster's eye.

Sometimes after removal of pus and examination, the wound is found on the eyelid, and the eye itself is unharmed. Then the wound is applied twice a day eye ointment with an antibiotic (tetracycline). You cannot use regular ointment.

Abscess

In addition to injury, a local abscess known as barley can develop on the eyelids. An abscess may look like a pimple, a lump on the edge of the eyelid. Redness and soreness appear. After the lump opens, pus flows out and recovery occurs. If a hamster gets an eye, they bury it antibacterial drops or apply an ointment. A mature abscess can be opened with a sterile needle to speed up the process.

Blunt trauma

If the animal is accidentally crushed, as well as when it falls from hands or furniture, blunt trauma to the eye is possible, accompanied by damage to the structures of the organ of vision and hemorrhage. A few hours after the accident, the blood settles and the eye looks red. Hemophthalmus (blood in the vitreous humor) is accompanied by loss of vision.

At home, it is not possible to establish how badly the pet has injured its eye, but if after the fall the hamster's eye got out, the prognosis is unfavorable. First aid - cold (a napkin soaked in saline) and antibacterial ointment, which will prevent the cornea from drying out if the hamster has a swollen eye so that the animal cannot close its eyelids.

Conjunctivitis

Inflammation of the mucous membrane of the eye is most common in hamsters. Usually not one, but both eyes are affected.

  • mechanical injury;
  • ingress of sand, dust (poor-quality bedding, walking around the apartment);
  • irritation with chemicals, gases (ammonia in the toilet corner, household chemicals, hairspray);
  • infection (viruses, bacteria);
  • allergy.

In case of allergies and eye irritation with dust, the discharge will be transparent. In case of infection - cloudy, and then purulent (greenish, yellow). Conjunctivitis in a hamster is always complicated by a bacterial infection, especially if the litter is changed infrequently. Then you can see that the hamster's eyes fester.

The symptoms of inflammatory eye problems are always the same:

  • expirations of a different nature;
  • signs of soreness;
  • fear of bright light, squinting eyes;
  • changes appearance(enlargement or reduction of the eyeball, swelling of the eyelids).

Treatment

For eyeball injuries and conjunctivitis in hamsters, treatment will be similar.

The litter is replaced with white paper towels. Hay and sawdust are removed from the cage. Cleanliness is maintained, accessories are disinfected hot water with soap. The cage is placed in twilight, not allowing sunlight or artificial bright light to enter.

Processing

The discharge is removed as needed (3-4 times a day) with a sterile swab. Use warm liquids: saline or water solution furacilin with purulent discharge... If there is no improvement, the question arises: what to do if the hamster has a festering eye. In the case when, after a couple of days of washing with furacilin, the outflow continues, drops with a broad spectrum antibiotic are used: Floxal or Tobrix, 1 drop in each eye 4-6 times a day for 5 days.

Eye drops do not last long when opened. When finished, write the date of first use on the vial or discard it. Expired drops will not help the pet, so Levomycetin drops found somewhere in the medicine cabinet make no sense.

Popular among the people, washing with tea leaves, chamomile broth is not a treatment, but only a hygienic procedure. In a situation where a pet has a swollen eye, it is better to ask your veterinarian what to do and what to treat.

Systemic antibiotics (Baytril) do not make sense when the hamster has an inflamed eye. The eyeball is impervious to antibiotics and other substances (blood-ophthalmic barrier). Even with a strong purulent process, it is most effective local treatment: eye drops.

At night, a rare owner is ready to wash and bury the eyes of a sick pet, therefore, with purulent conjunctivitis in the morning, the hamster does not open his eyes: the eyelids are glued together with secretions. If it is supposed large gap between treatments, instead of drops, ointment with the same antibiotic (Floxal ointment) is abundantly laid.

In the absence of treatment and with through wounds, it develops panophthalmitis- purulent inflammation of the entire eye. Then the only measure is the removal of the eyeball with suturing of the eyelids. Dzungarik may even die with such a problem, but more often the eye flows out and the animal gradually heals itself. Enucleation is practiced when the eyeball has fallen out due to injury.

Non-inflammatory diseases

Cataract

If the hamster has a cloudy eye, it may be a cataract - a metabolic disorder in the lens. The disease leads to blindness. Eye drops are not effective, and surgical intervention is not performed in either the Dzungarian or the larger Syrian hamsters... When the owner notices that the hamster's eye has turned white, this is a reason to see a doctor, despite the fact that there is no cure. A cataract in a hamster is a sign of old age, decrepitude of the body, and in a jungarik or Campbell's hamster, it is an indirect sign of diabetes. In both cases, treatment of the underlying disease is required in order to prolong the life of the pet.

Belmo on the surface of the cornea is not a cataract, but the consequences of trauma, a scar. With cataracts, something light is seen in the depths, in the area of ​​the pupil.

Glaucoma

An increase in intraocular pressure is accompanied not only by an increase and bulging of the eyeballs, but also by severe pain. The doctor makes the diagnosis "glaucoma" after measuring the pressure in the eye. It is not possible to normalize it with drops, the only treatment is enucleation to stop pain. If you don't do anything, your eye will eventually burst.
It is difficult to say why such a pathology occurs. Since Campbell's hamsters are most often sick, rarely Dzungariki and never Syrians, they assume a genetic (hereditary) nature.

Oncology

A small bump on a hamster's eyelid may be a tumor. Cancer can also be the reason why one eye suddenly became larger than the other. Decorative rodents are susceptible to cancer and effective treatment in such cases, no.

Conclusion

Even if you know thoroughly how to treat a hamster with an inflamed eye, do not neglect a visit to a specialist. In addition to wounds and infection, other problems must be ruled out. The ratologist will help you understand why the hamster's eyes do not open: perhaps the eye itself is in order, but the cheek pouch is inflamed or there is a problem with the teeth ("flux"). Self-medication is also unacceptable when the general condition worsens: if the animal is lethargic, its eyes are closed, and there is also discharge from the nose, the hamster probably fell ill with the "flu", a respiratory infection.


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The main causes of eye diseases

Among all the causes of eye diseases in hamsters, there are several, the most common:


Diseases of the eyes in hamsters

Most hamster eye diseases are divided into infectious and those that are the result of trauma.

Trauma

Eye injuries in hamsters are not uncommon, since they are quite active, mobile rodents. They can injure each other when kept together, they can run around the cage or apartment and get injured.
If the eye is injured recently, it is difficult to understand the cause and severity of the injury. The hamster squints its watery eye and does not give an opportunity to examine it.

The pain provokes a change in the behavior of the animal: it becomes nervous and fearful, it can even hide from its beloved owner.

Damage to the cornea causes infections, inflammation, and pus. The eye becomes sour, from which it is unmistakably possible to draw a conclusion about the injury.

Before examining a sour eye, it must be opened, that is, to separate the stuck eyelids.
This is not easy to do, because they do not need to be torn, but soaked. For these purposes, use saline or boiled water. You need to use at least two different (necessarily separate for each eye!) Tampons or cotton pads.

After healing, a white speck may form on the cornea. Although sometimes after washing and soaking, you can see that the eye is intact, and the eyelid is injured. In this case, the affected area is treated with tetracycline ointment 2 times a day. The animal can also get blunt trauma. Such wounds occur as a result of a fall, blow, if a hamster is stepped on.

A red spot may appear in the eye: this means that there is clotted blood in the cornea. It is difficult to independently establish the severity of the injury, unless, of course, the eye has come out of the orbit. In such a case, the outlook is extremely negative.

The following measures should be taken: after treatment with a cool swab with saline, the place is treated with antimicrobial ointment to avoid drying out.

Abscess

There is a possibility of developing barley or a local abscess. An abscess appears on the hamster's eyelid, which must be treated with antimicrobial drops and ointments. When the abscess matures, you can speed up the healing process by carefully piercing it with a sterile needle.

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis or mucosal inflammation is the most common eye disease not only in hamsters. More often, two eyes are susceptible to disease at once.
The causes of conjunctivitis can be as follows:

  • mechanical damage;
  • infection;
  • allergy (including household chemicals);
  • sand, dust from poor quality litter.

If conjunctivitis has an allergic etiology, the discharge will be colorless, if infectious - cloudy. In the second case, the cloudy discharge will soon become purulent.

In hamsters, conjunctivitis is usually accompanied by various infections, this happens when the litter is not changed often enough. In such cases, the eyes may fester constantly. Conjunctivitis is treated in the same way as hamster eye injuries are treated.

For prophylaxis, remove the litter by replacing it with paper napkins. In this case, hygiene comes first. The pet's dwelling and all its toys are disinfected, after which the cage is placed in a shaded place, since with such inflammations the animal is extremely poorly tolerated by bright light.

All discharge must be removed as soon as it occurs with a sterile napkin. Apply saline, boiled water or furacilin solution. In the event that after two days of using furacilin progress is not observed, antibiotics in drops are used. For example, "Floxal" or "Tobrix" 1 drop every 4 hours for 5 days.

Do not use previously used drops or keep those that you used. Antibiotic drops have a limited shelf life, so there will be no benefit.

You should not use antibiotics like Baytril, they do not penetrate the eyeball.

This disease is also treated with Albucid drops. Buried 3 times a day.
If you don't want to rinse your pet's eyes at night, you won't be able to open them in the morning. In this case, use Floxal ointment in the evening.

It gives the healing effect of antibiotics and prevents the eyelids from sticking together. In order for the disease to pass as quickly as possible, it is necessary to take some preventive measures:

  • the sick animal is isolated from the rest;
  • the litter should be changed every day;
  • in any case, both eyes are treated, even if one is affected, otherwise infection transfer is possible;
  • do not feed your pet sweet;
  • disinfection of the cage should be carried out more often, and when playing with a pet, children's hands should be washed with soap and water.

A neglected form of conjunctivitis can lead to panophthalmitis, which is fraught with the removal of the eye.

Although, in some cases, the eye can flow out on its own, after which the hamster gets better. Although it is needless to say that no normal owner will bring a pet to such a stage.

Blepharitis

Blepharitis most often acts as a complication after conjunctivitis. In this case, the inflammation passes from the mucous membrane to the eyelids, which turn red and begin to itch.
The animal begins to rub its eyes intensively, as a result, it wipes off the fur around them. Usually, veterinarians prescribe the same treatment as for conjunctivitis.

Belmo

A white spot on the cornea or a leucorrhoea can be the result of an injury or cataract. Sometimes the thorn does not cover part of the mucous membrane, but the entire area of ​​the cornea. In any case, you need to go to the vet.
Whatever etymology the thorn may have, it is definitely not an infection, therefore antibiotics or other medications won't help here.

Crawled out eye

Sometimes you can see that one of the hamster's eyes is larger than the other, he slightly crawled out of the eye socket outward. This can be the result of an infectious disease or injury. Conjunctivitis, for example, is able to pass under the eyeball, and not be transmitted forever.
In this case, bacteria are actively developing in the middle of the eye socket, under the apple. A large amount of pus is formed, which squeezes the apple out of the orbit.

This is an extremely difficult development of the situation. Not only can you not cope with such complications on your own, most likely, the rodent will be left without an eye as a result of the operation.

Senile changes

A white spot that appears in the area of ​​the pupil (less often around it) is called a cataract - these are senile changes characteristic of most animals. A disease occurs due to the fact that the lens becomes cloudy. Another risk factor is a cell constantly exposed to direct sunlight.
Cataracts cannot be treated, but you can delay its development by following some simple recommendations:

  • do not place the cage in open sunlight;
  • exclude sweets from the diet;
  • add carotenoids to food (found in vegetables and fruits orange), which strengthen the organs of vision;
  • do not trigger the development of eye infections.

Rarely, but it does happen, hamsters have cataracts from birth. Animals in such cases see very poorly (the sight of rodents is not their strong point), therefore, you should not install various simulators in the cage. A hamster running or bumping into them can be injured.

Bacterial infections (staphylococcus, clostridium, Escherichia coli, streptococcus)

Eyes can also fester due to bacterial infections. The most likely pathogens are staphylococci, clostridia, streptococci, Escherichia coli, etc.

As a result of penetration under the eyelid, bacteria multiply rapidly in a favorable environment. The animal's body resists bacteria by its usual methods - it sends leukocytes to fight them, and dead leukocytes with the remnants of bacteria form a mass called pus.

Pseudo-eye diseases

There are so-called false diseases in which diseases of other organs are reflected directly on the organs of vision.
For example, inflammation of the cheek pouch can cause the swollen cheek to press on the lower eyelid and prevent the hamster from opening his eye normally. In such a case, the veterinarian cleans the cheeks; medication is not needed here.

Prevention of eye diseases

As you know, disease is always easier to prevent than to cure.
By following some simple guidelines, you can reduce your pet's risk of eye disease to a minimum:

  1. Use material for bedding that will not mechanical damage eyes and in which bacteria do not accumulate. Pet stores sell special fillers, you can use odorless feline or woody.
  2. Do not keep many hamsters in one cage, it can be traumatic.
  3. Separate from the rest of the hamsters those who have congenital diseases or are genetically located to them.
  4. Do not place the cage in direct sunlight.
  5. Examine pets' eyes at regular intervals for injuries.
  6. Try to minimize or eliminate sweets from your diet.

Hamsters have rather weak eyesight by nature, so it is necessary to take care of it anyway. In addition, for a caring owner, this will not be difficult. You just need to comply with sanitary standards, feed the pets correctly, examine them regularly, and most importantly, love them.

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Causes of eye diseases

The eyes of hamsters are convex. Because of her, a hamster quite often injures the membrane of the eye, and also introduces an infection. The most common type of infection is conjunctivitis. An animal can "get" such an infection:

  • running along dusty or dirty areas of a room, balcony or loggia, dust gets into the hamster's eyes, which causes an infection;
  • when using poor-quality or dirty bedding in the animal's cage. Do not forget to timely change the "sex" in the rodent's dwelling;
  • improper nutrition of the animal - you give your pet exotic fruits that cause allergic conjunctivitis;
  • influence external factors to the health of the animal - the use of especially harmful (aggressive) detergents to wash the cage where your pet lives.
  • mutational (dystrophic) changes - disorders in the functioning of the glands;
  • identification of diseases that affect the health of the eyes of animals, such as dental diseases (incisor disease), microphthalmia (underdevelopment of the eye) and glaucoma;
  • injury to the eye itself - the use of a bedding that is not suitable for domestic rodents (coarse sawdust or hay).

All of the above reasons lead to diseases of the animal's organs of vision, and as a result, the hamster does not open his eyes, the pet is depressed, sleeps a lot and has an untidy appearance .

Symptoms of the disease

The most that neither is main symptom diseases of the visual organ of all hamsters - the appearance of cloudy discharge from the eye of a white or grayish color. The eyelids in this case in rodents are sticky, wet, half-open, or close the eye altogether. Your pet refuses food, and sometimes even water, runs very little, and spends a lot of time in a state of sleep. Knowing that fluffy rodents often infect their eyes, their owners are haunted by questions related to the health of the eyes of their wards:

Why can't my animal's eyes open? The reason for this may be an ordinary draft. Have you decided to ventilate the apartment without sheltering your pet from the jets of cold air and dampness? So you will get a problem with your pet's eyes. Hamsters have a hard time tolerating damp and wind. The second most common cause is an eye injury, if the injury is accompanied by active scratching of the rodent's organ of vision, then most likely your pet has unilateral conjunctivitis.

Let's highlight the main reasons why a hamster won't open its eyes:

  • an allergic reaction to both food products and surrounding objects (litter, dust, tree bark, tree branches);
  • acute conjunctivitis;
  • some serious internal disease of the animal;
  • old age of the hamster.

What to do if a rodent's eyes turn sour or fester.

Pestilence of eyes in hamsters occurs due to the fact that microorganisms enter the mucous membrane, giving rise to all kinds of pathologies (diseases) of the eye.

At infectious disease- conjunctivitis, the animal's eyelids stick together, the animal opens its eyes with difficulty, often rubs its muzzle with its paws. The hamster eats without appetite, and sometimes even refuses to eat, spends a lot of time in a sleeping state, tries to hide from the light.

Sometimes there are cases: violations of asymmetry on the face or protrusion of the eyeball outward, with an eye injury - it can simply fall out. A prolapsed eye is called a prolapse of the eyeball. This disease proceeds with suppuration, and with untimely treatment, the animal can not only lose the visual organ, but also die.

Prevention of eye diseases

We all know from ourselves that it is better to prevent the disease than to try to cure it for a long time. In this case, hamsters are no different from us - humans.

As a preventative treatment, have your pet's eyes checked daily. To avoid allergic eye diseases:

  • do not use coarse sawdust or hay as bedding for a rodent;
  • regularly carry out wet cleaning of the room in which the cage with the rodent is located;
  • at least twice a week, change the litter in the cage with the hamster, the litter must be hypoallergenic;
  • feed the animal only high-quality and only not prohibited products;
  • wash the drinker daily with baking soda, pour as much water as the animal can drink in a day, do not leave unfinished water the next day;
  • do not allow the rodent to run around the room without supervision;
  • inspect the animals daily for diseases.

Treatment of eye diseases

Hamsters may not open their eyes due to allergies to dust in the room or litter. In such cases, it is necessary to get rid of dust in the apartment and replace the bedding in the rodent's cage with corn bedding - hypoallergenic. If the pet has any discharge from the eyes, they must be removed with a cotton swab dipped in saline, chamomile broth or just warm boiled water... Dripping at least 3 times a day with drops (0.25% solution of chloramphenicol).

For the treatment of inflammatory processes at home, it is best to drip Albucid into both eyes of the animal 3 times a day.

If your hamster does not open its eyes, you should urgently show your hamster to a specialized veterinarian. In the clinic, the doctor will conduct all the necessary preliminary analyzes and examinations of the rodent, find out the reasons that led to the disease itself. Having determined the nature and severity of the disease, your furry friend will be prescribed treatment. Ophthalmotherapy tactics include:

  • elimination of all infections;
  • pain relief;
  • salvation of the eye, if possible;
  • identification and then treatment of primary diseases of fluffy, such as glaucoma or dental diseases (incisors);
  • serious eye diseases will require urgent surgical treatment- operations.

We tried to give the most detailed answer on the topic "why the hamster does not open his eyes", gave the reasons and recommended treatment. But always remember that by self-medication you are putting your pet's life in danger. The best option would be to contact a specialist who, as soon as possible, will identify the cause of the disease and prescribe the correct treatment.

I would like to remind the owners of four-legged fluffy rodents that competent and timely assistance will not only help your pet recover, but in some cases will save his life.


Loss of the organ of vision is considered the last stage of ophthalmic diseases. In miniature rodents, the following diseases of the organs of vision occur:

  • trauma;
  • abscess;
  • conjunctivitis;
  • cataract;
  • glaucoma;
  • tumors.

Trauma

A nimble animal can get injured in a cage or while traveling around an apartment. When rodents are kept together, fights occur when the unprotected organs of vision are damaged. Distinctive feature the injury is its one-sided nature. Conjunctivitis develops, the eye turns sour, the hamster is hiding. Secondary microflora joins, suppuration develops, and inflammation becomes noticeable. Treatment is symptomatic. Eye drops help.

Abscess

The pathology resembles human "barley". After opening the abscess, the hamster recovers. For a speedy recovery, an eye ointment, for example, tetracycline, is applied.

Conjunctivitis

Both eyes are amazed. The cause is a mechanical irritant - litter, dust, secondary microflora, an allergic reaction. At first, the discharge is cloudy, then purulent. In advanced situations, unequal eye sizes are observed. If there is a ratologist in the city, you should contact him, otherwise the inflammation will spread to the second organ of vision.

Cataract

Clouding of the eye is a sign of decrepitude. A white spot appears, which leads to blindness. Treatment is ineffective. In Campbell's hamsters, as well as Dzungarian hamsters, cataracts occur with diabetes, and not necessarily in old individuals. These rodent species are prone to sugar sickness.

Glaucoma

An increase in intraocular pressure is manifested by soreness and bulging of the eye sphere. Therapy consists in removing the hypertrophied eye. Without treatment, the swollen eye bursts, the rodent recovers.

Eye diseases can appear not only in old animals, but also in young rodents. Causes of eye disease are different character, so the first step is to find out why the hamster's eyes are not opening. What to do if pus is leaking from the peephole, how to cure a pet and prevent similar sores in the future? Our tips will help keep your pet healthy.

Causes of eye diseases

Hamsters are susceptible to various infections and senile diseases. Quite common among them eye diseases... If you don’t know why the hamster doesn’t open its eye, figure it out. This will help heal the fluffy faster and avoid sores in the future.

Here are the main reasons:

  1. Unsanitary conditions. The most common reason the occurrence of eye infections in hamsters. Pathogenic microorganisms multiply at an incredible rate in a filler that has not been changed for a long time. But the homa loves to bury himself in the litter, so the likelihood of picking up an infection is very high.
  2. Allergy. If you feed your pet with all sorts of exotic, then do not be surprised that the hamster has a watery eye. This is a commonplace allergic reaction. Allergies can also be provoked by the chemicals with which you washed the cage.
  3. Injuries. Hamster eyes are not that difficult to injure. The animal can prick the eye with hard hay or drive a piece of sawdust bedding under the eyelid. But if the hamster has one eye closed, most likely, the animal's cheek is damaged: it is so swollen that the eye closed by itself.
  4. A general decrease in immunity. It has been noticed that conjunctivitis in a hamster is often accompanied by pneumonia, tuberculosis and viral diseases respiratory tract.

There are also senile changes in the organs of vision, in which white spots appear.

Common symptoms of eye diseases

How do you know if your homa has eye problems? It is necessary to examine the animal daily, so as not to accidentally miss the disease. You should be concerned if:

  • hamsters have wet eyes;
  • swollen eyelids;
  • mucous discharge from the eye appeared;
  • the pet does not open its eyes or at least one of them;
  • wool began to crawl out on the eyelids;
  • in the area of ​​the pupil of the hamster, the eye turned white.

Clouding of the pupil is typical for older animals, but other symptoms are found in pets of all ages. Most often they are caused by diseases of bacterial origin.

Senile changes

If a hamster has a white spot on its eye, this indicates that the animal is beginning to experience senile changes in its body. This disease is called cataract and occurs in all mammals. It is caused by clouding of the lens. More often the eye becomes cloudy in the area of ​​the pupil, less often along the periphery. At first, the speck is gray, gradually turning white.

Stress, eye injuries lead to the development of cataracts in rodents, and sometimes the disease arises from other ailments: diabetes mellitus in a Dzhungarik, food poisoning... The risk of cataracts is increased if the animal's cage is regularly exposed to the sun.

Unfortunately, this eye disease in hamsters is not cured in any way, it is impossible to get rid of it. But there are tips that will help to significantly reduce the risk of developing the disease:

  1. Do not leave the animal house in the sun.
  2. Don't give your home a lot of sweets.
  3. Make sure that your diet is rich in carotenoids, they are found in carrots, parsley, zucchini and other plant-based foods.
  4. Treat the animal's eye infections in time.

In rare cases, fluffies have a congenital cataract. What to do if your pet has an eyesore? Hamsters do not have very good eyesight anyway, but with such a problem they see completely badly. Therefore, do not clutter the cage with furniture, as this can lead to injuries.

Bacterial infections

If you notice that the hamster's eyes are festering, it means that the pet has picked up a bacterial infection. Its common pathogens are spherical and rod-shaped bacteria: staphylococcus, clostridium, Escherichia coli, streptococcus, etc. Once under the eyelid, they begin to actively multiply. To fight them, the body directs protective cells - leukocytes, various enzymes and other substances that destroy the bacterial wall. The result is pus - a viscous substance that contains living and dead bacteria.

There are several bacterial eye diseases. If your hamster has a festering eye, it could be one of the infections discussed below.

Conjunctivitis

The disease is not dangerous if not started. In most cases, the disease is caused by pathogenic microflora and only rarely has an allergic origin. At first, the eyes of the animal begin to water, at this stage few people are able to recognize the disease. Then more reliable symptoms appear:

  • the hamster has a festering eye. Pus is a yellow or greenish mass that collects in the corners of the eye;
  • the eyelids become inflamed, may swell;
  • the eye slits narrow until the eye is completely closed;
  • the animal becomes lethargic, may lose appetite.

If the hamster's eyes fester, it is important to start treatment on time, as pathogenic flora can pass on the eyelids from the inside and outside, the coat will begin to crawl out, the pet will be very uncomfortable. As a result of advanced conjunctivitis, the eyes can close altogether, and this is a huge stress for the animal.

Few people know how to treat conjunctivitis in domestic rodents and whether it is possible to use a human first aid kit. Of course, it's best to make an appointment with your veterinarian to get professional advice. But if there is no such opportunity, you will have to nurse the fluffy yourself.

Doctors do not recommend smearing the eyes of rodents with tetracycline ointment. It is better to use Albucid drops, drip them three times a day. Treatment of hamsters, depending on the degree of neglect of conjunctivitis, will last from 3 days to 2 weeks.

Important points in treatment and prevention:

  1. A sick hamster should be isolated from healthy individuals if you have multiple rodents.
  2. Each eye of the animal is treated, even if suppuration is seen in only one. This is done so that the animal does not transfer the infection from one eye to the other during washing.
  3. During conjunctivitis, it is best to change the bedding daily.
  4. Exclude sweets from the diet for a while, give only grains, nuts and unsweetened vegetables.
  5. To reduce the chances of an eye infection, wash your cage frequently. Also make sure that children play with the hamster after washing their hands.

It is impossible to start conjunctivitis, this will lead to the fact that the eye will not open at all, or, on the contrary, it may "come out".

Blepharitis

Usually a complication of conjunctivitis, with inflammation spreading to the eyelids. They turn red and itch terribly, the hamster rubs his eyes, which is why the hair quickly falls out. If you bring a pet with these symptoms to the veterinarian, he will tell you in detail why the hamster has a swollen eye. The doctor will tell you how to properly treat blepharitis.

Usually in the case purulent inflammation eyelids are prescribed the same eye drops as for conjunctivitis. In addition, it is advised to smear the eyelids of the animal with tetracycline ointment. Sanitation and diet are also similar to those for conjunctivitis.

Crawled out eye

It happens that in a homa one eye becomes larger than the other and, as it were, sticks out a little. If a hamster's eye has got out, then this is a consequence of an injury (for example, when falling from a height) or a neglected infection. Conjunctivitis can go beyond the eyelids. Bacteria can enter or under the eyeball. There they begin to divide, a lot of pus is formed, which, as it were, squeezes the eye out.

The situation is very serious, you will not be able to cope with it on your own. The prognosis is also disappointing: in most cases, the animal is prescribed an operation to remove the organ of vision.

"False" eye diseases

Sometimes the reason why your hamster doesn't open his eyes is due to other illnesses. For example, a strong inflammatory process in one of the cheek sacs. Because of this, the cheek of the animal swells and props up the lower eyelid. As a result, the hamster is unable to fully open its eyes.

To help the animal, you should take it to the veterinarian for a cheek cleaning procedure. Eye drops and ointments are not needed at all.

The main condition for keeping your pet's eyes healthy is cleanliness. Wash the cage often and do not touch the animal with dirty hands. But if your pet has an inflamed eye, treat it with special drops. Do not forget to isolate the sick rodent from the common cage if you have several hamsters, because eye diseases are very contagious.

Everyone who has a hamster in the house should constantly monitor his health. There are often cases when it is the eyes of an animal that suffer, and not everyone knows what to do in such cases.

Both eyes may stick together, or only one eye may not open. Of course, it is not the sticking of the eyes itself that is dangerous, but the fact that this sticking has caused.

With an active lifestyle, especially cocky hamsters may well fight among themselves and injure each other, sometimes inflammation-causing sawdust gets into the eyes, or maybe your friend slipped out of his hands and decided to run through the most dusty corners of the apartment. The ingress of foreign bodies into the eye can cause inflammation. Even ordinary draft and dampness can cause eye ailments.

It is necessary to start fighting inflammation as soon as possible, because otherwise serious treatment will be necessary.

By their physiology, the eyes of hamsters are bulging, so cases of conjunctivitis (inflammation thin layer of tissue that covers the inner surface of the eyelid)... When an infection enters the eye, itching begins, and when scratching the eyes with paws, it spreads further. First, tears appear, then pus, which quite often is quite amenable to treatment with folk remedies.

If the eyes become acidic, you can rinse with chamomile infusion or tea leaves. Several of these procedures are sufficient to relieve inflammation. If such a procedure does not have the proper effect, you need to contact a veterinarian who will tell you which ointment or drops should be used for treatment. Sofradex or Albucid can be discharged from the drop, and tetracycline ointment can be applied for the eyelids. Also, the doctor may prescribe some vitamins or antibiotics. Remember that if only one eye is inflamed, then drops should be dripped only into it, without affecting the healthy one.

When a sick hamster is being treated, it must be kept in the "quarantine zone" separately from everyone else in order to avoid their infection. When the hamster does not open its eyes, it should be placed in a dark place during treatment to avoid exposure to bright sunlight. Every item touched by the hamster must be disinfected. It should be understood that conjunctivitis can be not only infectious, but also allergic, then it is definitely recommended to revise the pet's diet.

The hamster's eyes may not open due to other diseases, including cataracts, inflammation of the cheek pouches, ulcers of the corneas of the eye, or an illness due to diabetes mellitus. There can be many reasons, therefore, it is better not to joke with health and not conduct experiments, but immediately refer the animal to a specialist in the clinic. Then you can be sure that your pet's eyesight and general health will be out of danger.