Leg injury advice

[MealwormMuncher42]

Hi, I've joined because I was hoping to get some advice. My Russian dwarf hamster Rhino has injured her back leg. There's no open wound or noticeable swelling but she is dragging it and when the vets examined her they reckon it is probably quite a bad break. They basically said that if there's no sign of recovery over the weekend the best thing would be to have her put to sleep, which I am prepared to do, but only if that's what is best for her.

I have read that hamsters can recover from bone breakages and while she is dragging the leg she seems to be quite mobile and is getting around seemingly with little difficulty, she's eating and drinking lots, but obviously it's hard to tell how much pain she is in. We've removed wheels, tubes and platforms from her enclosure and are giving her painkillers which the vet prescribed. I'm wondering if it might be worth seeking out a different vet for another opinion.

 

[Maz]

Hello. Yes I absolutely would go and see a different vet for another opinion because vets commonly amputate a broken leg, if it can't be fixed, and hamsters do fine on 3 legs. It doesn't need much adjustment. So google exotic vets in the region (you might need to travel a bit further to one - mine is an hour away), because exotic vets know much more about hamsters and are experienced in hamster surgery. The cost is no different to any other vet usually, they just know more about hamsters.

Having said that, surgery is only usually an option if the hamster is in good condition. It's more about condition than age, although an older hamster may not be suitable for surgery. How old is Rhino?

 

[MealwormMuncher42]

Thanks, she is about a year and a half now I believe. The vet that we saw said that she is in very healthy condition apart from her leg

 

[Maz]

Do you know how it might have happened? Did she get it caught in something or have a fall?

 

[MealwormMuncher42]

I wasn't there when it happened, I just noticed her dragging the leg when I was feeding her. She can be quite clumsy so I would guess it was maybe a fall of some kind. She had an upper platform at one end of her enclosure.

 

[Maz]

Do you have a photo of her set up? We might be able to help with suggestions for less fall risks or something more suitable as she is getting older. I take the vet you saw wasn't even certain it was a broken leg? It could be a dislocated hip or something lesser like a strain, or even arthritis. Is it Meloxicam she has been prescribed? And is she showing any improvement since starting it? It might take 2 or 3 days to fully get into the system.

Which area/country are you in please, and we might be able to help with suggestions for an exotic vet.

 

[MealwormMuncher42]

Well the setup is all changed at the moment as I've removed the running wheel and lowered the platform so everything is on the same level, but I can attach a photo of what it looks like now. We didn't get an X-Ray but the vet said that they were 99% sure something is broken and when she was out earlier she still was not using the leg. It is Meloxicam that they've prescribed, yes. I live in Cumbria in the UK, I looked up and found a vet not too far away that advertises care for hamsters and exotic animals so I think I will give them a ring.

 

[Maz]

Thank you. It's possible she got a leg caught in the bars. The cage looks quite small? And hard to tell how tall it is. Most vets treat hamsters but aren't actually trained in hamsters. An exotic vet has specific training in hamsters so they know a lot more I would phone this new vet and ask which is the exotic vet (there is sometimes only one exotic vet in the practice) and try and get an appoinment with that particular vet. If they don't have an exotic vet (ie if they just say they treat exotics! Which is not the same as being an exotic trained vet) then I'd try somewhere else.

Not sure whereabouts you are in Cumbria, but this practice in Cumbria has a qualified exotic vet

It says she's the only vet in Cumbria to have the advanced certificate which includes 5 years of study solely in exotics. If they're not massively far from you she sounds like the best person to see - Dr Vicki Temple. They seem to have practices in 6 locations in Cumbria.

Exotics | Millcroft Vets

www.millcroftvets.co.uk

 

[Amy]

poor little hamster , I hope you are lucky with the new vet