If your hamster has fleas, you need to act very carefully. The health of a rodent depends on the correctness of its actions and the chosen treatment methods. Neglect can result in the death of a pet or unpleasant consequences for a person.
To paraphrase a well-known saying, we can say that the person who tamed the animal is responsible for its future fate. Firstly, a small hamster is not a funny “toy”, but a living creature with its own “problems”. The animal may become sick and become infected with parasites. The owner will have to save the animal.
Can a hamster have fleas?
When asked whether hamsters have fleas, you need to look for the answer before the animal enters the house. The decision to have a pet should be a conscious one, so you should initially become familiar with the peculiarities of keeping animals in the house and possible diseases of the rodent. Yes, hamsters have fleas!
The animal's body is covered with fur, and the skin is easily bitten by parasites. Contrary to popular belief, fleas do not live directly on the body of animals, but regularly feed there. For parasites, it does not matter whose blood they drink: a cat, a dog, a mouse or a hamster.
Fluffy Syrian, Royal and Angora hamsters are most susceptible to pest attacks. Animals of the Dzhungar and Roborov breeds suffer less from this scourge.
Why are they dangerous?
Why is it so important to get rid of fleas quickly? These insects are capable of infecting a hamster with worms; in addition, rat fleas were the cause of most plague epidemics known to history. They are capable of transmitting during bites the pathogens of salmonellosis and brucellosis, hepatitis A and B, typhoid and relapsing fever, as well as trypanosomes.
Hamster is sick
Despite their pronounced species specificity, most fleas are omnivores and can feed on the blood of various warm-blooded animals. This means that any of the above fleas can bite a person or a hamster, and only an experienced entomologist can determine its species. They bite very quickly, and therefore do not inject anesthetic into the wound. Therefore, flea bites begin to itch immediately.
In addition, the sensitive skin of small rodents can easily cause allergic reactions in response to flea bites, and if left untreated, the hamster can develop a secondary purulent infection as a result of infection of an open wound.
Routes of infection
Fleas on a hamster are not a natural phenomenon. This animal is not their permanent “master”. However, under certain conditions they can tire the animal for a long time.
Main sources of infection:
- Other pets and parasites. Cats, dogs, as well as rats and mice are brought into the house. Infection occurs during mating if one of the participants in the process is a temporary host.
- Stay at the pet store. There are situations when a pet is brought into a home already infected. Symptoms are not visible at first, but appear over time.
- Street grass. Rodents are offered green grass that grows outside as food. Eggs and insects themselves are found in sand, soil and thickets. Therefore, the person himself brings the infection into the house.
The likelihood of infection is low, if there are no other pets in the house, feed the animal with special food and prevent the presence of street rodents.
What additional treatment measures
The house should be thoroughly cleaned. Carpets are dried. Clean the floors thoroughly. All corners and areas where animals are located are treated with special chemicals. This is necessary to destroy parasites throughout the house.
No animals should be present in the room during processing. Pets are taken out for a while.
Please note that all pets need to be treated at once. This is done even if fleas were found on only one of the pets. If this is not done, the parasites will appear again after a short period of time.
It is important to carry out a complete treatment of the room
Symptoms of flea infestation
The presence of parasites can be recognized by their characteristic signs. Fleas cause discomfort and pain to your hamster. The behavior and appearance of the animal changes. He becomes restless, sleeps poorly, loses his appetite, often itches and chews his fur.
The examination reveals:
- blisters and bite marks on the body;
- encrusted blood stains;
- sand-like grains;
- receding hairline;
- combs.
If the owner leaves the pet without proper attention, infection penetrates into the wounds, inflammation begins, and purulent formations appear.
Eye diseases
Due to their physiological characteristics, Syrian and Djungarian hamsters (as well as representatives of other species) often suffer from ophthalmological pathologies. One of the most common diseases is conjunctivitis (allergic, serous, purulent). Animals are also susceptible to cataracts, glaucoma, and uveitis (inflammation of the choroid).
You can tell if your hamster is sick by the following signs:
- spasmodic closing of the eyelids (spasm of the orbicularis oculi muscle);
- increased lacrimation;
- swelling;
- redness of the eyes;
- mucous or purulent discharge;
- sticking of eyelids.
If such symptoms appear, you should contact your doctor.
It is important to identify the causative agent of the disease (viruses or bacteria) and select appropriate drugs. Usually eye diseases in hamsters are treated with drops or ointments.
Bacteriostatic solutions (Sulfacetamide, Sofradex) and Tetracycline ointment are often used for this purpose.
In advanced cases, the veterinarian will prescribe an antibiotic for the hamster. And vitamin preparations help boost immunity, speed up recovery, and prevent relapse of eye disease. In the initial stages, you can use chamomile decoction or Furacilin solution.
In the absence of timely treatment, the risk of developing a purulent process, visual impairment or complete blindness increases.
Tumors, boils and abscesses
Often, ulcers and neoplasms of a benign or malignant nature are detected in rodents. These could be bumps on the body or a growth in the ear. Pathological formations may appear if the hamster fell from a height, was injured during a fight with relatives, or was attacked by other animals.
To understand the cause of the tumor, you need to show your pet to a veterinarian.
An abscess in a hamster can form from a regular scratch or small wound. After infection penetrates, pus accumulates in the affected area (under the skin). The abscess looks like a swelling that causes pain when pressed. An abscess can form due to prolonged inflammation of the cheek pouches. The disease is treated surgically.
Often, rodent owners worry about why their hamster has large testicles. More often this phenomenon is normal and indicates readiness for reproduction. But sometimes enlargement of the genital organs is associated with illness:
- the eggs became swollen and their size became more than ¼ of the animal’s body;
- testicles interfere with walking;
- the animal is lethargic, eats poorly, passive;
- the testicles turned red and became hot to the touch;
- the hair on the genitals has completely fallen out;
- hamster tries to gnaw testicles.
If such symptoms appear, you should immediately take your pet to the doctor. Especially if the appearance of alarming signs was preceded by a fall, severe bruise or other injury.
Oncological formations are treated surgically. The sooner the surgery is performed, the greater the chance of a full recovery. If metastases appear, the pet will have to be euthanized. The same should be done if the tumor is localized in a hard-to-reach place, for example in the mouth.
The danger of parasites for hamsters and humans
Severe infection leads to death in a short time. Parasites irritate with their bite, drink blood, exhaust and weaken the animal. In addition, the presence of insects on a pet’s body is dangerous for the development of other serious diseases.
- Fleas are carriers of helminth eggs. At the moment when the rodent tries to remove the leech with its teeth, the worm eggs enter the hamster's body. The first symptoms of infection may appear after 14 days.
- Infection occurs in open wounds and scratches. Dermatitis, eczema, and abscesses appear on the body. In addition, insects spread plague, salmonellosis, and typhus.
- The flea animal loses sleep, appetite and strength. Nervous and physical exhaustion leads to death.
Insects are not that dangerous to humans. Fleas do not specifically attack people; they attack when a room is heavily infested.
general description
If we talk about parasites such as fleas, it should be said that there are a huge number of varieties. For example, cats, dogs, mice and many others. But the fact is that they all have a fairly good appetite and, in search of food, do not go overboard when choosing a victim. So, a hungry dog flea can bite absolutely all warm-blooded animals.
Regarding the most common parasites, these include the cat flea. She can also attack hamsters, but only to satisfy her hunger. They do not take root on little furry friends, so after satisfying their hunger, they most often leave it. But parasites such as rats and mice pose a very great danger to animals.
Rodent treatment
After you have discovered fleas on your hamster, it is worth asking the pressing question of how the infection occurred. Timely treatment ensures a quick recovery for the pet and a restful sleep for the owner.
What you should not do is bathe your hamster with flea shampoo for cats and dogs. Animals do not tolerate water procedures well and risk dying from a cold. It is recommended to use special products at home or seek help from a veterinarian.
Flea drops
They are considered the most effective and convenient to use. To fully treat the animal, you need to apply 1-3 drops of the product to the withers, where the hamster cannot reach the teeth.
Within 2 hours, the active components are completely absorbed by the skin, localized in the hair follicles and in the upper layer of the epidermis. The poison enters the body of insects through bites.
The effect of the drug lasts from 1 to 3 months. Drops are used to treat and prevent re-infection.
For the treatment of rodents, it is recommended to choose safe agents whose active components do not enter the systemic bloodstream. These include, for example, drops for treating cats.
A product for dogs is also produced under this brand, but the dosage is higher, so it is not suitable in this case. If your hamster has fleas and you don't know what to do, buy a few drops for cats and apply them once.
Injections
This treatment method is suitable when the animal is heavily infected and the likelihood of reinfection is high. The veterinarian knows very well how to remove fleas from a hamster with an injection, so there would be no shame in using his services.
The product used can cause serious side effects, including death, so the rodent should be tested the first time. Typically, ivermectin 1% is used twice at 15-day intervals.
Insecticidal powder
The product in powder form is applied to the animal’s body and gently rubbed into the skin. The active components begin to act immediately. Insecticides paralyze insects on contact, after which they die.
The action lasts about 2 weeks. If necessary, repeat the course of treatment. For the treatment of domestic hamsters, veterinarians prescribe Insectal and Celandine.
Anti-parasite sprays
The drug is produced in finished form in a special aerosol can. To remove fleas from a hamster, it is enough to treat your pet's fur once.
The spray gun should be kept at a distance of 5 cm from the surface to be treated. The product dries quickly, but preferably 20 minutes after treatment, make sure that the pet does not lick the spray from the fur.
It is recommended to use a special Ultra Care spray for rodents, a flea and tick spray for small animals, or a product for cats, such as bars.
Preventive measures
In order to prevent the spread of fleas in a private household or apartment, the tenant performs the following actions:
- regularly examines the hamster for the presence of bloodsuckers in its fur;
- uses specific plants that smell strongly (for example, wormwood). Then the household member lays out this grass near the cage. The fragrant smell of wormwood does not affect the hamster in any way, but fleas are afraid of it and quickly run away from there;
- cleans and treats the hamster cage with special insecticidal agents;
- before adding a second rodent of the same type to the hamster, the tenant treats it with an anti-flea drug;
- When walking a hamster outdoors, pre-treat it with anti-flea drops or another insecticide to prevent the rodent from becoming infected with fleas.
Thus, by following the simple recommendations listed above, the hamster owner prevents the occurrence of fleas in such a rodent and thereby protects himself and the animal from unpleasant “surprises”.
Cell processing
Adult insects jump onto the animal's body for the purpose of feeding; they are rarely found there all the time. The eggs are scattered throughout the house, and the larvae often develop in the litter tray, the hamster's cage. To destroy parasites, it is necessary to clean the “house” and disinfest the cage.
Remove food debris, clean bowls, drinking bowls. Toys are washed with soap. The bed is washed and then steamed. The cage is treated with an insecticidal spray. Any product will do, including Dichlorvos. They do this in the fresh air and after 3 hours you can throw the animal there.
Treating all pets and your home for fleas
Since the rodent cage is indoors and flea eggs may be scattered everywhere, it is recommended that all pets be washed and treated.
In case of severe infection, it is recommended to disinfest the premises; in other cases, folk remedies are used.
- Sprinkle carpets with boric acid powder and vacuum every other day.
- Wash floors with water and vinegar or ammonia. For 1 liter of water, one tablespoon of product.
- Clean the walls with a solution at a height of 1 m above the floor level.
- Pour boric acid into the cracks.
Be sure to treat the room, otherwise you will have to constantly fight pests.
Precautionary measures
A week after the initial treatment, you will need to undergo another course of treatment. Repeating the procedure will prevent another flea infestation.
The cell is disinfected with a solution of metrifonate and bromocyclene. The rodent should not be allowed into the cage immediately after it has been treated. Move your pet to another place for two weeks, thoroughly ventilate its home and wait until it dries.
Also, do a thorough cleaning of the entire apartment. You can also treat the rooms in the apartment with a special spray.
