Hamster Vet

[Aznfarmerboi]

My dwarf hamster has been losing weight over the last week. I was trying to find out why. At first I thought it was his brother bullying him and stealing his food/snacks (not true). Then I thought it was depression, etc. Finally I noticed overgrown teeth. I am afraid of trimming it and think it would be best to leave it to the professionals. (Injecting drugs for lab via needles is completely different from holding them down so i can cut their teeth without hurting the tongue or mouth.

This is the first time I am bringing my pet to a vet. How much does it cost for a vet to trim a hamster's teeth? I know prices are different everywhere but can you tell me how much you would charge? I dont want to spend anything more than 50. . and was hoping it would be around 5-10 dollars. Can I just walk in? I am afraid my hamster will starve to death if this will go on one more day.

Thanks a bunch.

PS. oh yeah, how would i find a vet for hamsters?

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[twelvetigers]

I would start with a local phone book and start calling around. No one can quote you prices because it's not like there's a set price for services - it will differ from clinic to clinic. I don't know anything about trimming teeth, and any advice given would probably be that dreaded "medical advice" that isn't allowed here on the boards. Just start calling clinics in your area! That's your best bet.

 

[Rapunzel]

How old are your hamsters? The dwarf type doesn't seem to live as long as regular hamsters, and we had some for a while but gave up keeping them. Good luck though! They sure are cute.

 

[zpinkpanther]

Like twelvetigers said, I would suggest looking through your yellow pages and call a few places to get an idea and see who can take you right away. I'm not sure about price, but I think in a clinic I once worked in it was about $25-30. I definitely don't think it will be under $10, though- sorry. I think you should also get a general exam, too, just to make sure everything else is all right. Good luck!

 

[mbv]

I also recommend going to the vet, and while you're there see if the vet will teach you how to properly trim the teeth. Many rodents get overgrown teeth as a result of a malocclusion, and if that is the case for your hamster, it means that the teeth are going to need to be trimmed on a regular basis. It is not difficult to learn how to trim the teeth (someone with lab animal experience could probably do it for you, but go to the vet to make sure that there is nothing else going on). Get it checked out soon because if the teeth are overgrown, they are only going to keep growing and get worse!

 

[Future OSU Vet]

I'm not sure about hamsters but one of my rabbits has to have his teeth trimmed and it's $10 every time (every 4 weeks). The first time you'll probably have to pay for a vet visit, too (ours is around $35). We have to give our rabbit bene-bac and Critical Care twice a day since he can't eat hay. If he's really losing weight you might want to ask about Critical Care, too.

 

[Electrophile]

Seconding all the "call the vet" advice, are you providing him with a chew stick of some sort? All rodents and lagomorphs (rabbits) needs something to chew on to keep their teeth from being maloccluded. You can find chew sticks or blocks at just about all pet supply stores that carry stuff for small exotics/pocket pets.

Future OSU Vet, I'm curious, why can't your rabbit eat hay?

 

[chris03333]

I'm not sure about hamsters but one of my rabbits has to have his teeth trimmed and it's $10 every time (every 4 weeks). The first time you'll probably have to pay for a vet visit, too (ours is around $35). We have to give our rabbit bene-bac and Critical Care twice a day since he can't eat hay. If he's really losing weight you might want to ask about Critical Care, too.

Rabbit and hamster malocclusions are completely different.

Why can't your rabbit eat hay? How are they "trimming" the teeth?

 

[chris03333]

Seconding all the "call the vet" advice, are you providing him with a chew stick of some sort? All rodents and lagomorphs (rabbits) needs something to chew on to keep their teeth from being maloccluded. You can find chew sticks or blocks at just about all pet supply stores that carry stuff for small exotics/pocket pets.

Future OSU Vet, I'm curious, why can't your rabbit eat hay?

Actually with normal occlusion, rodents and lagomorphs only need to eat to keep their teeth properly alligned. In the case of Malocclusion, genetics and brachygnathism/prognathism come into play with rodents (Lagos usually have molar malocclusions which cause incisor malocclusion also genetics can play a role).

So the moral of the story is that chew toys won't prevent malocclusions.


FWIW these are the species I am doing my residency with.

 

[ratbandit]

Chris, does it matter what kind of food they are eating - pellets vs. fresh food etc.? Just curious

 

[chris03333]

Chris, does it matter what kind of food they are eating - pellets vs. fresh food etc.? Just curious

No.

 

[Angelo84]

Then why do people recommend stemmier hay for rabbits with maloccusions? Or does it just not do anything?

 

[Electrophile]

Actually with normal occlusion, rodents and lagomorphs only need to eat to keep their teeth properly alligned. In the case of Malocclusion, genetics and brachygnathism/prognathism come into play with rodents (Lagos usually have molar malocclusions which cause incisor malocclusion also genetics can play a role).

So the moral of the story is that chew toys won't prevent malocclusions.


FWIW these are the species I am doing my residency with.

Ah okay, yeah, I do remember now that the professor who taught the pocket pet anatomy section (who is a lab animal pathologist) said something about genetics can cause a role in malocculsion. The mice in my lab in grad school were not given chew sticks for enrichment, but they chewed on the bars of their cages instead, even though they were given rodent lab blocks, which are pretty hard.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

I found a vet the next day after posting. The total cost was 76 dollars. Oy. . . If my mom found out i spend 76 dollars on a vet for my hamster, she would kill me. I hold off on the antibiotics (18 dollars for bactrim). I figure if I do need it, I can get it from my own pharmacy and get that info off drug testings/ and compound it myself.

I was not looking for any medical advice (The internet provides plenty and I can judge if they are good or bad). With that being said, how do you guys learn about hamsters? What textbooks do you guys use? Thanks a lot for the responses!

 

[david594]

I hold off on the antibiotics (18 dollars for bactrim). I figure if I do need it, I can get it from my own pharmacy and get that info off drug testings/ and compound it myself.

Curiosity, but is there some exceptionally high incidence of allergic reactions to bactrim?

Where I work 4 out of 10 people have had reactions to it, which just seems rather high in my mind.

 

[chris03333]

Then why do people recommend stemmier hay for rabbits with maloccusions? Or does it just not do anything?

"stemmier" (is that a word?) hay = higher fiber (although timothy hay is what I normally recommend and do not know how you can get "stimmier") If the rabbit has decreased intake in food, it will need high fiber food (they get all kinds of enteritis issues if not enough fiber in the diet).

 

[Future OSU Vet]

Rabbit and hamster malocclusions are completely different.

Why can't your rabbit eat hay? How are they "trimming" the teeth?

His malocclusion. His teeth don't line up quite right for him to chew hay. He has plenty of stuff to chew on but he has a bad overbite.

The vet uses some sort of saw then files his upper back teeth (right behind front teeth).

 

[chris03333]

His malocclusion. His teeth don't line up quite right for him to chew hay. He has plenty of stuff to chew on but he has a bad overbite.

The vet uses some sort of saw then files his upper back teeth (right behind front teeth).

Sounds like a premolar or molar malocclusion (cannot be prevented with chew toys). So when you "float" a rabbits pre/molars (I use a dental dril with specialized bits that can fit into the small space, others use a file, for you horse people: yes this is the same as when your horses teeth are floated, just in a smaller space, with smaller equipment.) You are shaving down the protions which are overgrown so chewing is usually restored. Is your rabbits line up so bad that hay falls out between the misaligned parts?

 

[Future OSU Vet]

Is your rabbits line up so bad that hay falls out between the misaligned parts?

He can't really grip the hay and hold onto it. Sometimes he can pick it up and throw it but he can't pull it into his mouth and chew it. My husband had been crushing up timothy hay cubes from petsmart since it was fluffier and he could eat that but we found some really soft hay at meijer. Not great for most bunnies but perfect for him.

He is having them trimmed again tomorrow and I hope the vet allows me to observe this time.

 

[Aznfarmerboi]

Curiosity, but is there some exceptionally high incidence of allergic reactions to bactrim?

Where I work 4 out of 10 people have had reactions to it, which just seems rather high in my mind.

That is high. The incidence rate for sulfur antibiotic drug allergies is about < 5percent. Some populations of course have higher incidence rate such as people with compromised immune systems (AIDS) or lacking G6PD enzyme (~12 percent of Africans). The term itself is confusing too as sulfa allergies (compounds that contain S) is seperated into Sulfonamide (Bactrim in this case), Sulfites (mostly preservatives used in food), and Sulfate.

Usually such a high rate might be due to that your co workers do not have "true" sulfa allergies. I have a lot of patients who think that an upset stomach is an allergy to antibiotics which complicates pharmacy procedures.

 

[pravlinvet]

Come to India and get your hamster alright with Rs.50.
ie,$1.

 

[projekt]

Flight to india and hotel: $3000
Hamster office visit: $1
Showing your pet hamster the Taj Mahal: Priceless.

 

[pressmom]

Flight to india and hotel: $3000
Hamster office visit: $1
Showing your pet hamster the Taj Mahal: Priceless.

 

[CookieBear]

Flight to india and hotel: $3000
Hamster office visit: $1
Showing your pet hamster the Taj Mahal: Priceless.

The cost of appropriate veterinary education and continuining education on properly treating exotic pets such as hamsters: More $ than most exotic pet owners and the public will ever conceive of!

 

[chris03333]

The cost of appropriate veterinary education and continuining education on properly treating exotic pets such as hamsters: More $ than most exotic pet owners and the public will ever conceive of!

Great statement, had to quote it!