I THINK MY HAMSTER HAS TYZZER’S… WHAT DO I DO NOW?
Carry him to your exotic veterinarian in a covered cage… we don’t want to chance any spreading of the disease. Your vet should collect fecal or blood samples to try to pinpoint which bacterial species is causing your hammy to be so sick.
Post-collection and results, they’ll use their exotic vet magic to come up with an appropriate treatment plan, which will almost surely include broad-spectrum antibiotics. Vitamin and mineral supplements are commonly included in treatment plans, too, to help improve overall health and immunity. Because dehydration is also a common symptom, fluids and electrolyte supplements may also be given.
Your veterinarian may decide to administer antibiotics to other hamsters that have been living in the same cage, just to be safe… remember, not all hamsters show symptoms of Tyzzer’s Disease.
PREVENTION
- Always, always make sure your hamster’s environment and living space is clean. (We should do this anyway.) Replace (and remove) bedding every week. If you notice a funky smell coming from your hammy’s cage, you’re waiting too long to clean it.
- Wash and disinfect your cage once per month. Even if you’re keeping up on weekly removal and replacing of bedding, we still need to give a good ol’ cleaning once in a while.
- Keep stress levels low! Stress is a very common theme in hamsters getting sick. If they’re sleeping, don’t wake them up. Too much activity or loud noises are a no-no. Don’t let anyone mistreat or mishandle. These are things we should be doing as good pet owners, but if your hamster is telling you something and giving you clues to how they’re feeling... listen to them.
