I have struggled to find any definitive pages on Google explaining anything about liver problems within hamsters.
Despite this lack of information, I found questions from several people online with the exact same problems as my babies and they weren’t given the correct answer!
So I have taken what I know and what the vet has told me to compile this post.
What functions does the liver have?
The liver is home to lots of chemicals which detoxifies substances in the body. There is no substitution for the liver, it is essential for life in vertebrates.
- Yellowing of the skin and belly
- Swelling of the belly
- See-through skin on the belly area
- Disorientated behaviour
- Weight loss
- Lack of appetite
- Sharp breathing
In this photo, you can see Jeeves has a swollen belly and there is discolouration within that swollen belly. He seems alright at the moment in his behaviour however his appetite has decreased and his balance when walking is severely impaired. The swelling of his belly gets larger and larger and the skin on the belly has become translucent (partially see-through).
Causes of liver problems in baby hamsters?
The only reason for the failure of the liver in such young babies is a birth defect. The fact a whole litter of ours has practically been wiped-out suggests that a birth defect was prominent in this litter.
When do these symptoms appear?
Liver failure can occur at any stage of the vital first 3 weeks of birth however its more common in babies between 5 days and 14 days as they are still developing and the problems can surface and strike whenever.
Treatment of liver problems in baby hamsters?
There is sadly no way to treat liver problems, especially in such small rodents. When they get to a stage where the belly is hugely swollen and their breathing is sharp and painful its best to take them to the vets and have them put to sleep unless they are still in with the mother in which case just leave them to it. The mum has instincts which will kick in and she will either cull the sick and weak and focus her attentions on the healthy babies or she will try to do her best to raise the baby regardless. When the baby dies, the mother will eat the baby unless human intervention occurs and the baby is removed from the nest.
What should you do when you notice your baby hamster has some of the symptoms of liver failure?
Some of the symptoms may not be due to liver failure so whipping a baby out of the nest at the first glimpse of a wobbly walker or a slightly bloated tummy is not the best idea. The mother will take care of the babies and if needs be kill the sick before they have time to suffer so try not to interfere. If you are losing hamsters daily with bloated, yellow tummies then a visit to the vets is necessary. The vet will put the sick out of their misery and give you the option to hand-rear the babies if the mother is neglectful. However this is not a preventable illness so sometimes you will have to go through the heartbreak of losing poorly hamsters to give the healthy a fighting chance of surviving to adulthood.
How long do babies with liver failure live for?
From the first signs of prominent swelling to eventual death, the time can vary from 24 hours to 72 hours. If it takes longer, its hard to say whether this is better or worse for the hamster because yes they are living for longer however the level of suffering will be increasing with each day. It may even be shorter than this time if the babies are in the nest with the mother as she will cull the sick off at the first signs of weakness. As sad as this is, it is nature and you must let them do as they will.
If you are worried your hamster has similar problems, let nature take its course and if the mother abandons the nest then visit your vet before taking further action. Hand-rearing baby hamsters is no small feat and requires 24 hour commitment.