Falling from a height is a fairly common phenomenon among pets. Representatives of small species, such as hamsters, are most susceptible to it. It is believed that they have no fear of heights. In fact, the animals see poorly, this is due to the peculiarity of the structure of their eyes, and they navigate in space through hearing and smell. Only careful care and the absence of errors in maintenance will allow the rodent to avoid unnecessary injuries. And yet, what to do when your pet falls?
Hamster injuries
We all know that so-called emergencies will require emergency measures from us, and this means that pet owners should always have a veterinary first aid kit at hand. And, despite the fact that hamsters do not get sick often, unfortunately, they are not immune from injuries.
The most common injuries are limb fractures. Since these creatures live on the plains in nature, they do not know the concept of “height”. They quite often fall off the table, sofa or from the hands of their owner. Fractures also occur in animals living in lattice cages, as their paws easily get stuck between the bars.
The most dangerous injuries are spinal injuries; most often they occur due to:
- falling from a height;
- when adults or children sit on or step on an animal;
- when pinched by an interior door or cage door;
- injury caused by domestic animals (cat or dog).
Injuries to the spine most often lead to the death of the animal, since in addition to the spine, the intestines or bladder can be injured. Did your hamster fall from a height and get injured? Try to show your baby to a qualified doctor and, in addition to the examination, ask for an x-ray. For a simple injury, the doctor will prescribe anti-inflammatory drugs that will relieve swelling and your pet will soon be healthy. But there are injuries in which it would be more humane to euthanize the hamster.
Veterinary assistance
It is best to show the animal to a specialized specialist immediately after discovering a fracture. It is best to visit a doctor who specializes in rodents - a ratologist.
The veterinarian may prescribe pain medication for 1-3 days. If you managed to get to the doctor a few days after the injury and the wound has already festered, you may need injections of an antibiotic: Baytril, Enroxil or regular human bicillin-3 diluted with water for injection.
If a doctor recommends amputation of a limb, the owner had better agree. It will be performed under general anesthesia, and the stump will heal quite quickly. The animal’s quality of life will not suffer too much; they are quite well adapted to move on three or even two legs.
Consequences of "flights"
What happens if a hamster falls from a height? Falling from any height is a fairly common occurrence for domestic hamsters. Most rodents with long tails are endowed with the ability to turn over “in flight” and land on their paws, but hamsters, unlike long-tailed rodents, do not roll over this way.
Therefore, even falling from the height of a desk or kitchen table onto a soft surface (linoleum or carpet), the animal can receive serious injuries.
After falling from any height, even if the animal has not received any serious injuries, pet hamsters act like monkeys, that is, they imitate their death - they lie on their backs and barely breathe . This behavior of a domestic rodent indicates that the animal has experienced a severe shock and needs time to recover. I would like to note that hamsters are very nimble, but rather clumsy animals. Leaving them unattended, even for a moment, you may notice with annoyance that your hamster has fallen from a great height and is lying on the floor with its paws up.
Having found your “pilot” in this state, carefully transfer him to the cage, place it closer to the warmth and create twilight for the fluffy. Your next steps are to monitor the baby, check how the hamster feels every hour, but do not disturb him.
If the rodent can soon get up and begin to actively run around the cage, eats well, and willingly leaves its house - everything is fine with the animal. To relieve stress in an animal, support its body by simply giving special vitamins for rodents.
Rehabilitation after a fracture
Complete recovery of a paw after a fracture can take 2 to 4 weeks. During this period, mobility restrictions are still relevant. If for some reason the animal needs to be returned to the cage, all ladders, running wheels and other toys should be removed from it. Change the litter regularly.
After consulting a doctor and providing first aid, the pet should be closely monitored. After the first three days, you can judge the success of the therapy. If the paw begins to dry out or turn black, you need to urgently consult a doctor - amputation is required. However, sometimes animals simply gnaw off an injured limb; this instinct is inherent in them by nature.
When all is not well
If, while watching the glider, you notice that he is trying to be alone or has begun to sleep more than usual, and his fur looks not only wet, but also disheveled - carefully examine your hamster. First of all, pay attention to the rodent's mouth. It happens that hamsters break their incisors when they fall. In this case, provide your pet with vitamins and soft food.
It often happens that the hamster gets up, but its movements are rather unnatural (staggering, limping) - this indicates damage to the internal organs or fractures of any bones in the pet. In case of such injuries, you should immediately contact a specialist - a veterinarian; he will be able to identify the problem and prescribe the necessary specialized treatment for your baby. Self-medication in this case will not lead to anything good.
Rehabilitation after a fracture
Complete recovery of a paw after a fracture can take 2 to 4 weeks. During this period, mobility restrictions are still relevant. If for some reason the animal needs to be returned to the cage, all ladders, running wheels and other toys should be removed from it. Change the litter regularly.
After consulting a doctor and providing first aid, the pet should be closely monitored. After the first three days, you can judge the success of the therapy. If the paw begins to dry out or turn black, you need to urgently consult a doctor - amputation is required. However, sometimes animals simply gnaw off an injured limb; this instinct is inherent in them by nature.
Fall Prevention
To avoid your hamster falling from a height, try not to lift the animal high on your palm, do not pick up an untamed animal, do not leave it unattended on a table or sofa, and do not buy multi-tiered cages for the animal. If you have already bought it, try to protect it from falls by re-arranging the floors with cardboard or plastic. Now you know what needs to be done not only when the hamster “flies” to the ground, but also to prevent this from happening. Be very attentive to your pets and then they will be healthy, and you will be able to get only pleasant impressions from communicating with them.
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What to do if your hamster falls from a height or from a table
Small rodents should be monitored especially carefully. It happens that a hamster falls from a table or chair. They do not feel at all and are not afraid of heights. This happens quite often, so every owner should know what to do if the hamster falls.
Hamsters can fall not only from furniture, but also from your hands. These animals are quite harmful and capricious, so they can break out. If a hamster falls from a height of human height, then it is guaranteed to be injured. You need to hold the baby tightly in your hands and immediately let go if he starts to struggle. This will prevent your pet from falling.
First of all, if the hamster fell and began to run away to a secluded place, then there is no need to immediately catch it. This is extremely stressful for a rodent. He needs to be given time to come to his senses. At worst, he may go into shock. In this state, the hamster lies motionless on its back for several minutes.
Hamster's eyes won't open
Discussion: 10 comments
- KATE:
03/17/2018 at 23:53what to do if the hamster fell from a height and blood comes from the butt???
Answer
abervv:
03/18/2018 at 14:06
Take the animal to the vet immediately!
Answer
03/20/2018 at 21:21
And if the hamster fell and as it is written there, but at first he limped a little and then got up normally and ran and everything seemed to be fine.??
Answer
- abervv:
03/23/2018 at 21:26
Observe the hamster for a couple of days. If your pet is active, eats well and nothing has changed in his behavior, then you don’t have to worry - everything is fine with him. Otherwise, take the animal to the vet.
Answer
11/23/2018 at 11:11 pm
A month ago (approximately) the hamster had a small white-pinkish little tip above his clasp, it didn’t seem to bother him in any way, but it looked strange. I thought that maybe he was allergic to sawdust (he is very crumbly and dusty). I changed it to wooden blocks, on one it seemed to disappear in the first eye, but began to appear in the second eye. Recently the hamster fell from a height of about 60 cm (quite high) and fell on his back (I was very scared. Then his nose bled a little. He seemed to come to his senses, but he tossed and turned a lot and itched himself. And now his other eye is quite difficult to open and seems to be watering. Can you tell me what to do?
Answer
08/29/2018 at 13:19
My hamster fell from my hands, but when I picked him up, he walked as usual and around the cage in the same way. Should I take him to the vet? Or just don't bother?
Answer
10/06/2018 at 12:57
2 days ago, a 2-week-old Syrian hamster fell from a height of approximately 60 cm. There is no tumor on the paws, but when moving, it falls onto the right front paw with (usually) a subsequent rollover onto its back. He has not lost his appetite, every 2-3 hours he eats about a quarter of a teaspoon of thin cottage cheese and drinks about 10 drops of milk. Uncertain movement is a concern. There are no problems with the chair. After eating he falls asleep right in his hand. Tell me what to do and what to do so that the hamster recovers faster.
Answer
- abervv:
10/06/2018 at 14:49
Good afternoon The animal's mobility should be slightly limited to reduce stress. If possible, take your hamster to the vet.
Answer
10/09/2018 at 12:59
Fell from the height of the human body, the belly is wet, does not hold feces, the belly seems swollen, what should I do, there are no doctors nearby
Answer
- abervv:
10/09/2018 at 21:46
In this case, definitely see a doctor; without an examination, no one will tell you what’s wrong with your pet.
Answer
What to do first
If your child falls out of bed, it is important to remain calm. As long as the child’s fontanels are not closed (large in the middle of the crown and small at the back of the head), in case of an impact they will protect the baby from fractures of the cranial bones
When a baby or toddler falls out of bed, it is important to remain calm and quickly assess the situation. Call 911 immediately without touching the child if:
Call 911 immediately without touching the child if:
- He lost consciousness
- The child is motionless (before the fall he was active, perhaps crawling and rolling over, after the fall he lies motionless).
- Convulsions appeared (the child’s arms and legs involuntarily twitch, eyelids tremble).
- Coordination is lost. This symptom can be observed in a child who already knows how to sit and perform actions with toys. For example, before the fall, he skillfully put objects into some container, but after the fall he cannot stand or stumbles every 2-3 steps.
- Vomit
- Sudden severe lethargy and drowsiness of the child.
- Strong crying
- Bleeding from the nose (this can be a rather dangerous condition, which indicates a serious injury to the cranial bones. Bloody or, conversely, clear discharge may appear from the ears).
Moving a child with a head or spinal injury can cause serious complications
However, if the child is in an area where there is a risk of further injury, he or she can be carefully moved to a safer location
If your baby is vomiting or having a seizure, gently turn him onto his side. Make sure baby's neck is straight while you turn over
Check him over carefully, paying close attention to his head and any bumps, bruises or other injuries. Check the rest of the baby's body, including the arms, legs, chest, and back. If you see damage, under no circumstances should you adjust the joints yourself or touch or press on the bones.
You can apply cold to the site of the bruise - any food from the freezer will do for this. They need to be wrapped in a soft towel and held where the redness has formed. If there is a wound, it needs to be treated with hydrogen peroxide to stop the bleeding, apply a sterile bandage and wait for the doctor to arrive
If you see damage, under no circumstances should you adjust the joints yourself or touch or press on the bones. You can apply cold to the site of the bruise - any food from the freezer will do for this. They need to be wrapped in a soft towel and held where the redness has formed. If there is a wound, it must be treated with hydrogen peroxide to stop the bleeding, apply a sterile bandage and wait for the doctor to arrive.
If the child does not show any visible signs of injury, observe him for a short time to make sure nothing changes.
