Circling in Hamsters

Hamsters are very active so it’s normal to see them running around their cages and on their exercise wheels. But if your hamster suddenly begins circling and tilting its head to one side while it is running around then this indicates something more concerning. Veterinary care may be necessary if your hamster is circling, so being able to recognize this issue is important for your hamster’s health.

Causes of Circling in Hamsters

Circling in hamsters occurs when a hamster has a head tilt. Head tilts are usually a result of an inner ear infection due to bacteria but other causes may be present.

With an inner ear infection, bacteria from a dirty environment or a respiratory infection enters the ear canal. The pressure that the infection causes inside the ear canal may result in a hamster feeling off-balance and in pain. This results in circling when it walks and some hamsters may even fall over.

Neurological problems due to trauma or a brain disease like epilepsy can also cause circling in hamsters. These issues are not as common as a bacterial infection in the ear but are still possible reasons for this type of behavior.

Diagnosing the Cause for Circling in Hamsters

While circling in hamsters may be an obvious behavior to observe, in order to know for sure what is causing this some tests may need to be run.

Since an ear infection is the most likely reason for the circling, debris from inside your hamster's ear may be looked at under a microscope. This will check to see if bacteria from an infection is present and, if it is, an ear infection will be diagnosed.

Neurological problems are harder to diagnose. If your hamster was recently injured before the circling began then this may mean it suffered head trauma at some point. Being dropped, grabbed by a dog, or crushed in a door or piece of furniture are all types of injuries that may cause head trauma.

Seizures are a symptom that will coincide with epilepsy, another neurological issue. There is no test for epilepsy. In these instances, continued close observation may be required and videoing any unusual behavior could be helpful for your vet.

Treatment of Circling in Hamsters

Persistent or severe circling in hamsters always merits a visit to your veterinarian.

If the behavior is caused by an ear infection, antibiotics that are safe for a hamster to take will need to be prescribed as treatment. Without them, permanent damage can occur to your hamster's ear and the circling may never stop. Infections can also lead to more serious complications that, in extreme cases, can be life-threatening. Oral antibiotics and sometimes pain medications may be needed to treat the infection. If ear debris is visible a gentle cleaning may also be helpful.

If the circling is not due to an ear infection then it may be more difficult to treat. Brain damage from seizures or head injury can be permanent. Some circling will resolve over time on its own but some hamsters may have permanent circling. If the circling is so bad that it affects your hamster's quality of life and it is unable to eat then euthanasia may be discussed.

How to Prevent Circling in Hamsters

Hamsters are small pets that like to hide. It can be difficult to notice when they are acting a little strange in their cages, but regular observation of your hamster's normal activities can help detect the beginning of a problem. This, along with regular cleaning of the cage and washing of the cage accessories, can help prevent ear infections that cause circling.

In order to prevent head trauma that can result in circling, be sure to only allow children to handle your hamster when they are sitting on the ground. This will decrease the likelihood of your hamster falling and getting hurt. When the child is done holding your hamster, either bring the cage to the floor to put them back in it or gently take your hamster from the child so that you can carefully put it back in its cage yourself.

Keep your hamster safe if you have dogs or cats in the house when they are out of their cage and make sure that their cage is secure and locked over at all times.

Accidents can happen but they are far less likely to occur if you supervise carefully and take extra precautions.

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small animal care

4 Rainy Season Dangers You Might Not Know Of

Each year, certain parts of North America are bombarded with rain. While this may be good for the garden, high rainfall can potentially pose some real threats to your dog.

1. Mushrooms

During the rainy season, mushrooms may pop up in your yard with more frequency. There are thousands of species of mushrooms, but thankfully only about 100 are poisonous. That said, mushroom identification is very difficult, so it's hard to tell which are poisonous versus which are benign. As a result, whenever you see mushrooms growing in your yard, make sure to remove them immediately and throw them away to prevent accidental ingestion by your dog. If your dog does get into a mushroom, contact your veterinarian immediately about inducing vomiting to get any potential toxin out.

Certain types of mushrooms may cause organ injury including:

• Gastrointestinal injury (signs include drooling, not eating, vomiting, diarrhea)

• Liver linjury (signs include vomiting, black tarry stool, yellow skin)

• Kidney injury (signs include abnormal urination and thirst)

• Cardiovascular injury (signs include a very slow or rapid heart rate)

• Neurologic injury (signs include hallucinations, tremors, seizures)

When in doubt, get to your veterinarian immediately as it's easier - and less expensive - to treat early on versus once clinical signs have developed.

2. Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis, a bacteria-like spirochete, is carried naturally by wildlife, like rodents and raccoons. In high rainfall situations, it’s prevalent in the environment. In dogs that have exposure to water sources, contaminated by wildlife urine (puddles, streams, ponds, etc.), transmission can occur. Canine leptospirosis can result in liver injury and acute kidney injury.

Signs of leptospirosis include:

• Vomiting

• Not eating

• Malaise

• Yellow skin

• Excessive thirst

• Urination

As leptospirosis can accidentally be transmitted to humans, it's important to talk to your veterinarian about prevention, including vaccines.

3. Mosquitoes

While mosquitoes may seem like just a pesky insect to you, they can be life-threatening to your dog. That's because mosquitoes can carry Dirofilaria, which transmits heartworm infection to your dog. Thankfully, there is a very effective preventative in either a topical or oral form. When in doubt, use year-round control to prevent problems from mosquitoes. If your dog has thin fur or skin and is more predisposed to getting bitten, use Skin So Soft or a topical insect repellent that repels mosquitoes. Talk to your veterinarian to be safe before applying anything.

Click here to learn more about heartworm disease in dogs.

4. Toads and frogs

Depending on where you live in the United States, certain types of toads - specifically the Bufo marinus or Bufo alvarius - can be poisonous to dogs. In fact, a dog drinking water from an outside dog bowl, that had a poisonous toad sitting in it, can result in clinical signs of:

• drooling

• panting

• walking drunk

• a racing heart rate

• a very slow heart rate

• even seizures

Frogs are not toxic, but can cause gastrointestinal upset when ingested.

To be safe, supervise your dog outside to prevent accidental ingestion of dangers like toads and frogs. When in doubt, contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 if you think your dog is ill or could have ingested something poisonous.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian -- they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

---

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Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered straight to your e-mail inbox.

Related Categories:

dog health

Rainy Season Dangers for Dogs

Each year, certain parts of North America are bombarded with rain. While this may be good for the garden, high rainfall can potentially pose some real threats to your dog.

Mushrooms

During the rainy season, mushrooms may pop up in your yard with more frequency. There are thousands of species of mushrooms, but thankfully only about 100 are poisonous. That said, mushroom identification is very difficult, so it's hard to tell which are poisonous versus which are benign. As a result, whenever you see mushrooms growing in your yard, make sure to remove them immediately and throw them away to prevent accidental ingestion by your dog. If your dog does get into a mushroom, contact your veterinarian immediately about inducing vomiting to get any potential toxin out.

Certain types of mushrooms may cause organ injury including:

• Gastrointestinal injury (signs include drooling, not eating, vomiting, diarrhea)

• Liver linjury (signs include vomiting, black tarry stool, yellow skin)

• Kidney injury (signs include abnormal urination and thirst)

• Cardiovascular injury (signs include a very slow or rapid heart rate)

• Neurologic injury (signs include hallucinations, tremors, seizures)

When in doubt, get to your veterinarian immediately as it's easier - and less expensive - to treat early on versus once clinical signs have developed.

Leptospirosis

Leptospirosis, a bacteria-like spirochete, is carried naturally by wildlife, like rodents and raccoons. In high rainfall situations, it’s prevalent in the environment. In dogs that have exposure to water sources, contaminated by wildlife urine (puddles, streams, ponds, etc.), transmission can occur. Canine leptospirosis can result in liver injury and acute kidney injury.

Signs of leptospirosis include:

• Vomiting

• Not eating

• Malaise

• Yellow skin

• Excessive thirst

• Urination

As leptospirosis can accidentally be transmitted to humans, it's important to talk to your veterinarian about prevention, including vaccines.

Click here to learn more about leptospirosis.

Mosquitoes

While mosquitoes may seem like just a pesky insect to you, they can be life-threatening to your dog. That's because mosquitoes can carry Dirofilaria, which transmits heartworm infection to your dog. Thankfully, there is a very effective preventative in either a topical or oral form. When in doubt, use year-round control to prevent problems from mosquitoes. If your dog has thin fur or skin and is more predisposed to getting bitten, use a vet-approved topical insect repellent that repels mosquitoes or talk to your veterinarian to be safe before applying anything.

Click here to learn more about heartworm disease in dogs.

Toads and frogs

Depending on where you live in the United States, certain types of toads - specifically the Bufo marinus or Bufo alvarius - can be poisonous to dogs. In fact, a dog drinking water from an outside dog bowl, that had a poisonous toad sitting in it, can result in clinical signs of drooling, panting, walking drunk, a racing heart rate, a very slow heart rate, or even seizures. Frogs are not toxic, but can cause gastrointestinal upset when ingested.

To be safe, supervise your dog outside to prevent accidental ingestion of dangers like toads and frogs. When in doubt, contact your veterinarian or ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at 888-426-4435 if you think your dog is ill or could have ingested something poisonous.

Click here to learn more about toad toxicity to dogs.

If you have any questions or concerns, you should always visit or call your veterinarian -- they are your best resource to ensure the health and well-being of your pets.

---

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Don't forget to subscribe to our email newsletter for more recipes, articles, and clinic updates delivered straight to your e-mail inbox.