Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital 2009 / Hamsters Need Vets, Too!

Hamsters Need Vets, Too!

by Shannon M. Pecora, M.A. & Shannon Robinson

Stream Valley Veterinary Hospital

We’re all used to the idea of the semi-annual exam and yearly vaccinations for our dogs and cats, but many of us don’t think about our hamsters, birds, or leopard geckos when it comes to scheduling vet visits. Yet these pets, commonly termed “exotics,” often need just as much—if not more—veterinary care as Fido and Fluffy. While many exotics don’t need vaccines, they do need regular exams and preventive care.

Most exotic pets are considered prey species, meaning that, in the wild, these pets are hunted by predators. Therefore, these species, even those who are domesticated pets, will instinctively hide any sign of illness or injury to avoid being a vulnerable target. The routine semi-annual health exam for exotic pets can help us catch a problem, even in a pet who seems to show no symptoms. If your rabbit or parakeet is already showing signs of illness or injury, it is likely time for an emergency vet visit; if your exotic pet can no longer hide his symptoms, the problem may have already progressed significantly. So the routine exam is certainly important because the sooner an illness is diagnosed, whether the pet “appears” sick or not, the better the chances are for successful treatment and ultimate recovery.

Additionally, this regular vet visit is beneficial to the entire family—human and pet. Like dogs and cats, exotic species can potentially carry zoonotic diseases, or diseases that can be transmitted between animals and humans. A common example that dog and cat owners may be familiar with is intestinal parasites. Your vet can test a fecal sample, often easily collected from the bottom of a cage or from a rabbit or ferret litter pan, and determine if your pet has acquired any parasites that can be spread throughout the household. At the initial visit and at any time that there is risk of exposure, birds should also be tested for Psittacosis. This is a bacterial infection that can cause upper respiratory illness in people with suppressed immune systems.

Furthermore, salmonella, which many of us only associate with raw poultry products, can be carried by reptiles and rodents. This is often normal in the reptile or rodent’s system, but salmonella can be transmitted orally or through an open wound and make a human sick. Pet owners should always wash their hands thoroughly after handling their reptile or rodent, and as a vet would recommend, use rubber gloves if they have a cut on the hand. Again, this zoonotic disease may not cause any illness in your pet, but it can certainly be harmful to the human members of the family.

Even if you adopted him in Ashburn, if you have a pet that is not a dog, cat, or farm animal, then you’ve got an exotic. That term may suggest that such pets are high maintenance or in need of unusual care, but cleaning a bird cage or changing a bearded dragon’s UV light does not have to be any more complicated than walking the dog or emptying the cat’s litter pan. We just need to remember that even a pet who does not wear a leash or collar needs to see the veterinarian on a regular basis, too!