Hamster wet underneath

[Love]

We rehomed Bertie the hamster when my mums friends split up and neither wanted him. We reckon he's about 2 now but can't be sure - quite possibly older.

He has suddenly become very wet underneath - his whole tummy. Pretty sure it's urine as even after he was cleaned out the smell was very strong. Thinking he may have become incontinent with age and urinating on himself when asleep.

Taking him to the vets tomorrow and expecting the worst tbh - can't leave him any longer as don't want it to start irritating his skin - his eyes are slightly closed too.

Just wondering if anyone has had this or knows anything? Still going to vets no matter what first thing. He is very bright and eating and drinking fine so don't think it's wet tail.

Mince pies on offer

 

[TheFox]

It sounds as if the little guy has 'wet tail', here's a website that may be useful for you;
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=2282

Please all take care to wash your hands after handling him and I believe it is potentially contagious to other animals.

Edited to say, sorry just realised you've ruled out wet tail, I should learn to read before I reply

 

[Love]

It sounds as if the little guy has 'wet tail', here's a website that may be useful for you;
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?articleid=2282

Please all take care to wash your hands after handling him and I believe it is potentially contagious to other animals.

Edited to say, sorry just realised you've ruled out wet tail, I should learn to read before I reply

Thank you for your reply and the link. I had looked up wet tail as I instantly thought it must be that however after reading up it doesn't sound like it is.

He used to get like it when he had a little house to sleep in - we took the house away and just made a bed in the corner and he stopped but now he's doing it again. Sadly the more I think about it I think he has just become incontinent. Think he may have been like it a while longer than we thought as just noticed he is losing the fur on his front legs and chest.

Very sad but I think we'll let him go tomorrow. He's totally perky in himself but it's not fair. Just wish we didn't have to leave him overnight. I'm probably more distressed seeing it than he is to be honest

 

[p87]

Sorry to hear you let him go. I was coming on here to reply with saying that in my experiences of owning hamsters when they have gotten wet underneath and are around two years old that's usually the end of the road for them and they don't last much longer. I've had two hamsters who have been over two, developed wet tails, then come up in bumps all over them and before I know it they're gone. The rest have died within a matter of a couple of weeks after getting wet.

I've always wondered if it was something I was doing wrong, as it always seemed to happen like that!