If you’ve observed that your pet hamster is losing hair frequently, you’d naturally want to find out the root cause(s) of the problem. Now, there could be several reasons why your furry friend is not able to keep hairs from falling off. It could be because of some vitamin or mineral deficiency or mite infestation or simply because your hamster is ageing.
Alopecia, the medical term for hair-loss is a scalp disorder that is not limited to humans alone. Even animals can get stricken with alopecia that may lead to complete or partial loss of hair. Alopecia in hamsters is more or less restricted to hair loss around the facial region, tail or hindquarters.
You’ll easily be able to make out whether your pet is suffering from alopecia or not. If you spot bald regions or sections characterized by the complete absence of hair or small patches with thinning hair, then you know the rodent has alopecia. Your pet could be beset with alopecia because of ectoparasite infection resulting from mites, fleas or ticks infesting its fur.
The hair-fall might also be happening because of protein or vitamin deficiency. Or it could be because of kidney inflammation, T-cell lymphoma or hormonal imbalance or deficiency. Ageing which is a natural process could be yet another reason for your hamster losing hairs.
Parasitic InfectionFurry animals and rodents are extremely prone to get contaminated with parasitic arthropods including fleas, ticks, and mites. If your hamster is carrying mites or other parasites, you’ll find her vigorously scratching her skin more often. Continuous itching or scratching can make the skin areas swollen or inflamed.
It is absolutely normal for burrowing animals or rodents to shed hairs, especially during the fall or spring season. Hamsters also have the tendency to lose hair as they grow older.
Vitamin B, protein, potassium, calcium or other nutritional deficiencies could be significant causes why your hamster is getting bald. You could remedy such deficiencies by offering fresh cheese, cooked whole grains, and unprocessed cereals, cleaned bits of veggies and fruits, and food items rich in water-soluble vitamins. However, you’d be better off getting in touch with your vet before you can introduce any new food item in your pet’s regular dieting regimen.
Nevertheless, there could be numerous other reasons, medical or otherwise for hamsters to undergo hair-loss. A dreaded although rare form of skin cancer called T-cell lymphoma can make the hamster completely bald or she could also suffer hair-fall owing to kidney-related disorders. Imbalance of hormones could more often than not make the hamster go bald.
Use medicated topical shampoos, anti-mite sprays, and antibiotic ointments in order to prevent your cute little darling from losing hair as much as possible. Also, see to it that her cage and bedding is cleaned periodically to keep these free of parasites. Schedule an appointment with a qualified vet at least once a month to ensure that the pet is doing well. To say the last but not the least, offer her a balanced diet comprising foods that have a judicious blend of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, minerals, and vitamins.
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