Hamster Losing Hair

[Trillian]

My little dwarf hamster has been losing hair on her stomach, in fact it's almost bald......so I've taken all the bedding out and just put kitchen paper in there instead, just in case she had an allergy to the bedding. I also applied a mite spray to her fur, in case that was a problem also. Does that sound like the right thing to do?

[Marcia]

Have you checked for mites?

[lizardloverrach]

How old is hammy?

[Twiglet]

I've seen age related alopecia (sp) set in from as young as 14 months so it could just be that. the most common cause of fur loss is mites. If you use pine shavings change to something less dusty and without phenols incase its an allergy. I'd suggest a paper based cat litter such as ysterdays news. Shredded bog roll or kitchen towel can be used for nesting material as I cant imagine that lumpy cat litter is comfy to sleep on...
If her skin is really flakey its even more likely to be mites.
Also deficiencies can cause hairloss so start adding some vitamins. I add a bit of vitamin E to the soft food i give my lot ever couple of weeks.
Hairloss and black discoloured blotches on the skin can be skin cancer. Not a lot you can do if its that so fingers crossed for mites!

Kat

[Trillian]

No, the bare skin isn't flaky, it's clean and smooth as if the hair just fell out. However, I have treated her with anti-mite spray just in case that's the problem.

I'll try the shredded bedding tip as she's already shredding the kitchen paper that I've put in. Age-wise, I'd guesstimate she's about 15 months old which ties in with the alopecia suggestion.

[serz]

Ive been having the same problem too with my syrian and he is around the same age that you have said but he is loosing hair from his back legs and the bit above his tail.
He is acting normally and everything and i have treated him with mite spray too. But the part that is worrying me is that he had had a little lump on his back since we got him but its going bald around that area now too and the tank of skin cancer has worried me now

[Twiglet]

appologies if this sounds really patronising... I dont intend it to be;
Could the lump on his back be one of his hip spots? Some hamsters have particularly dark hip spots (notibly creams) and these can be slightly raised.
Being a gland, sometimes they can get infected too, especially if you ham is one of those that wont leave his alone for one reason or another!
Can anyone put up pictures of their balding hamsters?

Kat

[Trillian]

Originally Posted by Twiglet

Can anyone put up pictures of their balding hamsters?

I'll try and risk it but to say she can be a bit cranky is an understatement...

[temeraire]

Does the food have peanuts in it? I have heard cases where Dwarf hamsters lost hair due to peanut allergy. If so, try taking them out - if not then I have no idea!

[Trillian]

Originally Posted by temeraire

Does the food have peanuts in it? I have heard cases where Dwarf hamsters lost hair due to peanut allergy. If so, try taking them out - if not then I have no idea!

The food mix does have peanuts which she eats. An interesting suggestion...