Last updated on August 13th, 2023 at 08:13 pm
Hamsters age quickly, they have a short life span, and as they age, the chances of having a stroke increase.
Can hamsters recover from a stroke?
Yes, hamsters can recover from a stroke in 15-20 days, but in the future, it can have serious consequences for their health. Some of the hamsters will recover completely without any consequences, while other hamsters may suffer permanent damage.
Some of the permanent damage may be a permanent tilting of the head and incoordination which will affect their further life.
Strokes in hamsters can be repeated and each time the situation gets worse for your pet, which can eventually end in the death of the hamster.
In today’s article, you will learn what are the causes of stroke, symptoms, consequences and how to help hamsters after they have a stroke.
Can hamsters survive a stroke?
Yes, hamsters can survive a stroke, it’s very rare for them to experience just one stroke.
Many hamsters get strokes multiple times, which eventually ends in death because with each subsequent stroke their condition gets worse and worse.
When hamsters survive a stroke they recover in 15-20 days. Post-stroke vets help prevent new strokes and extend our pets’ normal lives.
Vets don’t have many options to treat hamsters, they can only provide more oxygen to prevent further brain damage.
However, even then the hamsters will not be able to live as before, and if the condition worsens and they suffer more and more, then euthanasia may have to be done as a final step.
Strokes in hamsters can pass more easily, that is, the hamster can recover completely and continue with a normal life, but it depends on the stroke and the consequences.
When hamsters have a stroke, all of us as hamster owners should help them as best we can so that they can live as normally or as well as possible.
Unfortunately, the more hits the hamsters have, the worse their condition will be.
How long does it take for hamsters to recover from strokes?
In general, hamsters recover from a stroke in 15-20 days, but again it depends on the stroke itself, the consequences, and the age of the hamster.
If the hamster has brain damage it will not recover as quickly.
While for the future after a stroke, recovery depends on the causes of the stroke and whether it can be treated at all.
What causes stroke in hamsters?
A stroke in hamsters occurs when there is a lack of blood in the brain. In doing so, the blood supply can be reduced or restricted and a stroke occurs.
The artery that feeds the brain with nutrients and blood is broken, it can also be blocked and clotted. In such situations, the brain of the hamsters suffers damage, the cells begin to die.
The following two types of stroke can occur:
- ischemic – when blood flow to the brain is blocked due to a blood clot
- hemorrhagic stroke – when a blood vessel bursts, it starts bleeding inside or on the surface of the brain.
Is it common for hamsters to have a stroke?
Older hamsters tend to have more strokes than younger hamsters. However, this does not mean that a stroke can happen in younger hamsters, and they do have strokes.
There are several risk factors for hamsters that can cause a stroke.
.Here are some of them:
- thickness
- high blood pressure
- Heart diseases
- poor diet with a lot of sugar, fat, and calories
- kidney disease
- tumor
- Cushing’s disease
These factors usually increase the chances of a stroke, although it can happen without prior notice or without any of the factors we mentioned.
Hamsters often know how to hide disease or health problems, and we wonder how the hamster suddenly had a stroke, and we didn’t notice anything unusual.
What are the symptoms of stroke in hamsters?
Hamsters show certain symptoms before they have a stroke and symptoms after a stroke occurs.
The following symptoms appear before a stroke:
- they are too exhausted
- lethargy
- they do not react to the environment
- they cannot play and run
While after a stroke occurs, they have the following post-stroke symptoms:
- bending of one leg
- attacks
- irregular breathing
- lethargy
- paralysis
- instability in movement
- head tilt
- running in circles
Many owners report that their pets behaved strangely before and during the stroke.
Can hamsters die from a stroke?
Yes, hamsters can die from a stroke, but it is still individual for each hamster.
When hamsters experience a stroke, it is very important to respond promptly and immediately take the hamster to a veterinarian.
The sooner the hamster is taken to the vet, the better, in order to reduce the damage from the stroke.
It is a bit problematic to always notice a stroke in time because hamsters know how to easily hide diseases or health problems.
When hamsters have strokes, complications can occur due to infections that make them even more life-threatening.
When hamsters have tumors and heart disease they often kill them and cause problems before they are fatal to our pets.
Read more: How Long Can Hamsters Go Without A Wheel? (Let’s Discover)
How to help hamsters recover faster from a stroke?
When hamsters have a stroke they will recover in a few weeks, but we need to help them to recover faster. Here are some tips to help your hamsters after a stroke.
Make changes to the cage
While your hamster is recovering from a stroke, it’s best to remove all tall toys and other things your hamster uses so they don’t climb and fall.
Post-stroke hamsters will find it difficult to maintain coordination in higher places due to head tilt and can easily fall and injure themselves.
That’s why we should be careful that during the period when he is recovering, he does not have the opportunity to climb high places, the more he is on a flat surface in the cage, the better for his health.
Optimal temperature
Hamsters recovering from a stroke need a normal temperature between 65-75 F to help them heal.
You can also put a thicker layer of bedding on him to warm him up if he is cold, and at the same time, it will help him feel better and calmer.
Hamsters cannot tolerate high and low temperatures, and when they have a stroke, they are even weaker and can get sick more easily.
When they are very cold they may be in temporary hibernation or torpor.
Read more: Can An Abscess Kill A Hamster? (Symptoms, Causes, Treatment)
Talk to your hamster
When the hamster experiences a stroke, you should spend some time with him and talk to him, so that he sees that you love him and care for him.
Speak in a gentle voice and calmly so as not to scare him, and you can touch him a little as a sign of attention from your side.
Although the hamster does not speak, it notices when someone cares for it, and believe me, it will feel better.
Place the cage in a quiet place
After a stroke, it is necessary for the hamster to have a calm atmosphere so that it can recover more easily and faster.
Move the cage to a quiet room and make sure there is light but not directly exposed to direct sunlight.
At night, turn off the light so that the hamster can have the necessary night darkness when it wants to go out for a walk around the cage.
In any case, it is necessary to provide the best conditions in the cage, because most of the time they will spend in the cage until they recover from the stroke.
Nutrition after a stroke
When hamsters have a stroke they may have problems eating and so you will have to help them get their food.
Hamsters will need to drink water so they don’t get dehydrated and if they can’t do it on their own, it’s best to put water in their mouth with a syringe.
When hamsters have a stroke their movement can be difficult and you have to feed them by hand until your pet has recovered enough to eat on its own.
Remove the exercise wheel
When hamsters are recovering from a stroke they should not use the exercise wheel.
If they continue to use it, they may seriously injure themselves, as they will not yet have recovered from the stroke.
Instead of the training wheel, put some low toys at the bottom of the cage so that they don’t climb and get hurt.
Use chew toys, a digging box, a sand bath, and other similar toys and props that suit him while he recovers from a stroke.
FAQs
Why does my hamster keep falling over?
Hamsters keep falling over when they suffer from problems with their vestibular system. The vestibular system in hamsters helps to better balance the body.
Why is my hamster’s head tilted?
When hamsters start tilt their heads this means they have an inner ear infection. Probably bacteria from a dirty environment enter in the ear canal and cause head tilt.
Conclusion
Hamsters can recover from a stroke in 15-20 days, although very often they suffer multiple strokes in the following period.
Hamsters can fully recover from a stroke, and they can have permanent health consequences and die.
If the consequences are too painful then sometimes euthanasia must be done so that the hamster does not suffer.
When hamsters are about to have a stroke, it can be seen by their behavior, they are lethargic, do not move, and do not react to the environment.
When a hamster has a stroke, we must take more care of it, to enable it to heal more easily and quickly.
