Hamster has a tumor? :(

[AnimalsComeFirst]

My 1 year old siberian Dwarf hamster, Bear, has been living life very well for the past couple months since I got him. He still loves to run on his wheel, come out of his cage to play, visits me and loves to be held and given kisses and snuggled up to my cheek, and still stuffs his cheeks full of seeds. He is acting completely normal, but yesterday I noticed a lump on his left side. Its about the size of a penny, and it seems to be slowly growing. I can't afford to take him to the vet, but is there anything I can do? Home remedys? Has anyone dealt with this before? Does it... does it kill him after a few weeks, months?

 

[CGinJCMO]

I sorry, but I don't know about tumors. I had a pair of male hamsters as a kid and I just let nature take it's course because the closest vet to me would have been for larger animals (farm livestock and dogs). Except for the color, your's looks like mine. My son now has a dwarf hamster and it's the chubbiest looking thing - and it boxes me whenever my hand is near (and bit me once). We haven't had him long so hopefully he'll get used to us in time. We wouldn't notice any lumps on him because he doesn't let us pick him up yet.

I love the pretty gray/blue of your hamster. Hopefully, you'll get some answers soon.

CG

 

[FireTigeris]

I've had rats who are more prone to tumors, I have to have a special rat vet because most vets consider rodents 'exotic'.

tiny animals tend not to wake up under sedation.

Feed him more fresh food if you can stay away from sugar and starchy foods.

As long as he gets around well and he's not picking at it you can leave it.

(are you sure it's not an abscess?)

eventually if it is a tumor you will have to take him in to be PTS (put to sleep) my vet charges $80 - the method I would recommend is sedation via a tent then the thrombic shot.

Abscess can be treated by debrising (cleaning) and antibiotics.