On the trail of wet tail

Q

We are getting a hamster next week and friends have told us that wet tail is a serious problem in youngsters. Can you advise on what to look out for and how to prevent it?

A

Wet tail is just a term for diarrhoea or enteritis, otherwise known as proliferative enteritis. This mainly affects hamsters between three and eight weeks of age and is most often seen in Syrian hamsters. The loose faeces account for the wetness.

Stress is thought to be the main factor causing the enteritis to develop, and there are many potential stressors in a very young hamster’s life, such as being away from its mother, a change in food and too much handling.

The disease is caused by a pathogenic bacterium proliferating in the intestines. It is also contagious, so when collecting your hamster, be sure that it hasn’t been in contact with other unwell hamsters, and that it is bright-eyed and active.

Signs to look for, apart from the wet tail, are a decrease in appetite, lethargy, remaining in a corner of the cage, a hunched posture and sometimes a change in temperament to grumpiness.

It is as your friends have told you, a serious disease with a high mortality rate. Untreated animals often die within 48 hours, although early veterinary treatment is sometimes successful.

Wet tail is a disease better prevented by initial minimal handling, providing a clean, comfortable cage away from direct sunlight, and avoiding sudden changes in diet.

Q

My cat recently developed lots of small scabs all over its body. The vet biopsied a lesion, which enabled the pathologist to diagnose cowpox infection. Healing should happen within six weeks, but I have been advised to wear gloves and minimise contact with the cat until everything has healed. Is this your experience?

A

Cowpox infection in cats was described for the first time in 1978 and is uncommon. The virus can affect many animals, including humans, where it is mainly a localised disease, often exhibited on the hands.

Good hygiene and wearing gloves is essential until healing has occurred, and young children and immunosuppressed people should avoid contact.

Although called cowpox, it is mainly caught from small rodents, especially voles. Infection in actual cows is very rare. Due to hunting, the cat is the main animal affected. For this reason cases are usually seen in rural areas, where voles are present.

I have only seen one case myself, in a cat that travelled from London to its owner’s second home in the country at weekends where it roamed free.

Infection is transmitted via a bite wound from a rodent carrying the disease.

This may become infected, but over a period of around 10 days the virus multiplies within the body and may cause a fever and decreased appetite.

Generalised skin lesions then appear forming scabs, which eventually fall off with healing of the underlying mini ulcers.

Provided that affected cats are otherwise healthy, healing normally occurs – as your vet has advised – without treatment, although immunosuppressed cats may develop pneumonia.