How to Prevent Skin Disease in Shih Tzu Bear Hamsters

1 Appearance

Compared with other hamsters, the Shih Tzu bear stands out for its abundant, long fur—males are long all over, and both sexes have long fur in places. The coat comes in many colors and looks lovely, and its gentle nature makes it a favorite. But the long fur soils easily, so bathe it on a schedule. If you see shedding or frequent scratching, check the body for skin disease.

2 Causes of Skin Disease

Wrong bedding, such as wood shavings or paper pellets. The long fur traps shavings, causing mats and clumps that lead to skin disease.

Fur left soaked in urine and not cleaned invites large-scale hair loss and even skin ulcers and sores.

Skin disease usually shows as red, swollen, shedding skin. Provide a clean, comfortable home and bathe it; if needed, buy suitable medicine from a pet pharmacy to apply.

3 Treating Skin Disease

Most cases come from fungal or bacterial infection, with shedding and red skin; confirm with a skin test at the clinic. If a visit is hard, at home clip the fur around the spot, clean and disinfect it with saline, then spray on an antifungal or antibacterial drug. Keep the medicine out of the eyes, and keep an Elizabethan collar on throughout treatment so it cannot scratch the spot or lick the medicine and worsen things.

4 How to Prevent It

Being larger than small dwarfs, give it a bigger cage. In hot weather keep the cage cool and dry to stop bacteria from breeding.

Avoid wood shavings, wood pellets, or paper pellets; use cat litter and tissue instead. Litter soaks urine fast, and tissue keeps warmth—both suit this hamster. Also skip hay bedding, which neither deodorizes nor absorbs urine.

Litter-train it with a dedicated toilet so it uses one spot.

Give it small-pet bath sand for daily cleaning.