Wet-tail

Wet-tail, wet-bottom or proliferative ileitis, is a disease of hamsters. It is precipitated by stress. Even with treatment, the animal can die within 48 hours.^[1] Baby hamsters are much more likely to get the disease than older hamsters. It is commonly found when the hamster is being weaned at about four weeks of age.

Wet-bottom in a hamster

Causes

Wet-tail is a disease in the animal's intestines caused by the bacteria, Lawsonia intracellularis.^[2] Wet-tail is a stress related illness—such stress can be caused by a variety of factors, including too much handling, change in environment/diet, extremely unclean caging, separation from mother/siblings before they were ready to be weaned, and improper caging.

Symptoms

The symptoms may not appear for several days. The main symptom is the animal has a wet tail, matted with faeces. Other signs of the disease are:^[1]

• Odour
• Diarrhoea
• Lethargy
• Lack of appetite
• Excessive sleeping
• Walking with a hunched back
• Unusual or staggered movement
• Folded ears
• Unusual temper (biting or nipping)

Treatment

Antibiotics can be used to treat wet-tail.^[3]