This dwarf hamster bit me and Alice, a 4th-year vet student seeing practice at Toa Payoh Vets in Jan 2010. The Roboroskvi did not mind being handled but got   fed up of being handled to be examined so many times. He bit my finger as I checked on him post-operation. Sharp incisor teeth. There was no blood at first. Suddenly the dam burst and I had to wash the blood off my finger. I asked Alice if she had been bitten. She said "Yes". 

This high-speed Roboroskvi was 9 months old. His lady owner brought him in for a consultation as she saw this blackish lump in the lower groin area on the right side. A rather big black lump of 8mm x 4mm appeared on the right inguinal area. What was it? Was it a gangrenous testicle? How did it appear? What to do now?

There was no obvious testicle on the other side. Surgery to remove the lump was the only option.

Zoletil 50 given IM. Growth removed. Skin wound of 6 cm long was stitched with 5/0 absorbable sutures. Hamster was OK and I sent him home to a happy lady owner. I did not send the lump for histopathology as that meant the owner had to pay more. There was considerable bleeding on excision of the growth. Unlike dogs, it would be difficult to clamp below the growth in this hamster. Fine ophthalmic forceps could be used to clamp but there was little space. In any case, this hamster survived.

For hamsters with growths, there is no justification to give antibiotics and hope they will disappear. The vet has to use his or her good judgment as regards ethics and the economics of the practice. Vets must be careful as there may be negligence litigation/complaints if the hamster with an obvious growing tumour is treated with just drugs, powder and some homeopathic/herbal medication.

If the vet does not want to do hamster surgery, it is best to ask the owner to go elsewhere rather than just prescribing some drugs. In this case, a strangulated testicle or gangrenous lump may rot, become infected or ulcerated and kill the hamster after some weeks. 

P.S. Examine speedy dwarf hamsters like the Roboroskvi above a big bowl so that the hamster will drop onto the bowl if they escape your grasp. On the examination table, they may sprint away before the vet assistant or nurse could react and fall off the table!