Acorn, my first hamster, is getting very old and doddery now

He went to the vets for the first and only time about a month ago for a nail trim and the vet checked him over then. Apart from the nails he was OK. Teeth and everything were fine (I can never get him to open his mouth for me )

Over the last few weeks though he's gettting thinner and his fur is thinning. I had to redo his nails for him last night (and he let me do them without someone else to help hold and clip). He's still eating, drinking and running on his wheel. But he's finding it harder to womble about his cage (don't know if he's had a mini stroke or is just getting old). He must be over 2 now, but I'm not sure his exact age (I've had him 2 years, he was about 3 months I think when I got him).

I'm feeding him extra treats to try and keep his weight up and strengthen him. He's wolfed down some cheese, baby food and ham over the past few days. He's also in a smaller section of his cage, so he doesn't have to struggle to get to his food, water or bedding (he used to zip up and down his tubes).

Is there any point in stressing him taking him to the vets again to have another check up? I'm not thinking the vet can do anything else for him as at over 2 he is an old man now. Roborovskis in theory can live to 3.5 years, but he's from a rodent farm as far as I know P@H hamster), so I doubt his got the best genes.

I've never had a really old aged hamster apart from Marvin and he was different as he was disabled when I rescued him. All my previous RIP hamsters have died from illnesses or in their sleep.

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The weight loss/ thinning fur sound like cushings disease to me. I don't know what the treatment is though.

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Cara,
Owned by Fern, Heidi, Asteroid, Bubbles & Fizz
Missing Snippet, Frost, Willow & Nix


Opinions are like armpits. Everyone has them, and some stink.

I thought that at first. But it's more thinner fur all over than patches on his rear missing. Though he has a small patch on his head, I though that he might have scratched himself with his overgrown nails, because that's what it looked more like. Looking at my other robos, they're just fluffier all over. Also I thought hamsters got Cushing's slightly earlier in their lifespan?

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Acorn is back from the rodent vet.

Vet thinks the fur thinning is probably due to demodex mites and so Acorn has a prescription of Ivermectin. If the drops don't work then he'll go back in 3 weeks for another examination and skin scraping, the vet didn't want to do it straight away due to his advanced age.

The vet seemed to think he was still very lively for his age. I did point out it's a lot easier to pick him up now and he has slowed down from his younger days

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Yeah just sounds like old age am afraid. Roma lost fur and lost weight before she passed. But she slept most of the day so hopefully your little robo has some decent time left!!

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MY ZOO-LET
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