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Hind Leg Paralysis
There are a number of complications that can cause a condition known as hind leg paralysis in a hamster. This is a condition that affects the animal’s hind legs that become paralysed. Such as spinal trauma, myopathies, viral or bacterial infections, or muscle and bone degeneration through lack of exercise, or a nutritional cause mainly by way of a deficiency in vitamins D and E.
Vitamin D is crucial to the absorption of dietary calcium and phosphorus. If calcium levels are low in the blood the body will respond by dissolving existing bone as it's source of calcium, and it is the biggest bones in the body that are the first casualty of this process, this is the bones around the hip's and hind legs. The loss of calcium can also decrease muscle tone leading to very weak muscles. This can render bones and muscles to become so weak they cannot support their weight.
Most animals that are exposed to natural sunlight are thus assured a source of vitamin D. Herbivorous diets is very likely to contain sufficient vitamin D. However, with improper husbandry and an improper diet a vitamin D deficiency can occur in any species. In pregnant females that are lacking a good source and are deficient in vitamin D are more likely to have babies that are also deficient in vitamin D. This may lead to soft bones and leg deformities in the offspring’s.
In a Syrian male hamster around 6 months of age, the onset of hind leg paralysis (dragging his back legs) could be an indication of hereditary defect. There is no cure for this problem.
Another cause of hind leg paralysis is a condition that can sometimes result from a bacterial infection. This is when the hamster contracts a bacterial intestinal infection, the bacteria involved is Campylobacter: this infection manifests it's self as a severe bout of diarrhea often referred to as Wet Tail although the infection is not always life threatening it can present major health problems. In a case of Campylobacteriosis the hamsters own defence system attacks the nerves of his body.
The PNS (peripheral nervous system) is outside the central nervous system, meaning the brain and spinal cord, and are the outer nerves that control the limbs.
After contracting Campylobacteriosis his own immune system makes antibodies against the components of the Campylobacter bacteria, these antibodies then attacks components of the body's nerve cells because they are chemically similar to the bacterial components.
When this happens paralysis of the hind leg or the whole body can result. In the case of hind leg paralysis this will in due course resolve itself with the pet eventually regaining most of the use of his legs again. With total body paralysis euthanasia may be the only option in this case.
Hind leg paralysis: This 5 week old hamster contracted Campylobacteriosis, the infection was treated successfully. But this left him with his hind legs paralyzed
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After a 10 day course of treatment he is now beginning to regain the use of his hind legs.The left seems a bit stronger than the right one at this stage.
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After a further 10 days of care he has now made a good recovery, and using both back legs quite normally. We have aptly named him Hop-a-Long
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