My hamster has something in its cheek. What is it and what to do?

I can't really see properly as the pictures are very blurry but it is likely to be his cheek pouch that is protruding outside, you will have to take him to the vet ASAP, the pouch will need to either been sutured back inside or removed surgically.

This could be an impacted cheek, an abscess or a tumor. Your vet may want to sedate Neville in order to properly look into the cheek without causing him too much stress. If Neville has an impaction, the vet will remove the food and check the pocket and teeth for injury or reasons for the impaction. If he finds an abscess, which could easily occur when some spiky food causes an injury, he will likely drain and flush it. As for a tumor, he may suggest to remove it or not. That will depend on the type of tumor and the size and also on the age of your hamster.

Thanks for reaching out about Millie and including photos. Hamsters get wart-like keratin growths that are rarely painful but can get quite large. A veterinary visit can assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Hamlet and including a photo. If this is an everted cheek pouch, a veterinary visit is a necessity. He will likely be chewing on it and will become infected. It is understandable that anesthetic is a risk but return and suturing of the pouch is needed. Good luck.

You are right in thinking this is unusual for a mouse. It is possible for food to get caught in the space between the chewing teeth and the cheek. Sometimes this happens if the there is dental disease, particularly a malocclusion of the teeth. It is possible for the food pellet to be too dry and that is why it could be lodged/stuck there. Lastly, there could be tissue swelling, such as a dental abscess that is at this location and it is not food at all. If your mouse will let you safely look in the mouth using a q-tip or a popsicle stick, I would start there. You may need a flashlight to help you be able to see as well. If this causes Nutmeg to stop eating, traumatize the skin around the mouth and become lethargic, then I recommend having her examined by your veterinarian.

Thanks for reaching out about Mango and including a photo. With the picture, eyes appear closed, likely due to illness. A swollen cheek can be due to food but also a possible infection. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

Hi, and thanks for your question. Even though I cannot see very well from the pic you upload unfortunately, this presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to approach the problem. Euthanasia should be considered only this lesion is causing severe inappetence. Hope this answer was helpful, but please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further. If this answer was helpful please let us know, this will be used to improve our service!