This is a nasty disease that plagues one of the cutest exotic patients: hamsters.  To call wet tail a disease is an overstatement it’s actually a symptom.  In almost every other species it’s called diarrhea.   The causes of wet tail are many and a few are treatable if caught in time.  Stress is the most common inciting cause of wet tail.  We see the most wet tail cases after a shipment of hamsters arrives at a pet store or after a hamster goes to a new home.   This is a stressful time for a pet and wet tail is most likely to show up at these times.  The actual causes of wet tail are often undetermined but the two most common infections are a bacterial agent in the walls of the colon and a parasite similar to giardia.  If caught in the very earliest stages both of these conditions can be manageable and survival can be possible.   If you or your friends have a hamster that has a wet rear end for more than a day then you need to see a vet right away.  We’d love to help, give us a call at 435-5000.