My hamster got water in his nose and is sneezing. What should I do?

Question

Hi, my little brother squeezed our hamsters water bottle while he was drinking and I think some water might have gotten into his mouth and nose- he sputtered for a minute and I wiped all the water away (I know how because I recently had a litter that I had to feed by hand- I know u can’t force anything down because it can get into their lungs) don’t think thats what happened to him- now he’s sneezing a lot and I’m worried - am I overreacting? Can I help him at home? Pet's info: Small Animal | Hamster | Male | unneutered

Anna M., DVM · Accepted Answer

Hello, and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Poor little Buddy! I can tell you love him and are concerned for his safety. Chances are, Buddy will do just fine. My biggest concern would be exactly what you said: the possibility of aspiration, or accidentally breathing the water into his lungs. Sometimes aspiration can lead to pneumonia, or a lung infection, and that could be life threatening. For now, monitor Buddy closely. There's really nothing to do preemptively for him, and chances are he'll do just fine. But watch him closely, especially his appetite and general attitude over the next couple days. If the sneezing continues more than a couple hours, if he quits eating, or if he suddenly seems to have less energy, then he should be seen by a vet to make sure he's not developing pneumonia. Hope this helps!

My hamster got water in his nose and is sneezing. What should I do?

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