As to what is the cause of so many warts, it is hard to say. It is reported that young dogs with immature immune system get warts or viral papillomas but this Shih Tzu is already 12 years old and is in good bodily condition. There is something stressful for him - his right ear has a stinking pus. Will the bacteria in this right ear reduce his immune system over the years? It is hard to say.

In old dogs, proper planning and anaesthetic observations by an assistant are very important. Clipping of coat and IV drip prior to surgery help to reduce anaesthetic time. All owners are worried but many expect a dog to be alive at the end of surgery.  It is understandable that some vets in Singapore do not want to perform anaesthesia in old dogs.
 

"What is the problem with my babies?" asked Ms Chin, a successful manageress of a shopping mall. "Two healthy hamsters of less than 10 months of age and their back sides were not only bare, but also are graying with pigmentation.  Can you tell me what's wrong?"

Phone consultations are free.  In this case, it was just not possible to diagnose skin problems over the phone as there are many causes of hair loss in animals and people.

Ms Chin brought in her babies.  She was correct in her description of the problem of hair loss.

Do hamsters suffer from boredom and get mental problems associated with the lack of attention from the owner who had to go to work, so called "separation anxiety in the dog which goes about messing up the furniture once the owner leaves the house".   Or the loss of freedom to roam and burrow and suffer the risk be killed by predators?

In caged or stabled animals, long periods of confinement are said to make some animals bored.  This leads to a behavioral problem, defined as "compulsive disorder". In this disorder, the hamster grooms its back sides so frequently that no hair will grow. Due to continual irritation, the skin pigments gather to form a dark hyperpigmented skin. 

In this case, the two hamsters have the same problem. It seems logical to conclude that they have a behavioral problem, grooming each other excessively or excessively grooming their back sides themselves. One may adopt this habit after observing another hamster doing it.  It may be hard to break this habit.

The hamster behaviour experts will propose that a video camera be installed to spy on its habits of grooming, but this is getting too expensive for the ordinary hamster owner!

Some pet shops may recommend anti-flea sprays. Or maybe an anti-licking spray. These sprays may intoxicate the hamster as it grooms itself to get rid of the smell.  Being so small, a small amount of insecticide will damage its heart and kidneys, causing death.

Do other animals suffer from this problem of compulsive and excessive grooming?  The cat is said to suffer from a similar problem called pyschogenic alopecia.  Nobody knows why the cat does it too. There are drugs to reduce this problem in the cat. 

An anti-inflammatory and antibiotic injection may be helpful in some cases but the hamsters may need to be anaesthesized first as no self respecting rodent will take an injection without biting the veterinarian.  The cost may be much more than just going out to buy a new hamster!  Ms Chin preferred not to treat the hamsters as she did not want them to risk dying under anaesthesia.

See a case at: The hamster with skin warts