The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

By Marta Jesariew (Podrik Hamstery, Poland),

Christina Linde (Lindes Hamsteri, Denmark)
and Tomasz Piasecki (Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, Poland)

Our last observations clearly show that among hamster breeders the knowledge about the
kinked tail is still too slight. What is the kinked tail and what should one be aware of to
reduce the risk of it? What should we be afraid of and what is completely normal?
We tried to put together in this article breeders experience, hoping that it will bring some
clarity to this problem. It is important for us to state that we are not scientists in this field.
This article shows our point of view and brings our personal recommendations.
Kinked tail is a well-known deformation that can occur in dark grey lines, in dgdg
homozygous animals. It can be everything from a small bump on the tail that is not visible
but can be felt, up to a very obvious defect (Fig. 1 - Fig. 3). The kinked tail can be found by
palpation of the tail; you can feel the kink, twist, fold or deformation on the hamsters tail.
During the palpation you have to be very careful, because you can damage the tail during
the examination if the hamster moves or if you do it too hard.

Fig. 1. Picture of kinked-tailed 4-weeks-old hamster (dgdg);

at present 3-months-old hamster, no health issues observed so far

Published online 03-09-2016

M. Jesariew, C. Linde, T. Piasecki 2

The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Fig. 2. Picture of kinked tail; no health issues, turned almost 2 years before dying naturally.

Fig. 3. Picture of a hard case of kinked tail - spinal deformation. Health issues were
observed; hamster suffered from pain, euthanized at age 4 months.

M. Jesariew, C. Linde, T. Piasecki 3

The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Genetics of kinked tail

Kinked tail seems to be located on the same loci of chromosome as dark grey and it is
inherited together with the dg gene. We think that a kinked tail is a defect in the gene and
could be marked as dgk. Description dgkdgk means: dark grey with the kinked tail.
The dgk in heterozygous hamsters (Dgdgk or dgdgk) are free from any sign of the kinked tail
and defected gene cannot be detected by widely available methods (it is possible to be
detected by genetic markers, but this method is not simple and definitely not cheap).
Defected gene can be carried for many generations and can occur unexpectedly during dark
grey breeding. Some breeders also consider that strong inbreed can influence appearance
of dark grey gene defect.
According to our knowledge that ordinary kinked tail is related only to dark grey gene. Of
course - there is always a chance of genetic defects in other colours too (similar to missing
limbs, eyes, ears or any hereditary defects), and hamsters born with spinal deformities
should never be bred. Tail deformities can also be caused by different reasons; eg. damage
of the tail made by mother or other injuries in the nest, too little space in the uterus when we
have a highly plural pregnancy, or the most common reason - tail can be broken; especially
if the hamster is a great jumper.
First-generation hamsters with kinked tail (dgkdgk) often do not have any health issues. If the
deformity is not severe, the hamster can live a fairly normal life as a pet. We just should not
breed hamsters with defects and try to avoid inheriting the defected dgk gene. A threatened
line could be continued only with great knowledge, attention, care and diligence to exclude
defected gene. We have to be conscious, that tail is a part of the spine, and further breeding
of a hamster with the kinked tail increases the risk of birth of the pups with spinal defects,
health problems and high mortality. Probably health problems are connected with the
deformations of the spinal cord.

Broken tail - it is not the same!

We have to be conscious that not every curved tail is the kinked one. There are really plenty
of hamsters which tail is curved because of accidents. Particularly the most exposed for that
are hyperactive pets with high energy - especially jumpers and climbers. If the pet falls down
onto its tail it is quite easy to break it. For a period of time the tail is not rigid, but with time it
heals and stays permanently crooked. The problem of broken tails is greater than one might
think; once in group of 30 hamsters on the hamster show around of them had got curved
tails - some of them even twice.
The simplest method to notice that the tail is broken is regular reviews of your hamsters.
When you often do check-ups, you can notice that hamsters which tails used to be straight
and rigid - now are discontinuous, and later - permanently bent. Be careful and gentle while
doing a check-up; you can break hamsters tail accidentally too.

M. Jesariew, C. Linde, T. Piasecki 4

The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Is it a kinked tail?
As mentioned most kinked tails are not easy to notice by simple observation. Most of the
kinked tails can be found by palpation of the pups tail; you can feel the hamsters tail is bent.
A normal tail is straight with no bumps and kinks. If there is any sort of bumps, that can
indicate the kinked tail, it should be taken seriously! During the palpation you have to be very
careful, because you can break the tail during the examination if the hamster moves or if you
do it too hard.
According to few breeders experience kinked tail occurs among young hamsters. It should
be observed before the hamster turns 2 months. Therefore, it is very important to check the
tail of a young dark grey (or other colours based on dark grey) frequently, to be sure not to
put dark greys with the kinked tails into further breeding. Being honest to other breeders is
very important because of this mutation health.
According to the gained breeders' experience, if the hamster is older than 2 months and has
got straight, healthy tail - we should be calm. If any bump on the tail occurs: it is not kinked
tail, but simply a broken tail injured by playful or jumping hamster. Of course young hamster
also can break its tail during playing, but it is harder to recognise (look at the next section with X-ray photos - we are trying to check that method) and we recommend that breeders
can use the 2-month rule:
Bump present before 2 months old: expect it could be kinked tail
Bump present only after 2 months old: expect it could be a normal breakage.
If kinked tail occurs in all or in majority of dark greys in a litter (all dark grey pups are dgkdgk)
all pups should be ruled out from breeding and sold as pets. They still can have healthy and
happy life, but the gene should not be forwarded. If kinked tail occurs in only one or a few in
a litter also those babies should be ruled out from breeding and sold as pets, but the rest of
the dark greys can be used for breeding but the breeder should be extra aware of the
possibility of these being dgdgk and that this can occur in latter generations (we should warn
other breeders about it and be very careful).

X-ray method
We decided to check the usefulness of diagnostic methods to recognise and avoid kinked
tail problems in hamsters. The question which we set ourselves was: is there a chance to
distinguish between kinked tail (genetic defect) and broken tail (mechanical trauma)?.
Quite simple and relatively accessible method is radiology. We are able to perform X-rays of
caudal spine which can reveal the shape and arrangement of subsequent caudal vertebrae.
X-ray photos were performed after inhaled anesthesia to catch few seconds of hamsters
immobility.
To have a reference we perform X-rays of healthy hamsters - youngster and adult one. We
can observe regular equal vertebrae, consisting of the straight caudal spine section (Fig. 4 Fig. 5).

M. Jesariew, C. Linde, T. Piasecki 5

The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Fig. 4. X-ray of healthy young 3-months-old hamster (dgdg)

Fig. 5. X-ray of healthy adult 1-year-old hamster (Dgdg)

M. Jesariew, C. Linde, T. Piasecki 6

The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster
First case is a hamster which tail was broken two times (Fig. 6). Hamster has no dark grey
genes in its pedigree, and as a youngster used to have a nice straight tail - until he started to
climb and jump very often. Breeder noticed the moment when the tail was broken and
movable and the healing process till bone union - in both times. Tail was visibly and
permanently curved.

Fig. 6. X-ray of broken-tailed adult 1,5-year-old hamster (DgDg - no dark grey gene);
the healing process of broken tail observed by the breeder

Second case is very interesting it is a Syrian with two tail damages: kinked tail and broken
tail (Fig. 7). Hamster is a recessive dark grey gene homozygote. In the X-ray we can see a
defected vertebra, which is visibly shorter than other nearby and bent. Defected part
develops in a different way than other tail bones, and makes the tail curved. Defect was
discovered by palpation in young age.
A bit later this hamster, which is a great jumper too, injured its tail. We think it could be even
easier to break during play, because of a bent shape of tail. Also in this case breeder noticed
the moment when the tail was broken and changed its shape; the X-ray photo show us a
normal size and shape - but tilted last caudal vertebra.

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The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Fig. 7. X-ray of kinked-tailed young 3-months-old hamster (dgdg);

the healing process of broken tail observed by the breeder

Third case is a hamster born with tail defect which can be eye-visible at very early age (Fig.
8). We can observe that the tail is very short and tilted. The development of the young was
completely normal; the only observed distortions were on caudal section of the spine. With
the growing of the hamster and passing of time we are not able to notice any inconveniences
due to the occurrence of the defect - it is only 'a beauty disadvantage'.
When the hamster was 11 months old we performed X-rays (Fig. 9 and Fig. 10). We can see
defected vertebrae, which are combined in one conglomerate. Intervertebral spaces look
fused - probably in the fetal development joints have not been formed. Tail is visibly shorter
than ordinary hamsters tails and bent; defected part makes the tail tilted to the right side.
Defect was discovered by visual observation at young age and is very easy to recognize by
palpation.

M. Jesariew, C. Linde, T. Piasecki 8

The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Fig. 8. Picture of kinked-tailed 2-days-old hamster pup (dgdg);

we can observe short and tilted tail

Fig. 9. X-ray of kinked-tailed hamster (dgdg) from previous picture (Fig. 8.) at 11 months old;
we can observe short, tilted tail and conglomerate created by the combined vertebrae

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The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster

Fig. 10. X-ray of kinked-tailed hamster (dgdg) from previous picture (Fig.8) at 11 months old;
we can observe short, tilted tail and conglomerate created by the combined vertebrae

As pets
Hamsters with a minor bump should be able to live like every other hamster and there are no
obstacles to sell it as a pet. They are just as good pets as every other Syrian hamster. A
hamster with a very deformed tail should be assessed very carefully before selling it as pet,
as a few of those hamsters have health issues and die at an early age. In hard cases
euthanasia can be the best option.

Ideas for the future

The kinked tail in dark grey hamsters seems to be impossible to breed out, but by careful
and considered breeding we could be able to minimize the problem. As recessive mutations
do, kinked tail defect can be hidden for many generations and suddenly occur again. If
mentioned recommendations are followed, no breeder should be blamed; genetics can be
whimsical and dgk can occur after 20 generations or more

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The issue of kinked tail in Syrian hamster
We believe that anyone breeding with dark grey should avoid major issues and take a
responsibility by carefully checking the tails in order to diagnose the kinked tails, share the
information about known carriers present in dark grey pedigrees. The additional key is: not to
blame attentive and careful breeders if the kinked tail occurs; it is hardly possible to check if
the hamster is a kinked tail carrier or not.
We hope that this little article introduces some clarity to the phenomenon of kinked tail and
gives advice how to minimize the number of hamsters with kinked tail. We also recommend
people who do not breed dark greys to stop worrying about dg gene occurring in their lines; it
looks that kinked tail is not related to other mutations than dgk and should not occur in
hamsters which are only heterozygous Dgdgk.
Another advice is about honesty; being honest to other breeders is extremely important for
this mutations health! It is also very important to contact with breeders who sold us parents
of unlucky litter with kinked-tailed-pups; it also can be helpful information for them in the
future.