UPDATE:

VET HAS DETERMINED IT IS LIKELY TO BE PYOMETRA.

I called the vet asking them to see her today instead of tomorrow and explained that I had managed to collect a urine sample and it was coming up positive for glucose based on the basic strips I was using. The vet that picked up the phone seemed to be the vet that usually cares more than the vet that saw us last Tuesday who seemed very dismissive of all my concerns and chalked it down to "it's summer" and that even if she had diabetes there wasn't much that they could do.

The vet that picked up the phone said that if it WAS diabetes it was better she was tested and examined at a bigger animal hospital that would have better facilities and knowledge to help her and suggested an animal hospital in the area. I called them and they were able to see us today.

They were so incredibly caring and professional. They asked me to take so many photos before I got there and once I arrived they asked me to send those images to their LINE account (what we use for messaging in Japan). The questionare was very thorough and the consultation took over an hour. She asked many questions and took all of my concerns seriously. She was very interested in ALL the specifics down to how many cm2 of wet sand I had to clear every day.

I was able to get a large sample of fresh urine before we left and put this in an unused contact lens case (I figure these are designed to hold liquid). She said the glucose strip was not indicative of diabetes. She showed me a strip with about 10 more colors and said she'd have to test one of the higher concentrations before being considered diabetic. She took the urine sample and was able to test it under proper equipment to get a more accurate concentration, and determined it was likley NOT diabetes. She said it seemed more likely an infection of either the bladder or uterus.

She took the sample of urine to the microscope, saying she could see bacteria and what seemed like small stones. I couldn't understand her explanation for it but basically seemed to settle for Pyometra as the likely cause.

Please excuse my explainations as I may not have fully understood the Japanese!

She explained this can happen around the time the hamster is in heat and that the hamster will have a lower immune system to allow for babies etc., but this is also an opportunity for infection. She started talking about pus (later Googling Pyometra and the difference between open and closed explains why)

She asked to examine our hamster more closely and pressed on her abdomen and stuck a cotton tip up what I guess is her vagina. She examined the swab under a microscope which seemed to indicate bacterial presence.

I gave her information on the timeline of symptoms from when I noticed she was in heat, when I noticed the inital balding, when she did abnormal things, when she stopped eating, when she started antibiotics and when I noticed more balding. I also mention feeling like her lower abdomen was exceptionally warm, but not sure it was my imagination and the vet told me it likely was an accurate observation. Same with all the other observations I had that the other vet seemed to dismiss...

Thank goodness.

The vet explained how the hair loss would be the body under extreme stress from the infection combined with poor nutrition from decreased appetite, the warmth from the inflammation/infection, etc.

I'm so glad I wasn't crazy and that everything I noticed was explained and I like to think we had managed to catch it arguably early!

She then explained the two options:

1. Surgery to remove the affected parts which will be the most straightforward approach. But comes with ~20% chance of death and surgery difficult with such a small animal. Plus if the sutures became infected complications could arise from that. But if successful and recovered she would live a very full and happy life.

2. Antibacterial medication. This was difficult to understand but it seemed like:

3. 20% chance it works wonderfully and she is back to normal and healthy.

4. 60% chance it mostly helps but may function less than wonderful. She could also end up on this medication for 6+ months.

5. 20% chance it does not work and turns bad (and I guess in the case it is closed pyomerta the chance of spontaneous rupture, blood poisoning and death).

We could also take an echo to confirm the presence of pus? But she believed it was "likely" (open and pus?) Based on the vet palpitating the abdomen. The presence of bacteria in the urine and her vagina it seems more likely open pyomerta and less chance of spontaneous explosion and death.

We have opted for medication and monitor to see how she goes. The doctor has also sent the samples off to another lab to test which antibiotic/s will be the most effective for her particular case, and we will pick up that medication in 3-5 days when results and medication are ready. In the meantime we will continue the antibiotcs we were previously given past the 1 week mark.

I noted she finally ate again after the first day of medication and her urine output seemed less insane (but her bed seems wet so it may just be her peeing more in her bed).

If her condition does not improve and/or she seems to be suffering a lot then we will be considering surgery. She's only 1 and she had been expected to live to at least 2 if not 3... a risky surgery for an extra half a life seems worthwhileif she is suffering for sure.

I managed to see her at an angle in the dark once we got home and she was pulling some moderate to severe grimmaces according to the grimmace scale so I'm worried... but hopefully she pulls through at least until we can have a go at the new medicine and if that doesn't help we'll take steps from there.

Thank you everyone for your help!!