Cheek pouch

The cheek pouch (Latin saccus paraoralis ) is a blind sac-like protrusion of the buccal mucosa in hamsters. The pockets extend along both sides of the lower jaw to behind the shoulder blade and lie directly under the skin. You have the golden hamster has a capacity of about 20 g, during which up to 50 g is reached at the European hamster.

The opening of the cheek pouch is located on the corner of the mouth in the amount of tooth- gap of the dentition. There is a triangular skin panel folded inwards, which closes the back pocket when the mouth is closed, opening towards the oral cavity. In the wall of the opening of the jaw muscle radiates, which serves as a sphincter. The cheek pouch over muscle ( tensor sacci paraoralis ) arises on the last two thoracic vertebrae and radiates into the rear - top ( posteroinferior ) in the cheek pouch a.

There is a forward projecting, strongly folded fabric on the rear inner wall of the bags. This allows the magnification of the pockets when food is ingested. The well-developed salivary glands - especially the parotid and submandibular gland - make as a lubricant during transport in and out of the back pockets.

Improper feeding with sticky feed, it often comes in hamsters to blockage of the back pockets, which must then be resolved manually. Secondary can then create a back pocket incident.