Oaky's Diary

[Hamster Haven]

Here is some video and photos of Okay. I think she comes out about 2x a day, at least that I notice. She takes her time foraging and then returns to her hideout. My vet had told me I could cancel my follow-up and just monitor, since her infection had cleared up, but I think I might keep her follow-up (in 2 weeks)- to have her eyes and weight monitored- I thought I felt ribs when I was petting her the other night, even though she also still looks bottom heavy.

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[Maz]

She's very sweet She does seem to have slowed down and just foraging at her own pace. But she seems ok. I can't really tell if she looks enlarged or not really - do you think she might have some discomfort - walking slowly? It's hard to tell what's what with them sometimes. It's quite common for them to start feeling a bit bony when they get older though.

 

[Hamster Haven]

She's very sweet She does seem to have slowed down and just foraging at her own pace. But she seems ok. I can't really tell if she looks enlarged or not really - do you think she might have some discomfort - walking slowly? It's hard to tell what's what with them sometimes. It's quite common for them to start feeling a bit bony when they get older though.

Yeah- it's super hard for me to tell. I'm assuming that some level of pain has affected her movement, but I feel like there's not much I can do beyond the metacam. I can't see any specific movement that looks like she is trying to make up for pain- just general slow movement and no interest in climbing into my hand or a transport to get out. I think her eyes are fine now, but of course, I sort of perseverate on it. That's why I'm thinking I'll keep the follow- up- even if it's just to reassure me that she's a good as she can be now.

We do have a nice new tradition now. I received some coconut meat shavings (flakes,I guess) in a hamster advent calendar. She definitely likes those.So after she gets her metacam in the evening, I hand her a little coconut flake and then let her go back to sleep.

 

[Maz]

Aw that does sound like a nice little tradition. Yes that's all you can do is give the metacam. I wondered if she might behave differently out of the cage. Sometimes they really perk up then. It could be a way of observing her. ie if she still moves slowly.

 

[Hamster Haven]

RIP Oaky :/
I noticed over the past several days that Oaky might not be coming out twice a day anymore, but it was hard to tell. I still gave her daily metacam and snacks. The last couple of nights I even took her water bottle and gave it to her to drink after her medicine and snack, since I knew she would return to sleeping, but might be thirsty. I had thought about bumping up her 3/28 vet follow-up to a weeknight this week, but when I went to check in her Sunday morning, she had passed in her sleep.

I still wish I had taken her to the vet sooner in Nov/ Dec, but I know that at least I was able to improve her illness in January and give her some pain relief and care. Up until the past few days, she would still forage for food nightly.

I am so thankful for how she taught me about how incredibly different a female hamster can behave from a male (even though I know some is personality). She also taught me not to be quick to judge personality when they're new and young. In some ways, she became a favorite of mine, and I wish she had had a longer, illness-free life, but I know we did our best to take care of her. I'll post this in the Rainbow Bridge, too.

 

[Maz]

I am so sorry. That must have been quite a shock. She's playing free over the Rainbow Bridge now . It's so hard to tell what is going on with them sometimes. I'm sorry she didn't live longer too.