terminally ill hamster, wondering what to do

[carlos4242]

Hi all, I'm new here. I thought I might find sympathetic people who can give kind advice.

Our lovely hamster snowdrop (she is pure white!) has been a lot of fun, we got her 15 months ago, we think she's about 17 months old. She has always been a really good natured little girl(? we aren't sure if she's a boy tbh but it doesn't matter). She loves to snack, run around her cage, organising it, climb the bars and always pops up to say hello when she hears us during her active hours. She doesn't mind being handled and only bit once (when she was a baby). She is my 9 year old daughter's hamster and my daughter adores her, although she was clear right from the start that hamsters live 18-24 months so our little friend would only be with us for a season... she still managed to help us through a big move to a new city, and always cheered us up after hard days.

A week or two before Easter, I noticed a strange lesion appear under her chin. About the size of a dime, it looked raw and I was a bit concerned, we changed her bedding, tried to make sure there was nothing sharp in there that she might have scratched herself on during her nightly antics. After a couple of weeks it wasn't getting better and we noticed some hair loss on her tummy. So we booked the vet asap.

By the time we got her to the vet about a week later the stomach patch had got much worse and both had turned dark and started to smell.

The vet confirmed the worst. Their belief was it was a form of skin cancer that was causing complications, and secondary infection. They gave her some pain relief, some anti mite jab and some antibiotics for us to administer at home, twice a day.

The vet said we could do a biopsy but it would be very expensive and there was no point. In his words "it's almost certain that it's this cancer, if it's just some other infection the antibiotics will clear it up, but if it's cancer the prognosis isn't good".

I came home with a bit of a heavy heart that day. I just told my daughter Snowdrop is sick and needs medicine but didn't mention the cancer diagnosis.

In the two weeks or so since then it's got so much worse .... she doesn't move much any more, she spends most of the day and nights sleeping, breathing rapidly and a bit laboured.

I feel so sorry for her and don't know what to do. Every sign is that this is the end. My daughter said a brave, private, tearful goodbye to her tonight. But snowdrop just seems to keep on clinging to life! Other hamsters I've had just went from looking fine to dropping dead one day, so this is surprising.

Part of me feels like it should end, quietly, peacefully. But unless she's in agony and unable to eat/drink/move, screaming in pain, I hate the thought of hastening her demise in any way.

Most people say that we just have to let nature take it's course. Tonight me and the two kids traded funny stories about her life... the way she used to swing from the bars like Tarzan, or when she stuffed so many grapes in her cheeks that she could barely walk!

Anyway, not sure what advice anyone has. Maybe at this point it's just sympathy, but I'd really like to know what to expect and when, if anyone knows, so I can prepare my daughter and my (young) son.

Hamster Dad in London

 

[Maz]

Hello. I'm so glad you found us. I am so sorry Snowdrop and you and your children are going through this. This is honestly a situation where the kindest thing to do is let the vet help her on her way. She is clearly suffering and unfortunately pain relief medication for hamsters isn't enough for cancer. So the only option for relief of pain and suffering when it gets beyond usual medication, is the endless sleep option.

"Nature taking it's course" can be quite cruel at times as hamsters have a survival instinct and will try and keep going and yes they can sometimes take a long time to die and it be a very painful slow process - so helping them on their way is to prevent further suffering.

Cancer is a very slow, very painful death for a hamster and helping her on her way is the kindest thing to do.

Hamsters are also prey animals so they are very good at hiding pain and suffering and by the time we realise they have it, they have probably had it for quite some time.

I am so sorry you and your children are having this. But Snowdrop sounds like she needs a helping hand. It's the kindest thing to do. They pass peacefully.

I would contact the vet tomorrow and take her in and to be honest I'm surprised your vet didn't suggest this earlier.

What happens is the hamster has some anaesthetic gas, as if they were having an operation, so they are asleep and anaesthetised and then they have an injection. So they just go to sleep peacefully. However I would check that your vet surgery does the anaesthetic gas first. Not all vets do that. I would only take a hamster to a vet that does do the anaesthetic gas first so the hamster doesn't have fear or know anything about it. If they don't, phone a different vet.

Some vets also have an option to have a paw print cast of the hamster for you to keep as a small memorial. But there are other ways of having a little memorial.

Our first hamster had to be put to sleep and what we told our 8 year old was - we were taking the hamster to the vets because he was poorly. And then later that unfortunately the hamster had now gone to hamster heaven. It can be easier to leave them for cremation in this situation but that can be expensive. Or you can bring the hamster home for a burial and a little goodbye ceremony.

It is the kindest thing you can do. And also kinder to the children to take the hamster to the vet and then explain that Snowdrop has gone to Hamster Heaven.

It's also better a day too soon than a day too late. ie don't wait until it's that crisis situation.

Out of all the hamsters I've had only two passed in their cage - one quite suddenly and the other fairly unexpectedly. I also didn't like the idea of having to choose that option, but I feel differently now and see it as an act of love and kindness for a hamster because there isn't palliative care available for hamsters.

She needs your help to end the suffering. I hope this helps.

I've edited your post a bit.

 

[Amy]

I am so sorry but I also fully agree with Maz the sooner the better. this is one thing we can at least do for our pets: help them to avoid a terrible and painful suffering. I feel so sorry for you and the children, but it would be the most kindest thing you can do for her