Any possible health issues for a hamster missing an eye?

gizmo · 07-07-2007, 04:49 PM

I finally got my butt to the pet store. (I've been afraid to call or go in, plus been mega busy and figured since they never called me, that it was bad news... but turns out they lost my number). Izzie is still alive. She has lost that eye though. I now need to decide if I should take her back. Any possible health issues with missing an eye? I know she can cope without it, but I'm wondering about possible health issues. I'm assuming the problem was she somehow got it infected or something since it did swell up and got so bad so fast... I can't afford taking her to a vet too much (gonna call up and find out what the price of an actual appointment is since I think they were giving me emergency fees which were ridiculously crazy). No bashing please, I just need to know what possible issues I could face if I took her back with her missing the eye.

Christine Yule · 07-08-2007, 05:26 AM

Do you mean that you are going to take Izzie back and exchange for another hamster?

If that is what you are considering, I wouldn't think that Izzie has much hope of a life if you returned her. The store may try to sell her, but I doubt it. She would most likely be neglected until she dies or else destroyed.

My vet charges me $60 per checkup for my hamsters. But antibiotics are less than $20. If Izzie has all ready lost the eye and there is no sign of infection, she may never have any problem from losing her eye.

I understand about the Vet cost issues. They are expensive, but I don't think getting a different hamster will guarantee that it will be healthy and never have to go to the Vet. I am not trying to be harsh when I say this but, if you think that you just can't or don't want to spend the money if/when your pet gets sick, then it is best not to have a pet.

However, you may decide that little Izzie deserves to be taken care of the best way you can.

Even if it may mean a trip to the Vet in the future. Maybe you will decide that she is worth the sacrifice.

gizmo · 07-08-2007, 06:14 AM

I don't currently have her... She was taken back to the pet store a couple weeks ago do to a serious issue with her eye that I couldn't handle at the time, long story short, she's better now, I just want to see if there will be any health issues due to her missing the eye. I never planned on getting another hamster... I thought she was dead, but just found out she's doing well, just missing the eye.
(I only had her for a week and vets were giving me quotes of $126 just to see her and another $100 for medication depending on the issue.)

Christine Yule · 07-08-2007, 11:26 AM

I don't know where you are in Canada. I am in Ontario and those prices you gave are very high. You should phone around and try to find a Vet that is more reasonable. My Vet realizes that these are hamsters and not dogs and cats and horses. She knows that the prices have to be reasonable. She has suggested some treatments and operations that are very expensive but she always gives me an idea of how successful or unsuccessful it might be. Occassionally, we have opted to put the hamster down rather than spend hundreds of dollars on treatment that has only a slim chance of being successful.

I think that a good Vet will realize that if their prices are too high, then some people are just not going to bring the animals in for treatment and that certainly isn't looking out for the best interests of the animal and they aren't going to make any money, either. Hopefully, they will be willing to compromise a little.

Regardless, if Izzie lost her eye because of an injury and the infection seems to be all cleared up, then she should be fine. But, any hamster can have a serious health issue. Maybe you need to decide if you can afford to take care of her if she needs to go to the Vet in the future.

Hamstermama

gizmo · 07-08-2007, 04:39 PM

Yeah, I'm gonna phone around and find what a normal appointment will cost so I have an idea. I'd like to take Izzie back, just want to make sure I can afford to as I can't be spending $126 just to see her with who knows how much on top of that...

Yeah, she's been back at the pet store for a couple weeks, and I just saw her and she looked pretty good besides the missing eye. I know my mother is against me getting her back (I live on my own though) but I don't want to abandon the poor thing.

Must check with vets first and see if I hear something more reasonable (I'm in the capital of Canada, so there are a lot of vets, just so many are in good bus distance).