Sick, Sleepy, Hibernating, or just a worried owner?

[BrainGirl]

Thanks DrKMcK, I think I am in a bit of shock I think. Luckily in spite of thinking I was overreacting from the start I decided to not touch Peach at all and washed my hands carefully every time I had to handle Timmy. I really thought he just had a touch of cold, for it to suddenly turn into wet tail and for him to go downhill so fast I just can't wrap my head around! The vet thought his immune system must have been suppressed but I don't know by what unless he really did have a cold and that was enough to give it a foothold. Or maybe he always was immunocompromised, he did seem a little weaker and slower than his sister. He was a little underweight when I got him too and it took a lot of feeding up to get him to put weight on.

[BrainGirl]

Actually, Timmy never even made it to his second antib injection. By about 7pm he was no longer able to swallow, had agonal breathing, and had lost his corneal reflex so I knew he was in a coma. I decided just to wrap him up in fleece and keep him warm rather than subject him to force feeding that would probably cause him to choke.

[DrKMcK]

They are often more fragile than we realize and once a sickness takes hold it doesn't take much to become critical. I'm glad you "over reacted". We should all do that whenever one hammy, or even we ourselves, are sick. I hope Peaches is okay. That would totally freak me out, happening so fast. I'm used to when they get old and start to go downhill. Not one day they are well, and the next seriously sick, then gone. That's always hard to deal with. {hugs}

[BrainGirl]

Just had a call from one of the staff at the clinic. My vet is off today so they found someone else to talk to me. Unfortunately she didn't really know what answer to give me about whether to treat Peach with the antibiotics even though she doesn't have any symptoms.

[fluffydd]

I'm so sorry that you lost Timmy like that. It must have been such a shock.