poorly Hugo

morticia · 01-13-2015, 12:00 PM

Hi guys, sorry its been a while, major life change has meant been busy busy.

but i have some bad news, i have a very poorly Hugo and i am worried that I am going to have to let him go

He is having respiratory problems and has a swollen eye that is causing him some grief. he has been back and forth to the vets and we are trying to save him but i fear the worst as he has started crying like he is in pain. although he has started eating again. he went from 72g down to 66g in less than three weeks. weighing him tomorrow to see if he is putting it back on.

how do people on here make the decision to put a hamster to sleep, this is my first pet and love is making me want to keep treating him but the brain is telling me that i should let him go as he could be in great pain and i dont want him to suffer just cos i cant make the decision, but then i dont want to put him to sleep just encase he can get better. plus its not helping me financially.

Thin Lizzy · 01-13-2015, 10:56 PM

I know how it feels to want to keep treating him hoping he'll get better.
But sometimes you have to let them go, I've had to make that decision in the past and as much as I loved my hammie, I had her pts so she could be at peace and no longer in pain.
It's heartbreaking but, I know I did the right thing.

cypher · 01-14-2015, 12:00 AM

I've had to make that decision too & it is very hard but we have to put our hams first & do what's best for them, if they're suffering we have to face the heartbreak & let them go in peace. Doing that is a sign of how much we love them even though it hurts so much.
It does sound as though it's time for you to let him go.

racinghamster · 01-14-2015, 05:42 AM

What age is Hugo morticia and what has the vet been prescribing for his problems? A swollen eye could be anything from a minor infection or a tumour, so the vet should be giving you some clues to this. Respiratory problems are usually eradicated with a good strong dose of Baytril and not just for a week. I`ve had pet mice on Baytril for three weeks if they responded to treatment as short courses are not usually enough to eradicate all the bacteria that may be causing the issue. Environmental changes can also bring on the sniffles and sneezes in some small animals.

Have you made any changes recently to his cage or bedding? His diet could be added to also with some added cooked rice, millet spray or anything that might boost his energy. x

morticia · 01-16-2015, 12:25 AM

hi guys,

good news is he has started eating a bit more and drinking loads too which is making me hopeful that his respiritory problem is improving. he has a got a two week dose of some banana flavour meds that i have to syringe into him daily. then its the check up.

I am beginning to wonder if he is older than i was lead to believe, by the shops reconing he is only about a year old now, but i think he is possibly a good few months older.

he has been through many treatments, from a liquid that was put on his food, to eye drops as they thought it may be conjunctivitis, he is getting better at being handled now, but then i think he realises he is going to loose, he has only bitten three vets lol but as i say, he seems to be responding to the current meds. I have reduced his palacial abode to help with catching him and to help with keeping the place clean, i realised that if its an infection it could be lurking in the cage, so its been stripped and cleaned and he only has two compartments to live in now bless him. he has stopped using his wheel though but i hope to hear that rumble soon as he gets better.

as for his eye, well it looks horrible this morning, would say that it is about 30% out his head now which i really dont like. the vet says it is pressure in his eye, not behind it as the first meds we tried didnt make a difference.

Thin Lizzy · 01-17-2015, 09:23 PM

That's good about Hugo eating and drinking more.
I've got my fingers crossed for him.
Has the vet given him anything else for his eye?

morticia · 01-18-2015, 07:50 AM

no the eye is going to be sorted once he is breathing properly. he actually went on his wheel last night which has made me feel good. this morning his eye was less red and oen so i am thinking that he is going to be ok in the long run.

there is just the little issue of his jerking movements that are new, its almost like he is having a coughing fit, so i am hoping that the next weeks improvement will bring an end to that.

jesterdesu · 01-22-2015, 10:35 AM

A year would obv be young to be pts and it sounds like Hugo is fighting back from his illness for now. Hopefully his time wont be for a long while yet, but when that time does come a good vet will likely advise you. We had our little friend pts recently as he had stopped drinking and was barely eating, though he was over 2 and a half and had been showing signs of kidney failure for some months already. The is no easy way unfortunately, but compared to letting them live on on pain and misery, being pts is a blessing few humans are afforded.

That said don't underestimate a hamsters natural fortitude either. They're hardy little creatures with a strong will to live

Thin Lizzy · 01-22-2015, 10:16 PM

How's Hugo doing?
It's been a few days, hope he's okay xx