Sherbet - Health Updates

[SKB_Hamsters]

I haven’t been on forum much in the last week due to Sherbet having an accident on Monday 9th May, and I have been to emotional and tearful and I couldn’t bring myself to post about it.

I wanted to share a briefly update you on what has happened/happening with Sherbet.

• Sherbet sadly had and accident when she managed to get beneath a wardrobe which I still have no idea how she managed to get beneath as the wardrobe is pushed against the wall
• When we got her out, she was frantically running around, she had blood coming from her nose and mouth and she was missing both her top teeth. When I saw her I burst into tears.
• She was rushed to the emergency vet and had to pay an out of hour’s fee of £143.56 and further treatment would be added to that. She was examined and she was missing her teeth and the vet doubts on her recovering as she is nearly 2 years old. I was given some baytril to give her. Total cost was £187.93.
• She been housed in a temporary bin cage with fitch and plenty of houses. She being feed pellets soaked in water, some pureed veg. I tried her on different baby food but she has no interest.
• I returned her to the vets on Thursday 12th May, as I wanted her to checked over again and I had some a few questions I wanted to ask. I saw a different vet but she was more knowledgeable on small animals, but she said Sherbet is improving. I was given a wet food mix to try, some metacam and her baytril dose was corrected. I was having concerns about her weight but she wasn’t eating much at first and one of her eyes kept getting stuck shut but I was reassured that was because one of her nostril was blocked . But she seemed pleased on how I was looking after her and said many people wouldn’t have paid the out of hour’s fee for such a small animal and said she might make a full recovery. This vet trip cost £14.91.
• I have another vet trip booked for Thursday 19th May to check to see if she is still ok and check her teeth, my vets said the don’t like trimming teeth unless it necessary as hamsters teeth are fragile as she doesn’t want to break her good teeth after what she has been through.
• On Sunday Morning, I noticed her scabs on her nose and lip are coming off which is a good sign as she is can breathe a little easier as she not breathing through one nostril
• Sunday evening I checked her teeth and I think one might be starting to come back through
• Sherbets energy levels are gradually increasing but she still enjoys her cuddle time.
• She is getting the occasional treat of some a bit of egg, a few of her treats soaked in water and some finely grated veg.

I will keep everyone update with how Sherbet is doing. I have my fingers crossed that she will continue to fight as Sherbet means the world to me, but every day I’m seeing improvements. But anything can happen but im hoping for the best.

Some important points I want to advise everyone on from my experience as I don't want anyone else to go through what I am.

• Have an Emergency Vet Fund –as I have spent on Sherbet £202.84 for vet treatment, and I have another appointment so that total will increase.
• Find a Vet who will Treat Hamsters – you want to know a vet in advance and have their number to hand in an emergency. I’m lucky to have vet who will treat hamsters who are less than a 5 minute drive from my house.
• Supervise Free Roam Time – Looks carefully and monitor what your hamster is doing, you will see if they are showing interest in something, this may not always stop accidents but will alert you to any places your hamster is trying to get into.
• Block off any gaps including backs of furniture which are against a wall – Even Syrians can fit through tiny gaps, especially if your hamster is determined like Sherbet is.

If anyone has any advice regarding food what food I could also try Sherbet on which can help maintain and gain her weight (she is now 130g when normally she is around 135g to 140g), which is soft and wet, I would greatly appreciate it.

[Thin Lizzy]

Oh what a week from hell. Poor Sherbet and you, that's so frightening but, it looks like Sherbet's a little fighter and I'm so pleased to hear this.
How about giving Sherbet some porridge or baby food, this will be nice and soft and also very tasty.
I'd recommend Cow N Gate Baby Cauliflower Cheese and Heinz Brocolli & Cauliflower Cheese. Those 2 plus the porridge always went well whenever I had a sick ham.
You're doing a really great job with her in taking care of her.
Got my fingers crossed for Sherbet to get well soon. xx

[flowerfairy]

Oh how terrible for you and for Sherbert. So glad that she is on the mend.

I agree about the vet fund and about what tiny gaps they can get through.

Hope all goes well at the vets on Thursday.

[Piebald]

Oh poor Sherbert! How lucky she has you to look after her. Thanks for posting to let everyone know what to watch out for. Wishing her a speedy recovery. xx

[SKB_Hamsters]

Everyone's kind words means a lot so Thank You

Originally Posted by Thin Lizzy

Oh what a week from hell. Poor Sherbet and you, that's so frightening but, it looks like Sherbet's a little fighter and I'm so pleased to hear this.
How about giving Sherbet some porridge or baby food, this will be nice and soft and also very tasty.
I'd recommend Cow N Gate Baby Cauliflower Cheese and Heinz Brocolli & Cauliflower Cheese. Those 2 plus the porridge always went well whenever I had a sick ham.
You're doing a really great job with her in taking care of her.
Got my fingers crossed for Sherbet to get well soon. xx

Thank You so much for your support and I'm hoping she will get better soon as Sherbet is definitely a fighter, when the first vet doubted her ability to recover I thought he doesn't know much about hamsters determination. It was a frightening moment I was terrified she wasn't going to make it to Tuesday morning so it was a relief when I could hear her still alive.

I've tried Sherbet with porridge but she turned her nose up at it but might try again as she feeling better and eating a lot more. I tried baby food but she doesn't seem to want to eat it, I even made her some homemade carrot, cauliflower and cabbage food, by boiling up veg and passing it through a sieve but she didn't eat that either. I think she doesn't like everything being mixed together, but I will look into the ones you suggested,so thanks for the recommendation.

The second vet I saw said Sherbet is lucky to have me as an owner as she saw how much she meant to me and all the effort I made with food for her. When she mentioned about out of hour fees I said I would pay any amount of money to ensure Sherbet is ok.

Originally Posted by flowerfairy

Oh how terrible for you and for Sherbert. So glad that she is on the mend.

I agree about the vet fund and about what tiny gaps they can get through.

Hope all goes well at the vets on Thursday.

Thanks flowerfairy, it been terrible and heartbreaking, seeing her like this the next day I was in tears for most of the day, but when I was sitting next to her cage she came out and wanted a cuddle so as I've been comforting her and she been comforting me!

It's good seeing her getting better but I'm still nervous as I'm aware that anything could happen but I'm hoping for the best. Hoping the vet trip on Thursday will go well too,and I will let you know how she gets on.

Originally Posted by Piebald

Oh poor Sherbert! How lucky she has you to look after her. Thanks for posting to let everyone know what to watch out for. Wishing her a speedy recovery. xx

Thank you Piebald. Sherbet has been through a lot in the last week but she is still remaining strong which I'm glad to see. The vet says she lucky to have me as she saw all the effort I'm putting into making sure she is ok.

[Thin Lizzy]

I too would pay any amount of money to ensure my hamster was ok.

[Pebbles82]

Hi really sorry to hear this x Don't blame yourself. I was just thinking we were chatting recently about Charlie and Sherbet being a similar age and Charlie has just been showing some ageing signs recently. Her teeth were maybe a bit loose and came out easier than you'd think, and seeing the amount of blood must have been pretty scary and upsetting, but they maybe just came out when she chewed the wood on the wardrobe.

It sounds like you have an excellent vet and between you, you have both done a great job for Sherbet.

I noticed Charlie fell over trying to climb into his sputnik recently so have rearranged his cage so most things are at floor level, including his food and water, and put low ramps and steps up to his house roof and shelf so he can get up there easily if he wants to, and taken any climbing toys off the shelves.

I also think he hasn't been eating as much and I think maybe their teeth start hurting when they get older, eating hard things. He has avoided a new chew stick that he normally demolishes and although he is pouching lots of food he does seem a bit thinner. So I'm going to be giving him more soft food.

If you're looking for ideas for soft foods, I just got some baby foods in - after reading all the labels the ones for 4 months seem best as most of them don't have any onion, garlic, leek or spices and herbs (which the older baby foods have).

These are the ones I just got if you're looking for some

Cow & Gate Grandpa's Sunday Lunch Jar 125G 4 Mth+ - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

Cow & Gate Creamed Cottage Pie Jar 125G 4 Mth+ - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

Cow & Gate Baby Cauliflower Cheese Jar 125G 4 Mth+ - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

[Pebbles82]

Cow & Gate Pumpkin And Carrot With Chicken Jar 125G 4 Mth+ - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

Hipp 4 Month Organic Apple And Pear Fruit Pots 2X2x100g - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

This one has sugar in

Hipp 7 Month Organic Rice Pudding Apple And Pear 190G - Groceries - Tesco Groceries

I am so glad Sherbet is making a good recovery x

[SKB_Hamsters]

Thank you so much for your response, Serendipty7000 I have had Sherbet cage set up for an elderly hamster for the last few months even though she hasn't really been showing her age but she has always been clumsy. Sherbet will be 2 at the end of May beginning of June. My vet is excellent with hamsters they really know what they are talking about and I learn things from them too. But I think she is missing her whimzees!

Update- Sherbet has just woken up and something has worried me it seem like something is in her pouch and I don't know whether it's her teeth as I couldn't find them, as another scab has formed beneath her ear which wasn't there before and her teeth that are coming through have a pointed edge. And the scab from her lip has started to come off and she has a cut in the corner of her mouth. Her breath smell so bad which is also worrying me. So have called the vet and they said to bring her down today and I have an appointment for 4:40 today. Im really upset and worried!

[SKB_Hamsters]

I've taken Sherbet to the vets, I'm too upset to give details of what was said but she needs to go back tomorrow to be put under anaesthetic to have a closer look as the vet is worried. I'm scared she might not make it through it and she will be on her own for most of tomorrow in an unfamiliar environment.