To euthanise or not?

[kjwc92]

I've just checked in her, she's not moved position really in the night so I know she hasn't been up, her breathings also changed from fairly fast and heavy to barely making a movement so I'm hoping it's nearly her time and she goes whilst she's sleeping. I feel awful like I'm just waiting for her to die but it's awful to see them when they're so old like this

[cypher]

Don't feel awful, it's hard not to have mixed feelings when their time is close but all you really want is for her to be at peace & not suffer.
I know how hard this is *hugs*

[racinghamster]

It`s good that we have vets to intervene when required. But in the wild, a hamster will often just go to sleep and nature will take it`s course. We don`t like to think about them lingering away like that, but sometimes allowing them some peace in death is better than taking them in to be put to sleep if that seems the more stressful choice when they are already in that closing down state. Obviously if an animal is in distress or showing signs of pain where they are acting that way, then the vet is the better choice every time.

I`ve been through this dilemma a few months back with my Russian hamster who the vet saw three weeks prior to have his teeth looked at, but he also had a chest tumour that the vet said to leave alone. He lasted three weeks further and due to me having to soften his dinner and tend to him due to his eating issues, he did eventually stop eating all of his prepared food and after a few days/nights, he didn`t emerge at all and passed in his nest. It was the tumour that killed him.

It can be more stressful for us watching them go than it is for the hamster. But everyone looks at this differently so do what you think is the best for you and for her in the end. You will find peace whichever you choose. x

[kjwc92]

I don't think she's in pain or suffering really, she seems quite happy sleeping away. I'm just concerned that she can't clean herself so her back end is just getting dirtier and dirtier, she's peeing and pooping fine for now but could this not cause problems if it gets much worse? I wouldn't want it to get so bad that it makes her sore or unable to toilet or something? Otherwise I would probably just leave her because she seems comfy sleeping away x

[racinghamster]

That`s the thing. Sometimes when they slow right down, we think they are ill or not coping when it`s mainly their way of coping with it. The dirty rear end....is she long haired? They still usually manage to groom and clean themselves but if her rear end is very dirty nd your concerned, I would be inclined to get her out one evening on a towel and have a look. Just to be sure she doesn`t have matts in her fur or any loose poo sticking to her fur. x

[kjwc92]

No, she's short haired, I know she doesn't have diahorrea so I'm just assuming she can't clean it because it looks pretty filthy. There is no way she would come out onto a towel. I only saw because I managed to get her in her ball a few nights ago and saw. I can't get a proper long look to see and she won't let me pick her up to examine her, otherwise I would just clean it myself.

She has just taken some scrambled egg off me and ate it in front of me so I think soft foods are the way to go.

[racinghamster]

Yes, it could be that like most hamsters, once they become older they don`t tend to eat as much dry mix and look for additional foods like scrambled egg, porridge, etc...

She`s eating and that`s a great sign. Look at her dry food and see if there is a reason she`s become bored with it. Cook a few pieces of plain pasta as they sometimes enjoy this too. Bash up anything you think she`s not managing. Variety is good, so look at anything and everything you can on food lists and steer away from sugary treats and focus more on comfort, fulfilling foods that will aid her best.

Science Selective is a good biscuit type food that can be softened and used to mash up and it smells like gravy. I found this very useful when my Russian hamster required softer foods.

Don`t worry too much about her back end. If she`s pooing solid poo, it may just be part of how she is and in wintertime, most hamsters won`t venture out when the temps drop during the night. So it`s not that unusual for them to stay in bed a lot. x

[Pebbles82]

It sounds like she's a tired old lady who needs a little bit of tlc and to enjoy her napping Charlie has Science selective soaked these days as an extra. Glad she enjoyed the scrambled egg.

Can't work out how her back end is dirty if she hasn't had diarrhoea, as their poops are quite hard seed like things generally - unless she has pee'd on her hoard and sat on it. I shouldn't worry about it too much. Probably best not to stress her.

[kjwc92]

Her back end has always looked a bit dark anyway but there was definitely pee around it the ther day. She does pee in her potty but I think she'd getting too tired to lift her tail (not sure if that's what you'd call it but the stubby bit that looks like a tail!) so she's effectively just sitting in it when she goes pee. Her poops are tiny but solid but I think that's just because she hasn't been eating.

Her back end has been dirty for over a week now and we've had a hammy with diahorrea before and it doesn't look at all the same, the other one looked like brown gunge, Pebs just looks dirty.

I'll try her with some pasta when I get home. I left some scrambled egg beside her bed in case she wants some while I'm at work so she has something there she can eat. I'm trying to steer clear of veggies and stuff so not to give her diahhorea with her back end being dirty anyway and her not eating anything else.

I just want to be sure I'm doing the right thing by helping her best I can instead of stressing her with the vet. She seems happy enough to sleep and be left alone x

[Pebbles82]

She might enjoy a little piece of banana later Our Syrian goes crazy for banana - banana does the opposite of making bowels loose