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Old 03-26-2017, 10:00 AM   #1
HammyHeaven
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Join Date: Mar 2017
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Unhappy Is my hamster dying.. What do I do?

Hi I'm really upset & I need answers fast..
My 3 year old & 2 month old (really old) hamster is really ill...
Yesterday I woke up to see my little hammy (Cookie) was panting
I made him a nest (with cotton bedding) I researched & saw how bad it was
& I feel such a fool. My Syrian Cookie was in bed all day weirdly breathing I took a closer look & his two little eyes were stuck together and hidden behind his fur..
I had to make his nest because he was just so weak & whenever he tried to make it he just went off his legs (very rarely) & at many points wobbled all over the place... He has no energy at all & is too weak to eat my dad & I keep having to force feed & give bland bran flakes and cut grapes and water for him! (Which he barely eats and has two bites of... Whenever I touch him he squeaks which he never does the last time he squeaked was probably when I first got him because he was frightened it just burns me to see my hammy in pain.. Last week he was so hyper & normal! What do I do..? (Right now he's sleeping on my sofa)
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Old 03-26-2017, 10:31 AM   #2
Coco61
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Default Re: Is my hamster dying.. What do I do?

So very sorry to read this but as you realise your hammy has reached a very good age indeed and may be close to the end. I understand how upsetting this is and the urge to do something. We lost a hammy only a few days ago and he went downhill very quickly as they can do when old. Please don't feel you must force feed him. It could stress him out. All you can do is keep him warm - torn up strips of plain white toilet are the best for a nest- then keep water and softened food within reach. You can offer the water bottle to him but don't force it. Or water drops on your finger. Leave a slice of cucumber close by as it it moist. If able to eat, soften food with water, or offer a little porridge on a teaspoon. Don't force anything. Our ham took nothing in the final 24 hours and only water the evening before. It is the way of nature. Just keep an eye on things once he is back in his nest. It will be a gentle and painless way to go. Some pass when kept warm on the chest until the end.
You have obviously loved and cared for him and given him a wonderful life.
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Old 03-26-2017, 10:33 AM   #3
AmityvilleHams
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Default Re: Is my hamster dying.. What do I do?

You need immediate veterinary attention from a vet who knows how to treat hamsters(not just a dog or cat vet,they rarely can treat hamsters properly).If the cotton was ingested(highly likely)then your hamster will have a serious intestinal blockage,which can only be removed with veterinary treatment if it isn't already too late.Grapes aren't helping either,since they're not the healthiest food and are known to cause health problems in various animals.

As for feeding,it won't help if there's a blockage(there probably is)as things won't move through the system properly anyways.This means he won't be able to poop either,which is very dangerous.It will not end well if you don't get veterinary attention,as that is the only thing which will save your hamster at this point
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Old 03-26-2017, 10:44 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Is my hamster dying.. What do I do?

I think, as Coco has said, your extremely old hammy is at the end of his life. I'm so sorry, I know how hard it is, as ours died recently. And I know exactly how you feel when you say you don't know what to do. I waited thinking ours would pass, and he didn't - for days and in the end we took him to the vets to be helped on his way. But Coco's advice is good, to leave him in his nest with food and cucumber nearby so he can have some if he wants, but it sounds like he may be too unwell to want to eat or drink.

Sometimes when they are ready to go they will leave the nest and go somewhere else in the cage as if choosing a place to die. I'm not sure if I understood your message right about the nest, but he may have done this. Keep him warm and comfortable and peaceful, but if he squeaks in pain without you even touching him, it might be kinder to take him to the vets to be helped on his way. You can ask them for a gas anaesthetic first so he is asleep and doesn't feel anything.

I had our Hammy lying on my chest under my bodywarmer, night after night, thinking he was about to go and then he would come round again and perk up and want to eat something. But he didn't go and then he had a prolapse and I decided he needed help. If you feel he is really suffering, then you might need to think about helping him on is way, and as others said to me, you will know if the time is right for that. I do hope his ending is peaceful either way. You can also talk to him gently which will soothe him. And sometimes you can tell them it's ok to go as they hang on for you sometimes. Big hugs.

I wouldn't worry about the cotton bedding or diet right now - he is too poorly for it to matter.
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