Heartbroken, and I may of caused it.

Stardust79 · 12-06-2017, 04:36 PM

So I posted 2 weeks ago when Cookie had Wet Tail, or diarreah. She was treated at home after seeing the vet. She was on 0.3ml of Baytril for 7 days, in her water bottle with pro biotic mixed in her water with it. Her course of Baytril ended Friday night and she had recovered. Was dry, eating and drinking normally and playing on her wheel. Monday her diarreah was back, so I dropped 0.7ml of Baytril on a tiny bit of hard boiled egg, called the vets the next morning (Yesterday) They said continue with the baytril for 3 days. Last night she drank 10ml of water in a matter of hours, looked unsteady on her feet, but otherwise was eating. I dropped more baytril on a little egg and went to bed. Woke up today and gasped that I realised I gave her 0.1.7ml of baytril, checked on her and found her passed away under her bridge. She had eaten all of the egg. I feel so sick that not only did she pass away, but what is really hurting me is that I may of caused it by accidentally giving her too much Baytril. I don't know what happened. I looked at the syringe 4 times last night, as I always do out of paranoia that I am giving the correct dose. I don't know why I drew 0.1.7ml instead of 0.07. The vet didn't discuss doses with me yesterday, and the dose changed 3 times during her treatment as it was going in water, then it wasn't. But I am in bits. To think I killed my beloved hamster. I know for a hamster so tiny, a roborovski, that amount is way too much. It appears that all she did when I went to bed was eat the egg then pass away, as there was no sign that she had been on her wheel or touched her normal dry food. Am so heartbroken, and what is so much worse is I truly believe my mistake killed her. RIP Cookie

Pebbles82 · 12-06-2017, 05:25 PM

I am so sorry. But it could just have been her time. She had had a nasty illness and sometimes they just go when the heart is weak. I doubt the difference in Baytril dose will have made that much difference. It is normal to feel guilt after the loss of a pet and think it's your fault, but it isn't. You cared for her and looked after her with dedication, and she had been struggling for some time.

I am sorry for your loss - but she passed quietly and peacefully after having had wet tail, and it could have been so much worse. xxx

Stardust79 · 12-06-2017, 05:50 PM

Thank you Serendipity, you have made me feel a little better. She was only 6 months old. I have never lost a hamster so young, I feel I never got to really know her, as her behaviour was strange from the day I brought her home. She would never come out when I was awake, and despite very very slow taming, with just leaving my hand on the bottom of the cage, she never adjusted to me. In the end I had to stop the taming, as she was so so terrified of my hand, and would bounce around the cage trying to hide from me. I accepted that she would be a silent pet

Just so heartbroken tonight. I know I didn't really know her, but I loved her, and she was here. She was a fighter, and I was fighting for her to pull through this. But unfortunately it came to an end this afternoon. Thank you all for your support on both of my threads, when Cookie was very unwell 2 weeks ago. I shall miss her little noises. x

dreamtree1234 · 12-06-2017, 09:02 PM

I am so very sorry to hear of your loss of Cookie. You love her and did the very best you could to try to make her better. Although she didn't interact much with you, I'm sure she felt all your love and care. Please try your best not to blame yourself. Wet tail is really hard for a hamster to overcome so it was probably sadly just her time to pass to the bridge. Your care prolonged her life for a few extra days and allowed her to enjoy herself on the wheel and have a bit of extra fun before she passed. That was a blessing that she died peacefully and her final days were good. RIP, little Cookie. Hugs to you, Stardust.

cypher · 12-06-2017, 10:36 PM

I'm so sorry for your loss, I agree that the dose of baytril is unlikely to have killed her, she was fighting a really bad illness & it may just be a coincidence that she lost her fight the night you gave her too much of the meds, try not to feel guilty, you did your very best for her & gave her all the love she could have wished for, you couldn't have done more.
Her behaviour & the difficulty you had taming & bonding with her suggests to me that she may have had some kind of problem or weakness from the start, if she was never entirely well or had some kind of genetic/congenital weakness then although not obvious is could have been enough to make her feel vulnerable.

Angie B · 12-07-2017, 03:59 AM

Aww please don't beat yourself up, baytril is an antibiotic, so is probably unlikely to have contributed to her passing. As others have said already, she was poorly anyway and you were doing your best with her so maybe, sadly, it was just her time and the accidental overdose was just a coincidence and she would have passed anyway. RIP little Cookie x

BluerayDarkes · 12-07-2017, 04:31 AM

You did all that you could for your little one, try not to beat yourself up it didn't do anything wrong. Play well at the bridge Cookie

Stardust79 · 12-07-2017, 09:00 AM

Thank you all for your kind words. So upset today. I honestly thought at the weekend that she would be okay, as she had come through it. It's always heartbreaking losing our fur babies, it's just hard to accept when you lose them so young before their time. I have only dealt with wet tail once before, in my 20 years of having hamster's. Thankfully, the first time years ago, the outcome was a great one. Sadly for Cookie, despite fast treatment, she was just too tiny and fragile. Thank you all for your replies.

Pebbles82 · 12-07-2017, 11:17 AM

Yes it's such a rollercoaster - I've been through it with an older hamster but so sad when they are young. You must really miss her, but you need to focus on the happy time she had with you and how she had a home and an owner who wanted her, rather than spending six months in a pet shop and then dying of wet tail.

I agree that there must have been some problem for her to get wet tail.

It helps when you've had some kind of burial or memorial for your hammy and can say goodbye and move on properly.

These may help at the moment xxx

Pet loss - where to find help, tips and comfort on the loss of a pet.

The Rainbow Bridge

astrid · 12-07-2017, 11:19 AM

I am so sorry for your loss. Don't blame yourself, you've done all you could to save her.