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Old 09-30-2019, 12:14 PM   #1
Shadow Cat
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Join Date: Jun 2018
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Default Feeling guilty

Hi guys. I've not been around for a while but I hope you're all well.

I think I'm looking for some reassurance really, but I'm feeling pretty guilty and looking for some advice.

My syrian hamster is pretty old, although I adopted him so I don't know exactly how old. He's losing his fur and his eyesight and his balance, but he still seemed active and with a decent quality of life until last week.

On wednesday I noticed he had a spot of diarrea. I stopped feeding him fresh food and made sure he was still eating and drinking. I thought better safe than sorry though and made an apointment at the vets and took him on friday evening. The vet was lovely and said he looked healthly apart from the diarrea. She gav me some probiotic medcine to give him. She said I had done the right thing bringing him in and I thought I had but now I'm not so sure. I fear the stress of that trip, even though it was a lot less stressful than his last checkup because the vet this time was skilled with small animals and the one last time was not, has been too much for him.

Since friday he's had a lot less energy and is sleeping a lot less. I got him out of his cage just now to give him his last dose of medcine and he didn't seem at all right.

I know he's old and I was expecting him to pass any day, but I now feel guilty that if I'djust left him alone and cut fresh food out of his diet only he would have got better on his own and I didn't need to take him to the vet.

Maybe he's just still feeling poorly from his stomach upset and will perk up soon but I'm not hopeful. Should I just leave him alone and not try to handle him any more? It sounds silly but in my head I think he'll think I've stopped caring if I don't interact with him.

This is a long rambly post and I'm sorry for that. I'm sad because I know he will probably pass soon but I feel just horrible that my concern to get him the care I though he needed has somehow sped up the process.
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Old 09-30-2019, 12:31 PM   #2
LunaTheHamster1
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Posts: 2,593
Default Re: Feeling guilty

To be honest I read a lot of times how people worry about going to the vets because they worry their hamster is going to stress out. I too worried about this, but sometimes it is necessary to take our little hamsters to the vets and I don't think it stresses them out as much as some people seem to think it will.
This is only my experience, I was so scared to take my Luna to the vets thinking It was going to be too much for her, she has been so many times now that I have lost count.

Don't be so hard on yourself, you are just doing the best you can and it can be so hard to know what our hamsters need when they are not quite themselves.

I would just give your hamster some quiet time and maybe a treat or two if he will take it. Your hamster may have slowed down even more, even without the vets visit.
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Old 10-05-2019, 06:18 PM   #3
Shadow Cat
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Default Re: Feeling guilty

I hear you, but I really think I did the wrong thing. Last wednesday he still seemed active despite having diarrea, and even when he was at the vets last friday he was still moving around and she checked him over and said he still seemed quite healthy. Since I brought him home, he's stayed in his nest mostly, and I'm not sure he's eaten or drunk anything in the last couple of days. I picked him up just now and he was still breathing but felt quite cold and heavy and barely reacted.

I know he's old, and naturally coming to the end of his life . And I don't know if I just wasn't seeing it before, but it seems like he's gone downhill very quickly.

I don't think taking him to the vets again would do any good. It's been a long time since I've had another hamster, and so I don't remember if this just happens quickly. It's not particularly cold in my room but I've put a blanket around his cage to try and keep some heat in.

I don't know if there's anything I can do. My instinct tells me to just leave him alone and let him pass naturally but is that wrong?

I'm rambling now. It's almost 2:30am and I'm sick with worry and guilt.
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Old 10-06-2019, 01:21 AM   #4
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Feeling guilty

Please try not to worry. Has he still got diarrhoea or has the medication helped with that. It is more likely the medication that is making him feel unwell. You absolutely did the right thing taking him to the vets because diarrhoea can be life threatening. It sounds like there is something going on with him that the vet didn’t spot and that he is in his twilight time. Try putting his good and water very close to his nest and put some water in a little shall dish (eg a cleaned out jar lid). He may be dehydrated if he has had diarrhoea and isn’t drinking.

If he isn’t eating and drinking though and is unwell that does suggest he is near his time and this is a natural progress ion from whatever was causing the disrrhoea. If he seems the way you described it is probably best to leave him safe and comfy in his familiar nest if you think he is near his time.

It is hard when it is their time to leave us but a vet visit wouldn’t cause this.
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Old 10-06-2019, 01:26 AM   #5
Pebbles82
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Default Re: Feeling guilty

Edit. Just saw that the medication was probiotic so that is unlikely to make him ill. He is just near his time as very old. You mentioned balance problems which indicate this also. If he is very old his organs will be starting to fail. The vet visit has not caused this. It can come on very quickly. I know - our Syrian failed very quickly after some balance problems. Just talk to him and keep him comfy. If he has stopped eating and drinking he is probably ready to go but move his food and water closer in case he wants some.

The diarrhoea was probably a sign something is going on.
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