Mysterious Ailment and Preparing for Death

[Salem13]

I just got back from the vet with my hamster Mimo. About 2-3 hours ago I went to feed her and noticed she is acting oddly. She is lethargic and mostly staying still. She seems to be breathing a bit heavy and there was diluted blood coming from her vulva.

She previously had blood from her vulva twice. The first time in about february and second in around may. Both times she went to the vet, the second time she was given antibiotics for a suspected UTI. Both times it cleared up the day after the vet visit. Both times the vet was unsure as to what was causing it.

This time is different. The blood was diluted. She a few times rolled onto her back scratching at her stomach area. She let me lift her with a single hand and just sat on it when normally she would skitter around my arms.

Tonight we had to go to a different vet as it was after hours. We were there an hour and a half. He said he couldn't find a source of the bleeding, that it didn't feel or look like a pyometra. The only thing he could find wrong with her was two small lumps under her armpit that he said could be cancer. He gave me the choice to either euthanize her or send her home with more antibiotics.

Just in June I lost my mother to cancer and I couldn't mentally handle putting her down tonight. I also wouldn't have been allowed to be with her while she passed due to covid. I know how stressed she gets when we go to the vet and didn't want her to be afraid as she goes either.

Now I am home and I'm worried I made the wrong choice. She's just sitting in one of her favourite spots seemingly sleeping. She has never slept on top of her bedding before. Her breathing still seems a bit heavy but there is no more blood, diluted or otherwise.

Tomorrow I will likely be getting a phone call from her normal vet. If they don't call me I will call them.

I guess I just want to get other opinions on everything. Did I make the right call? Should I take her to be put to sleep tomorrow? Should I skip all the stress and let her take her antibiotics and let her pass at home?

[cypher]

I’m sorry to hear this, it’s hard enough making these decisions when you know what the problem is but much harder when you don’t have a definite diagnosis, I can understand how hard it must have been to hear that it may be cancer & I’m sorry to hear about your Mum.
How is she now? If she remains lethargic, doesn’t eat or drink normally & shows any other signs of being in pain like a hunched posture, unusual nervousness or reluctance to be touched then you may have to think about helping her on her way.
If she doesn’t seem to be in pain or suffering then you could at least try her with the antibiotics for a while & see if there’s any improvement.
Sometimes it is hard to know when. it’s time to step in & have them pts & it is even more difficult in the current situation not being able to be with her.
There isn’t a simple answer but try to let her guide you as to what is best for her.

[Salem13]

Originally Posted by cypher

I’m sorry to hear this, it’s hard enough making these decisions when you know what the problem is but much harder when you don’t have a definite diagnosis, I can understand how hard it must have been to hear that it may be cancer & I’m sorry to hear about your Mum.
How is she now? If she remains lethargic, doesn’t eat or drink normally & shows any other signs of being in pain like a hunched posture, unusual nervousness or reluctance to be touched then you may have to think about helping her on her way.
If she doesn’t seem to be in pain or suffering then you could at least try her with the antibiotics for a while & see if there’s any improvement.
Sometimes it is hard to know when. it’s time to step in & have them pts & it is even more difficult in the current situation not being able to be with her.
There isn’t a simple answer but try to let her guide you as to what is best for her.

She's currently still kind of sleeping in a pit shes dug for herself. She is hunched in a ball kind of shape and is keeping her eyes shut- which is why I assume she's sleeping. She didn't go to her dish to drink but readily licked the antibiotic water off my finger and took food from my hand. When I do this she opens her eyes. Her ears are relaxed and shes taken 2 dust baths that I've seen, during which she kept her eyes a bit squinty and kept taking little breaks where she would just stop and fully close her eyes for a minute. She's reacting to touch the same way she always has- which is a twitch and turn but then letting it happen and she isn't any more nervous than usual. If anything I think she's actually less nervous and more okay with being held if that makes sense?

The trouble I'm having is that her vet is actually about a 45 minute drive away. Perhaps I'm humanizing her too much but part of me feels that putting her through that stress is cruel. I'm definitely considering it though. I'm going to try to contact a friend who breeds hamsters and see what she would do.

[Salem13]

UPDATE: it is 2.33am EST and Mimo for the past 8 minutes has felt well enough to go and get water from her dish on her own. She also went around picking up the rest of the food she missed (I scatter feed) earlier. She did a little jog around her cage and actually went inside to one of her hides. I have a little bit of hope.

[cypher]

I don’t think you’re humanising her too much, they feel pain & stress too, they’re just better at hiding it which makes it harder for us to know how best to help them sometimes.
She does sound unwell but I would think ok to give the antibiotics a chance, if there’s no improvement fairly soon then you would need to consider if her quality of life was still enough or whether it would be kinder to help her on her way.
Only you can judge really as you know her & are there with her but I hope your friend can help.

[Salem13]

Originally Posted by cypher

I don’t think you’re humanising her too much, they feel pain & stress too, they’re just better at hiding it which makes it harder for us to know how best to help them sometimes.
She does sound unwell but I would think ok to give the antibiotics a chance, if there’s no improvement fairly soon then you would need to consider if her quality of life was still enough or whether it would be kinder to help her on her way.
Only you can judge really as you know her & are there with her but I hope your friend can help.

Thank you so much for your help, if her condition worsens I will definitely be helping her on her way.

UPDATE: it is 10.34am EST. Mimo has continued to get up and get water and food. She has gone to the bathroom in her sand as well as taken a sand bath several times. She did not run on her wheel at all and is still lethargic. She also took one of her favourite sticks to her new resting area. When taken out of her cage for her regular inspection she was significantly less stationary. She wasn't her normal self by any means but did spend time going up and down my arms. She has turned her pit into a small tunnel. I think I can count this as a small improvement and while I still have hope I'm still going to expect and plan for the worst.

[Salem13]

UPDATE: It is 7.51pm EST and Mimo is doing surprisingly well. She is no longer hunched over unless she is eating a seed. Her eyes are open and bright. Ears are up and relaxed. She is still less active than usual but is moving around a lot more than yesterday. The hamster breeder friend seemed optimistic about her progress so I'm holding onto hope fairly tight right now.

[cypher]

That’s really good news, I hope she continues to do well now.

[Salem13]

UPDATE: it is 7.39pm EST 4 days after the initial scare and Mimo is almost entirely back to normal. She is running on her wheel though significantly less often than previously. She continues to improve daily. Her own vet as well as my breeder friend both are very optimistic. Neither are confident in their theories as to what exactly happened. We all can assume she's in her twilight but this little ham is one heck of a fighter.

[Maker]

So happy she is feeling better, what a fright she keeps giving you, I hope she stays well now for the rest of her twilight time.