Vet visit :S

[kiania]

I was holding Nimh last night for a cuddle and flipped her over to have a look at her scent gland and noticed she had a massive lump on her chest (looked like she'd gone from flat-chested to a DD cup!). It was shiny (hairless) and fluidy, and about the size of a marble. Had a look in the Hamsterlopaedia and the Really Useful Hamster Guide, and decided it was most likely to be an absess.

So I booked her into my vets, and took her along this morning. He had a look, squeezed some puss out, and then poked it with a needle. Lots of blood...poked it with a bigger needle (because "Well, she seems to be being really good, and the bigger gauge means more can be got out"), but decided that it wasn't as liquid-filled as previously thought

We had a discussion about what to do, and he went through the problems of her being so small and anesthetic, but that vet has a good reputation with small animals, and he was really optimistic. So now she's booked in to have it removed at 9am on Friday morning. He did say it could be left, but the worry was that it would keep growing and then she'd become a lump with a hamster attached rather than the other way around as it has grown really fast. He said it was hard to tell whether it was an absess or a growth, but that either way, the treatment is very similar.

So, for my little rescue baby (P@H bought for £4), I'm now paying out between £80-£100 in surgery My OH was really supportive when I rang him up to check (since it is mostly his money!), she is my hedgehog's little sister and our 2nd 'baby', and therefore part of the family, and therefore worth it, bless him I was thinking that people put their kids through expensive surgery, and you can make a baby for free!

She is still her normal perky self, eating well, drinking, running on her wheel and dashing around her cage like a loon. She was clambering over my shoulders and around my neck last night while I was looking at the books. Tbh, you can't even see it if she's walking or sitting up, her fluffy dwarf hamster 'podge' hides it really well - it is only when she's pinned upside down that it is noticable.

But yes, my main concern is that because it is a rapid-growth lump, and even with the best intentions, because of her small size, surgery will be fast, so if it is cancer, they won't get all of the cells by a long short. So I'm worried that she'll have another one in two weeks time. Either way, I've found a plastic storage box to move her into for recuperation stages as climbing up and down (and deep tunneling) in her Perfecto will be a no-no. I was also told to prepare her a packed lunch by the vet So she has her food, and her favourite treats with her. That'll be mealworms and sesame seeds then!

But, I'm being positive. She is such a little sweetheart for a P@H rescue. Any crossed fingers for Friday would therefore be very gratefully appreciated. Otherwise, who is going to eat the big tub of pinhead crickets that arrived this morning in the post!

[GemmasMom]

Big hugs for Nimh!!!! xxxxx

[Angelhamster]

Wishing you both all the best.

[kiania]

Feel a bit useless really I'm worrying about it, and she's re-dug her cave system, grabbed a snack and gone off to sleep since I got her home.

Still very proud that she didn't bite me, the vet, or his work experience chap! Nor did she flee - although she did de-pouch her breakfast and spit it at the vet with a dirty look after he put her down the first time (to find a needle) before sitting down to groom herself and undo the mess he'd made of her fur-do

[Lougarry]

Thinking of you, Kiania, and brave, stoical Nimh xxx

[gutterglitterxx]

I'll be thinking of your little one. Squishes from me, Cheeto, and Roxy. xx

[kiania]

Originally Posted by Lougarry

...brave, stoical Nimh xxx

She is a ham with a stiff upper lip. I was seriously amazed that she didn't lose her cool and bite anyone - both me and the vet had our fingers in range a good deal, but once upside down, and firmly pinned (by the vet), she calmed down...and once released, she was her normal curious, bimbling self. If I had just been pinned and had needles stabbed in me, I'd have bitten the next five soft fleshy pink things that came my way! Aside from de-pouching at the beginning, she was so good.

I am a proud (but getting more and more worried as time goes on) hamster mummy

Thank you for all your thoughts though...I'll post up what happens, just hopefully it is good news

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'm really sorry to hear you've got to go through this

I'm already crossing my fingers for Nimh, she's a favourite on here and I really hope she gets through her surgery well on Friday. I'll also be looking out for the update on Friday.

[kiania]

On a more positive note...if I hadn't of picked her up, she could have gone home with someone else who would have said "£80+? Heck no!".

Been talking to hoggy friends about Nimh's new cage - the perspex levels/lid were due to be bought tomorrow (we've spent the last week and a bit of my OH drawing them while at work, and trying to get costs down - the door was going to be £92! Now it is about £70, phew!), and that just left the mesh, which I've found the one I want, and the place cuts to size. I picked up the two sacks of megazorb last Saturday, the aubiose is here, the desert bedding, houses, wheels, toys, etc.

It is just sitting there, waiting for the perspex before I can pour in the substrate and then it will just require the step 'add hamster'.

So right now, I'm thinking "Thank goodness she's mine, and that my OH completely understands, and feels the same about our pets being family". Makes me think of all the poor hamsters kept in tiny cages for kids, who don't get vet attention because they are 'disposable' pets. Urgh.

[Womblehands]

I will be thinking of you both Friday, keep us updated. I hope it goes as smoothly as can be and in 3-6 mnths time you will look back at this and think Gosh I remember how brave she was, and she is happily munching away next to you..