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kattsy · 12-04-2021, 11:19 AM

Good evening everyone

I'm writing this not to ask for someone to make this choice for me, but maybe share their own experiences

My almost 2yo Syrian hamster has been doing very bad for the last month. At the start of November, she started having episodes where she would breathe fast, even lay on her back, stumble around like she couldn't hold her balance anymore, and her body temperature was cold. She was like this for a day, and the next morning we took her to the vet. She was actually suddenly completely normal that morning. While at the vet, she just kinda froze up and started the same thing - breathing fast, wobbling etc. She also developed a new symptom that morning - one of her eyes was half shut. The vet told us, and I quote "Suspicion of a central nervous disease with seizure-like symptoms. (Encephalitis, inflammation of the inner ear to brain tumor).". She was prescribed medicine, as they told us that most likely she's old and there's nothing to be done. They can attempt to further diagnose her, but it would cost us hundreds of euros and most likely they can't help except give her meds. So we took her home, gave her meds and she actually got better. She was basically back to normal

About two weeks passed and it all began again. We continued to give her the prescribed medicine, but this time it seems like she's not going to get better. She looks skinny, her breathing is fast all the time, she basically only sleeps, she can't balance herself, her ears are down all the time.
Yesterday evening, she didn't even take her food anymore, which I usually scatter around her enclosure.

As there is probably not much the vet can help her with, knowing she's almost 2 years old, she might not survive any serious treatments, I'm not sure what I should do. Should I just let her be and die on her own, or should I take her to the vet to be put down? At this point, she doesn't do much besides sleep. If I was 100% sure she's in pain, I would put her down but I just don't know. All my past hamsters passed away in their sleep, and this is the first time I've had a hamster show symptoms of being sick, and I honestly am having a hard time deciding between letting her die on her own or putting her down

12-04-2021, 11:19 AM
kattsy Newborn Pup Join Date: Mar 2017 Location: Switzerland Posts: 33	Should i put my hamster down? Good evening everyone I'm writing this not to ask for someone to make this choice for me, but maybe share their own experiences My almost 2yo Syrian hamster has been doing very bad for the last month. At the start of November, she started having episodes where she would breathe fast, even lay on her back, stumble around like she couldn't hold her balance anymore, and her body temperature was cold. She was like this for a day, and the next morning we took her to the vet. She was actually suddenly completely normal that morning. While at the vet, she just kinda froze up and started the same thing - breathing fast, wobbling etc. She also developed a new symptom that morning - one of her eyes was half shut. The vet told us, and I quote "Suspicion of a central nervous disease with seizure-like symptoms. (Encephalitis, inflammation of the inner ear to brain tumor).". She was prescribed medicine, as they told us that most likely she's old and there's nothing to be done. They can attempt to further diagnose her, but it would cost us hundreds of euros and most likely they can't help except give her meds. So we took her home, gave her meds and she actually got better. She was basically back to normal About two weeks passed and it all began again. We continued to give her the prescribed medicine, but this time it seems like she's not going to get better. She looks skinny, her breathing is fast all the time, she basically only sleeps, she can't balance herself, her ears are down all the time. Yesterday evening, she didn't even take her food anymore, which I usually scatter around her enclosure. As there is probably not much the vet can help her with, knowing she's almost 2 years old, she might not survive any serious treatments, I'm not sure what I should do. Should I just let her be and die on her own, or should I take her to the vet to be put down? At this point, she doesn't do much besides sleep. If I was 100% sure she's in pain, I would put her down but I just don't know. All my past hamsters passed away in their sleep, and this is the first time I've had a hamster show symptoms of being sick, and I honestly am having a hard time deciding between letting her die on her own or putting her down