When is the question of quality of life something you should be asking?

oddlyoblivious · 04-28-2016, 10:09 PM

I went to visit Sirius on my lunch again today, It'd been a few days since I'd gotten behind with getting the house in order and hamster proofing the place for the coming flood of little furry friends. He'd gone from mostly bald on the face to no hair at all between his eyes and ears, with only a little on his muzzle. Hunched over and I couldn't tell if he was having trouble breathing, but he did seem to be struggling to get something out of his pouches. When I glanced at the care sheet, I noticed he was on the ear drops again, no last I'd heard he was supposed to be without meds for two weeks and just getting one last shot before he came home. He also displayed signs of severe aggression down right vicious bites.

as he squinted at me generally sniffing the area and doing the hamster wants to escape dance in the hospital cage I found myself wondering if the question of quality of life was one that needed to be addressed. It was then that I noticed the care sheet listed ear drops again.

Tomorrow morning first thing I will be calling in to get to the bottom of things, to see if he had another vet visit, but as the three employees were all very confusedly discussing the vet instructions, I found myself getting very upset.

On the one hand I get that it's a pet store, miscommunication happens, and mistakes get made. People are human. I know hamsters can bounce back from some kinds of illness rather superbly. But as I stood there thinking about what was going to be best for the animal I couldn't help but start to get angry. This has been going on for two months. I want to give him every opportunity to recover, but if he is truly in as much pain as he seems to be is it fair to keep trying to extend his life?

I'm not sure what the right answer is at the moment, and I don't have all the facts yet, but hopefully I will by tomorrow morning. I just don't know what to do at this point.

cypher · 04-28-2016, 10:14 PM

It is difficult not having all the facts but from what you say he is showing signs of being in pain & or being very distressed, he has been through a lot already so some of his aggression may be a result of continuous stress with all the treatments & illness he's been through but if he isn't making a good recovery & is still showing signs of ill health I too would be questioning his quality of life & wondering just how much more this little guy should have to endure.
I wouldn't give up on him just yet though, see if you can find out exactly what if anything he is being treated for & if he has seen the vet again & has a diagnosis for his current condition.

oddlyoblivious · 04-29-2016, 12:34 AM

I'm going in first thing in the morning. It is difficult to be patient.

souffle · 04-29-2016, 02:46 AM

If you have tried and the treatment does not seem to having any effect I do think it is time to determine if you feel he wants to go on like this? To me when they can no longer do hamstery things and appear to be in distress the best gift is to let them go without any more pain however hard that may be for us to bear. I would make your own decision in the morning remembering that no decision made from love is ever wrong.
I hope his path is gentle wherever it leads x

Pebbles82 · 04-29-2016, 09:57 AM

Would it not be possible to take him home with you?

oddlyoblivious · 04-29-2016, 05:48 PM

Not until he's got the ok from the vet Serendipidy.

UPDATE: So I called in to the pet shop and talked to one of the assistant managers. Sirius looked much, MUCH better today, and had not had a second dose of medication since I visited. Somehow his care instructions got mixed with those of another hamster of the same species and he was being medicated again against vet instruction.

I was actually very relieved to hear this. Because it means that the issues he'd been experiencing were related to the allergy with the medication and not a sign of a seemingly rapidly deteriorating condition. I even jokingly applauded him for biting the living daylights out of the people who were medicating him against instruction. He was a bit grumpy at being woken, but was very forgiving when he got special treats of hay cubes and a few other goodies as well as chew sticks. The staff was hugely apologetic, and though it still has to be approved by the store manager Sirius's next treat run is likely going to be on the house. They are also moving him to the front office and he will be getting a larger hospital tank and wheel.

He's still displaying signs of aggression but has been tolerating handling better since the meds have again stopped. Granted he looks like a little alien with a bald cap and really bushy eyebrows (I love his eyebrows very evil mastermind). But he is still doing hamstery things, and was very content to start using his chews to plot his escape. The return vet visit is on the 5th, and as long as they clear him he will be coming home and get to start rooting around in his 50 liters of substrate, (He loves to tunnel and dig.)

I want to thank everyone for the advice and support, because it really helped with my peace of mind, I'm keeping my fingers crossed that he's going to continue to improve. <3 you all are wonderful. Keeping you posted!

cypher · 04-29-2016, 09:15 PM

Good to know he isn't needing meds now, the med mix up really wasn't good though poor little guy, I hope he does get the all clear very soon & can come home to you for some real TLC & a proper ham life.

oddlyoblivious · 04-29-2016, 10:10 PM

It really wasn't, I hate to think about what might have happened if it wasn't caught or if I hadn't seen him when I did. I could have gotten angry and cussed the whole place out, but what good would that have done?

It wasn't as though they were intentionally neglectful either, If you didn't genuinely care about the animal you wouldn't put up with getting a hand shredded to give him meds.

I am thinking about making up some dry erase boards that can be affixed to the hospital cages for them, that way things like this don't happen. I doubt I will ever buy a animal there again, at least
Not until they change distributers, but I have yet to encounter anything less than a genuine and honest disscussion. They could have lied about the issue, but instead it was owned up on. And they haven't had is swith the of my requests.

Would I feel better if he was home? Yes. But they also can't send him home sick due to legal issues. I aim to check in every day though moving forward.

Pebbles82 · 04-30-2016, 01:20 AM

How amazing that you alerted this though! You saved the little guy! I do hope they let him come home to you soon as the right person and environment will surely help his progress

The call is yours as well though and your instincts will may be tell you if you really think he is ready. If it becomes a legal thing and you feel he is ready, could you not sign something to say you won't sue them if anything goes wrong with him?

oddlyoblivious · 04-30-2016, 01:34 AM

He goes back to the vet in just under five days. Per what I was told last time, (I'm pretty on it now with following up with whoever's bringing him back from the vet) He was not supposed to have meds this round and was getting one more shot before being sent home. I'm going in first thing in the morning to make sure the things I was told would happen are followed up on. If this vet trip results in another two week wait that may be the route I need to go.

I'm not sure on signing anything, though I could ask but I also don't want to do anything to cause them to lose their licensing. Things to look into I suppose.