Update on Sausage

Flissy · 02-09-2011, 02:17 PM

I'm just updating after this thread Just came on for some comfort/advice...

Sausage is still with us... and he seems reasonably ok at the moment. I have taken his shelf and things out of his cage so its all flat, but he still tries to climb up the side of the hamster heaven to get out the door sometimes.

The only thing is he's getting really thin. His skin is very very flaky too. He's always had flaky skin (ever since I got him) and anti mite lotion never cleared it up so I guessed it was just a genetic thing.

The flakyness seems worse now though, and also when he comes out of his nest I notice that there are clumps of loose hair. This could be because he isn't cleaning himself as much now, or could it still be mites?

He's definitely not quite right, but I just can't tell if its old age that is causing all this, or if it could be some sort of illness?

Oh and he's still eating/drinking as I have seen him and I've been trying to give him egg occasionally as well as veg to try and keep him going.

Fidgetthefirst · 02-09-2011, 02:53 PM

Well, im not too sure about it really, but ill go from my own exeperience. My syrian in his final months had very flake skin, so we took him the vets, not sure what he gave him, he just gave him one dose of it, and we didnt have to give anymore, and then by two days later ithad cleared up mostly

fluffymunchkins · 02-10-2011, 04:00 PM

Oh sausage, I'm so glad to hear hes still fighting

I'm not sure about why he would have always had flaky skin, but now hes older and his immune system is low its possible he could have had an outbreak of mites making it worse.

Every hamster goes through old age differently, some are really effected by it and others tootle along like young hams all their lives. I'm no expert so I can't say for definite whether it is something underlying or just old age. But it may be now that even if it is something underlying it won't be able to be solved, but its a case of treated the symptoms best you can and keeping him as comfortable and as happy as possible. Its not fair on an old heart to start stuffing him with meds and such if its not going to make a difference.
All my love to sausage and you xxx

Flissy · 02-13-2011, 11:17 AM

I'm just not sure if its worth stressing him out to take him to the vets

Some days he is a lot better than others, sometimes I catch him clinging to the top of the bars waiting to be let out like he always used to

Flissy · 02-19-2011, 01:53 AM

Yesterday I was at work until 6 and when we got home I noticed from a distance that Sausage wasn't in his nest so got my boyfriend to investgate.

He found sausage lying behind his wheel, and it didn't look good. Sausage couldn't walk or stand up so we picked him up and put him on a warm teatowel and I fed him some Wheatabix which he took.

When we put him back in his cage he was trying to walk but swaying violently in a similar way to Stella was when she was having a stroke, so we penned him in his bed so he was forced to rest (I'd offered him plenty of food, water etc)

This morning I was expecting the worst but he's actually better... well as good as he has been the last 2 months so hes walking around etc

So now im very confused as he was on deaths door then magically recovered? I do wonder sometimes if its the power or wheatabix lol

suga · 02-19-2011, 02:36 AM

Flissy - sometimes they do get a burst of energy before they go. Keep an eye on him and if you need to make an appointment with a vet to help him take the last steps you always have that option.

. Hoping that if he is on his path, that it is gentle.

Flissy · 02-19-2011, 05:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by suga

Flissy - sometimes they do get a burst of energy before they go. Keep an eye on him and if you need to make an appointment with a vet to help him take the last steps you always have that option.

. Hoping that if he is on his path, that it is gentle.

I've brought him with me to my parents house to keep a close eye on him, he seems comfortable at the moment. If he seems like he's in pain I will take him to the vet but he seems ok, he was even trying to climb up the bars again this morning. I'll keep giving him wheatabix

Flissy · 03-03-2011, 12:18 PM

Just wanted to do an update and say that Sausage passed away sometime on Saturday night

We got home in the afternoon and found him to be mostly lifeless, we wrapped him up and put him on a hot water bottle which seemed to wake him up a little and he started twitching his legs occasionally and breathing more noticeably, I hope he wasn't in too much pain and I hope we didn't prolong his life unnecessarily by doing this, I just wanted him to be comfortable. He had a reasonably long life (2 years and 3 months ish) and I will never forget him

marzipan · 03-03-2011, 12:19 PM

im sorry to hear this, RIP Sausage x

fluffymunchkins · 03-03-2011, 12:29 PM

I'm so sorry Flissy, sausage was a wonderful boy and I always loved to hear his stories!
He left surrounded by his love ones and you comforted him and helped him take the step to the bridge.

Sleep tight Sausage and say hello to all the other angel hams up there, I will miss you xxx