Big Decision – Advice Needed

Sammie · 03-16-2013, 05:29 AM

This morning I had to take Heidi my Syrian to the vets because for a few days now she has been bleeding from her vulva. The first time this happened i absolutely freaked as there was so much blood. Anyway to cut a long story short she has been diagnosed with Pyometra. Heidi was given a dose of antibiotics this morning via injection and also a course of antibiotics i have to give her orally twice a day. The thing is the vet has given me a big decision to make and i really could do with some advice before i make my decision.

I can either carry on with the antibiotics and hope for the best although i was told that theirs a very high chance that the Pyometra will return and the more times that Heidi gets it the more chance her kidneys will fail. The other option i was given was to have Heidi spayed. I was told that this is a very big operation for such a little animal and there are risks attached to this procedure. I'm sick with worry and so unsure if i want to put Heidi through it but i don’t want her to suffer in the long run. I really could do with some advice from other members here that have been through a similar situation as i'm so uncertain what the right decision is for my special little girl. I love her so much and i just want the very best for her. Thanks guys, I’ll appreciate any help.

kjwc92 · 03-16-2013, 05:42 AM

It sounds to me from what you have said that thee is the chance she may suffer in the long run either way.

Maybe you could try the antibiotics this time around and if she gets it again then maybe consider having her spayed?

GhostsInSnow · 03-16-2013, 05:49 AM

I haven't personally been through it but from what I've seen on here in other threads, antibiotics don't really get rid of it. They may help with the symptoms but it doesn't cure it (hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong) I know there are a fair few hamsters on here that have been spayed and come through it fine though, there's a stickied thread about pyo and it shows the hammie recovering from a spay.
Operations are big risks with any animals really. One of my little mice had an operation last October and she came through it fine.
Hopefully someone who has been in the same position will come along and offer advice. I have said though that if Fudge gets pyo I will go for the spaying option

Basia · 03-16-2013, 06:02 AM

Sadly pyometra is very common in female hamsters, regardless of whether or not they have had babies.
Only you can really make the decision whether or not to have Heidi spayed. I know some a few people who have had their girls spayed and it has been very successful. It is a major operation though so there is a big risk involved.
Personally I've always gone for the antibiotic treatment and some have made a full recovery and some have had the pyometra return.
If Heidi is a young hamster then she would stand a major operation much better than an old hamster.
Good luck, I hope she responds well to her antibiotics.

Sammie · 03-16-2013, 08:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basia

Sadly pyometra is very common in female hamsters, regardless of whether or not they have had babies.
Only you can really make the decision whether or not to have Heidi spayed. I know some a few people who have had their girls spayed and it has been very successful. It is a major operation though so there is a big risk involved.
Personally I've always gone for the antibiotic treatment and some have made a full recovery and some have had the pyometra return.
If Heidi is a young hamster then she would stand a major operation much better than an old hamster.
Good luck, I hope she responds well to her antibiotics.

Heidi is 18 months old. She seems bright and full of energy but i just wasn't sure at her age if she could cope with such a big operation. I said i would let my vet know my decision by Wednesday, only because i have to take my two dogs to have their booster inoculations. So unsure what to do

Sammie · 03-16-2013, 08:42 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GhostsInSnow

I haven't personally been through it but from what I've seen on here in other threads, antibiotics don't really get rid of it. They may help with the symptoms but it doesn't cure it (hopefully someone will correct me if I'm wrong) I know there are a fair few hamsters on here that have been spayed and come through it fine though, there's a stickied thread about pyo and it shows the hammie recovering from a spay.
Operations are big risks with any animals really. One of my little mice had an operation last October and she came through it fine.
Hopefully someone who has been in the same position will come along and offer advice. I have said though that if Fudge gets pyo I will go for the spaying option

Thanks i'll go and check out the thread about Pyo see if that helps my decision. I would like to possibly get Heidi spayed but i'm just not sure if she could take it.

racinghamster · 03-16-2013, 10:25 AM

Sorry to hear about Heidi. To be honest, due to her age, I would go with the antibiotics for now and if your vet has given a good strong dose to begin with to kick start any recovery, that`s all you can do in the meantime I suppose but pyo is normally only `cured` by removing the womb. I don`t know a lot about pyo although I did have a Chinese hamster die from either suspected pyo, or an internal kidney/bladder problem, which the vet I saw couldn`t predict either way.

If Heidi is lively and otherwise quite healthy by the time you go back on Wednesday, it might be worth thinking about surgery if you feel it would be beneficial and life saving, but the surgery itself and post surgery carry their own risks. It`s not an easy one to predict x

Vectis Hamstery · 03-16-2013, 12:34 PM

I've had both a 5 month old and a 17 month old Syrian spayed for pyo with good results. I also have not spayed a 17month old Syrian who I feel wouldn't have tolerated it (I gave her high dose Baytril and Galastop), and I gave antibiotics alone to a 2+ year old (exact age unknown as she was a stray) who unfortunately deteriorated. I've never had a Chinese spayed as they have usually become too sick too quickly to consider it. I've always used Baytril for a time before surgery to get the girls in the best condition possible for the surgery.

The rescue I help with have had three Syrians spayed, two young and one of unknown age (she was a stray in very poor condition). All survived the surgery and post op recovery although the stray lassie only lived another 6 months.

It is very much a decision only you can make based on how well she is and how well you and your vet think she would manage the surgery. If you choose the medical route, then Galastop may be worth considering.

shazzy · 03-16-2013, 02:00 PM

I had my 18 month old girl Darcey spayed as she was also bleeding quite a lot from her vulva. Darcey was a very strong hamster - still full of life and had such a determined personality. I couldn't see her fade away because I didn't give her the chance of a full recovery. It was an awful decision to make and when I handed her into the vets on the morning of the op I couldn't help but think I had signed her death sentence. However, sure enough my strong girl pulled through the op and was bouncing off the walls the same evening. She recovered fine and didnt bleed again. Unfortunately I lost her 3 months later due to a large tumour (unrelated) but I don't regret making the decision to get her spayed.

However, the other side of the coin is that I had Daisy with a suspected pyo at 18 months. Now she was a lot weaker and was showing signs of aging. I didn't think she was up to being put through the op so I kept her on anti biotics for a couple of months before I had to have her put to sleep.

I do believe if the individual ham is strong enough then it is worth a try. It is a big ordeal to go through but if the ham is strong and healthy they stand more of a chance.

Only you know your ham and how strong she is. Hope you are able to make a decision xx

Sammie · 03-17-2013, 02:40 AM

Thank-you for your advice you've all been incredibly helpful. Although Heidi is 18 months old she is a strong lively little girl and i really think she would pull through the op, even my vet felt she would be ok but i haven't really decided yet. Just out of interest i was quoted £90.00 for the op, which is a lot of money (not that i'm putting a price on Heidi's health, crikey i would spend every last penny i had to make sure she was happy and healthy) i was just curious to know if this was the going rate to spay a hamster.

Thanks again everyone for your help xx