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11-11-2019, 01:34 PM
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#41
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GrannyHam
Join Date: May 2015
Location: London
Posts: 4,261
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
I am not sure a vet visit can help right now. Weight loss is a worry. Some is to be expected at his age. I am in regular contact with CJ Hall right now because of Maestro’s problems and we agree a change in his medication without taking him in.
You could try a phone call first as the head vet has seen Quigley recently. He often is in a consultation and if you want to speak to him directly then you have to wait for a call back after 6.30 and not that quickly as he is so busy. Then if he wants to examine him he call tell you.
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11-11-2019, 01:52 PM
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#42
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Hamster Addict
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 1,010
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
I'm really sorry that your little one is not eating. Have you tried shelled sunflower seeds?
Ours love them and they are not very hard at all.
Walnuts, pecan nuts and dried coconut chips are also favourites.
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11-11-2019, 02:02 PM
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#43
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Hamster Hugger
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: London
Posts: 2,327
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
Thank you Coco. I think you may be right that a vet visit won’t help since he couldn’t spot anything wrong last time. It’s probably just old age but I’ll keep an eye on it. If he goes below 140g I think I will bring him in again.
Vierville Quigley happily takes sunflower seeds and nuts. He just won’t eat his mix anymore. We have got around that problem by feeding him his mix crushed up and mixed with water (he will eat most of this). Problem is, he is still losing weight and is now at 159g (used to be 205g). This makes me think that the weight loss may not be due to under eating.
__________________
Over the Rainbow:
Alfie, Kevin, Pip, Jordy, Scamp, Sooty, Mushu, Quigley
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11-11-2019, 03:53 PM
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#44
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Cosmic Hamsters
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2,593
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
Quote:
Originally Posted by AprilPearl
Thank you Coco. I think you may be right that a vet visit won’t help since he couldn’t spot anything wrong last time. It’s probably just old age but I’ll keep an eye on it. If he goes below 140g I think I will bring him in again.
Vierville Quigley happily takes sunflower seeds and nuts. He just won’t eat his mix anymore. We have got around that problem by feeding him his mix crushed up and mixed with water (he will eat most of this). Problem is, he is still losing weight and is now at 159g (used to be 205g). This makes me think that the weight loss may not be due to under eating.
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When my Luna started loosing weight I looked into it as she was eating loads, but still losing weight. What I remember reading is that when they get older it's the way the body processes the food, so they lose weight even if they are eating. I'm not very good at science stuff but it maybe the way protein is processed in the body causing the weight loss.
I just thought I would mention it as it may be a reason why you are seeing the weight loss as he is getting older.
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11-11-2019, 04:36 PM
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#45
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Hamster Antics
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
I am sorry Quigley is not eating much and losing so much weight. How does he seem in himself? I have to say that is a really large amount of weight to lose. Even 20g weight loss is a lot in a hamster and he has lost about 60g. If he is struggling to eat as well it might be time to start thinking about his quality of life. Sorry I know that doesn't sound nice - but we do sometimes have to think about helping them on their way being a kindness. It can't be very nice for him not being able to eat and it is quite possible there is something else going on.
I know when Nugget started losing a lot of weight and looking thin (and he was still eating a lot), the vet said it really was time to help him on his way.
We all want them to die peacefully in their nests but some have a strong heart and keep going.
So the thing to decide is whether you think he is suffering. If you think he is then the only vet visit really would be to decide it is time to help him on his way.
If he is still enjoying the little bits of food he eats and seems ok in himself then see how he goes over the next few days.
High calorie foods are pecan nuts and hemp seeds - you can crush the pecan nuts between two teaspoons.
I think there may be something else going on. Nugget had cancer and that's what caused his weight loss.
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11-12-2019, 03:38 AM
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#46
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Hamster Hugger
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: London
Posts: 2,327
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
Thank you for the info Luna. It’s good to know that they do tend to lose weight in old age. I didn’t really weigh any of my past hamsters so I don’t know whether they lost weight as they got older or not.
Serendipity the odd thing is that I’d say he is eating enough. I’m giving him a crushed up tablespoon of HH mixed with water every day and he is eating a good amount of it. I give him a pinch of hemp seeds every other day and he eats those. He will also take sunflower seeds, eat veggies and will nibble on nuts. So he shouldn’t be losing weight but he is. Maybe there is something else going on like you say. I think though that if there is something wrong with him it’s probably not curable so I might not stress him out by bundling him off to the vets. He still seems to be doing well in himself despite the weight loss. He is eating and drinking and although he’s slowed down he will still climb onto my hand to come out of his cage and sometimes he bumbles around his playpen a bit (though he more usually wants to snooze in a corner). I’m confident that he is not in pain which is important. Definitely if it starts to become obvious that he is suffering I would want to end that for him. But I don’t think we’ve reached that stage yet.
__________________
Over the Rainbow:
Alfie, Kevin, Pip, Jordy, Scamp, Sooty, Mushu, Quigley
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11-12-2019, 12:01 PM
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#47
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Hamster Antics
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
That sounds good if he is actually eating and hamstering along. Sorry if I misunderstood that bit. Xxx Nugget was eating very well but still losing weight rapidly. The vet told me that his cancer causes the appetite and he was basically only feeding the cancer which is why he was still losing weight while eating well. She said eating can’t always be a marker (whereas I had thought if they were enjoying food then they were ok). So it really is a case of just seeing how he goes. If he starts to look very emaciated quickly or shows signs of pain - hunched and ears down - then you’ll know when he needs help. Hopefully he will pass quietly and peacefully in his home when it is his time. Sadly I have had to help both our last two hamsters on their way when it was clear they were struggling. Nugget was the surprise as although he looked thin he was active and eating well but he did have lumps.
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11-15-2019, 07:12 AM
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#48
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Senior Hamster
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Petersfield Hampshire England
Posts: 499
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
cottons favourite baby food was Ella's kitchen cheesy pie. he lived on soft foods from age 2 to 2 years 8 months. he didnt like cauliflower cheese
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11-15-2019, 07:50 AM
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#49
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Hamster Antics
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 23,533
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Re: Older hamster not eating his food
None of mine liked the cauliflower cheese either! Preferred the chicken ones.
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