My hamster isn't eating almost anything - Page 14

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 09-29-2022, 09:14 AM

What do I do now? Just wait? Call the vet? I have to start working in 30 minutes and no one was willing to cover my shift.
Yesterday I was certain I will ask about euthanasia, but today I saw him climbing out of his carrier in the morning.
Bogie might be in a deep sleep. He's still alive, breathing but hasn't changed his position. I don't know how he usually slept, because he was in his nest. I don't want to sound mean, but now I'm hoping he'll pass away without any pain. I told him everything in the morning, because I was almost certain I was going to lose him and I was just petting him for awhile and talked to him. Then he was kind of active.

I just heard him! He put a toilet paper on himself. I went to his cage and offered some food, but he didn't want anything. He's just sleeping on. I stupidly offered him a cucumber, hoping he'd eat it, because he used to eat it and he backed off and kind of hid from me. I think I won't be too selfish if I leave him alone and won't try to force food down on his throat. I don't want to eat when I'm sick either, but um… I don't know. I feel bad about not asking about euthanasia, but I wasn't strong enough. I feel bad about it.

You are also correct about it being financially expensive. In all honesty, I mean I hope Bogie will be alright, but I don't know. I think it'd be the best for both of us if he just passed away tonight or tomorrow. I'll just let him be. He has water, he has salad and a cucumber and he clearly isn't feeling well, so I'll just let him sleep and be by himself. I have meeting with the vet the next week, but tomorrow I'll have to go as well, because they'll give him his treatment and if it won't help then he'll have a surgery.

I've looked at other dwarf hamsters and they are a lot smaller than Bogie was when I bought him. Bogie was huge. Now he's okay and he didn't lose any weight. He's 53g. I think Bogie is at least 1 year and 4 months.

I don't know why I'm so weak and broke down at the vet's. Logically speaking, it'd be for the best if I just let him be for now and if he passes away today he passes away. I don't think I'm getting my Bogie back. I don't think he'll ever even use a wheel or use a slide on the playground and other toys. I wouldn't get the same Bogie back even if he survived the surgery.
Even if we will make it to the surgery I just have to prepare for his death.

I'll ask about the vet about Metcam if we'll make it that far. I'll just let Bogie be and I won't bother him.

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 09-29-2022, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

I don't really understand how your vet can diagnose cancer without a biopsy, perform intricate surgery on a dwarf hamster and have chemotherapy available but not have something as basic as liquid Metacam.

I didn't see that. I was in a waiting room and she said she'll go do some injections, give painkillers and water.
But there really is something on his stomach. It's a peanut shaped thing and it has grown even larger.

sushi_78 · 09-29-2022, 09:32 AM

If it's cancer I'm worried Metacam wouldn't be enough to control his pain. It's for moderate pain really and an internal tumour could be very painful.

I don't know about hamsters specifically but I've heard that in cats and dogs, chemotherapy isn't done with the intention to cure a cancer as it is in humans, but rather to slow its growth. I think this is because of the severe side effects. The dose is lower.

Maybe the vet didn't mention euthanasia because she thought it wasn't something you were considering. I think most vets bring it up at the right time but occasionally I hear of vets who are too eager to offer all the possible treatments before they mention euthanasia, and they don't always make owners fully aware of the side effects of treatment. Again, this is really a small minority of vets, but I know it does happen sometimes.

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 09-29-2022, 09:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

Just to add to that - you may not think it now but when a hamster is gone you can develop a new special friendship with another little hamster who needs your love and care. They will not replace Bogie but will have their own personality and it’s a new and different experience that can actually help you get over the grief as they are such funny little things. But after this experience you’d need to be careful where you get one from and check they are healthy from the start.

With bogie - I would not want to put a hamster through surgery without adequate ongoing pain relief post surgery and you can’t keep taking him back for an injection every day for months really.

I’m glad he’s sleeping peacefully at the moment. It’s so hard but try to take care of you too and have a little break and do something nice.
I forgot to add that link

Tumors and Cancers in Hamsters | PetMD

That's true. When I first got a hamster I didn't know what to expect and at first he was very frightened of me. I still remember he freaked out when I touched him and he was so scared and stressed out. I didn't even know if that was normal or not. He was laying between the wall and his house and he was on his side and his eye was open and he didn't even blink nor move for hours. I was checking on everything and I had no idea how difficult it is to find a vet that knows something about rodents.
I mean I'm not a vet and I don't know anything about hamsters either, but I remember this one vet I went to said she actually doesn't know anything about hamsters, but everything appears to be normal. He was 107g back then and I had no idea either. She said he's just big and hamsters come in different sizes. Now Bogie has been a lot smaller since I actually found a vet that knew something about rodents. She was kinda mean to me, because Bogie was fat. She told me to come back in three months if he won't weight 50g. He doesn't even weight 40-50g even now with cancer. I didn't go back and I didn't want to go back, because she was almost yelling at me.
But the place I found now has great customer service and I like that they call people by the pet's name, not like "Oh you're here with a hamster". I don't know. It's a small cute touch.

I cannot believe that I potty trained Bogie and it required so much patience and he can do tricks and stuff some dogs can't. I remember I used to sit and practice with him and it's amazing that he wanted to be with me. We had a schedule and he was often waiting for me. There was a time when he didn't want to be with me anymore and he bit me. I still don't know what was his problem, but I just left him alone for three days till he started liking me again for whatever reason. He was absolutely crazy about food, I had to change his water bowl several times a day, because he stuffed it full of bedding and that's actually how I noticed that something is wrong. At first I thought he wants to be alone and is tired of me, but when on the third day I saw full food bowl (it had the same food as 3 days ago) and water dish was always clean I made this thread. He was in a better shape when I made the thread and yesterday he was eating as well and I sent a video to my friend and she said: "Aww, he's fighting" and I don't know. Today he was active too. He even ate cucumber in the morning and climbed out from the carrier.
It all changed when I got back from the vet though and now I kinda feel bad for forcing him to live, but as Serendipity said yesterday I told him today that he can let go if he feels like it. Someday there will be another hamster. I still have a lot of bedding, which I ordered to Bogie two weeks ago. I still have a lot of food and sand etc.

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 09-29-2022, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sushi_78

If it's cancer I'm worried Metacam wouldn't be enough to control his pain. It's for moderate pain really and an internal tumour could be very painful.

I don't know about hamsters specifically but I've heard that in cats and dogs, chemotherapy isn't done with the intention to cure a cancer as it is in humans, but rather to slow its growth. I think this is because of the severe side effects. The dose is lower.

Maybe the vet didn't mention euthanasia because she thought it wasn't something you were considering. I think most vets bring it up at the right time but occasionally I hear of vets who are too eager to offer all the possible treatments before they mention euthanasia, and they don't always make owners fully aware of the side effects of treatment. Again, this is really a small minority of vets, but I know it does happen sometimes.

I agree and to be fair with you, I feel like a terrible human being now. Bogie was just squeaking loudly and shaking. So he's awake now… If he passed away today he wouldn't do it peacefully but in pain and also, his coat is a mess. It's way worse than an hour ago.

Ria P · 09-29-2022, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShadowNinjaHamster

I agree and to be fair with you, I feel like a terrible human being now. Bogie was just squeaking loudly and shaking. So he's awake now… If he passed away today he wouldn't do it peacefully but in pain and also, his coat is a mess. It's way worse than an hour ago.

You can make an emergency appointment now and have him put to sleep if he's squeaking in pain and shaking. I've done that with a hamster who was in pain because i didn't want her to suffer any longer. Yes, i was sad but also relieved knowing that she was at peace.
The only regret i had was that i didn't put her out of her misery sooner.

Pebbles82 · 09-29-2022, 09:59 AM

I think you need to make that decision to ask the vet to help him on his way. If he is squeaking loudly and shaking he is trying to tell you something and he must be in pain. Sometimes if you leave it to late and they are screaming in pain it becomes an emergency. It's the kindest thing because there just isn't sufficient pain relief available. Just remember he is in pain. It sounds like he might be asking for help.

Pebbles82 · 09-29-2022, 10:02 AM

I used to feel very bad at the idea of consciously choosing to end the hamster's life, but my vet explained that - they do what they can for these small animals but there isn't the level of pain relief for cancer that humans have (a human would be on very strong pain relief like slow release morphine plus paracetamol in between probably). And all they can do is relieve pain by means of sending them to sleep and euthanasia. It's just the way it is. Bogie would just go to sleep.

**ShadowNinjaHamster** · 09-29-2022, 10:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ria P

You can make an emergency appointment now and have him put to sleep if he's squeaking in pain and shaking. I've done that with a hamster who was in pain because i didn't want her to suffer any longer. Yes, i was sad but also relieved knowing that she was at peace.
The only regret i had was that i didn't put her out of her misery sooner.

He's asleep again now. Unfortunately I can't go anywhere, because I'm at work, but I'll tell about it tomorrow if he even will live till tomorrow.
I wish I knew you in real life. Most of the people I know say that I must help him and I can't euthanise him and that he'll make it etc.
And I don't know whether he wants to live or not. We all want to live, but not in pain and in suffering.
I'll have to pull myself together and let Bogie go if he won't die tonight. I'll go there tomorrow morning.

Pebbles82 · 09-29-2022, 10:05 AM

Sometimes also it's a relief when you make that decision. You can take them in a favourite nest or house inside a pet carrier so they're comfortably and they can go in the tank inside their favourite nest or house. The same tank they'd use to anaesthetize if they were doing an operation. The gas anaesthetizes them and sends them to sleep so they don't feel anything when they get the injection.