My hamster isn't eating almost anything

[Pebbles82]

Originally Posted by ShadowNinjaHamster

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.

It's hard but that's what we're all here for. I went through this dilemma the first time as well and I perhaps waited a bit too long as it ended up being an emergency. If you have a vet visit booked for tomorrow then just tell them you've decided you don't want him to suffer any more and to have euthanasia. You could even ring them before you go so they're prepared for it.

But if he gets much worse tonight, don't hesitate to get an emergency appointment. Because he doesn't really have any pain relief. And as sushi says - metacam isn't enough for bad cancer pain (it might help a bit but he's not even getting it down him).

It could be the injection had worn off when he started squeaking. I would think about going this evening if you can.

[Pebbles82]

It's the only real pain relief in this situation, hard as it can be to accept. I wouldn't wait until tomorrow to see if he dies overnight, if you can possibly get an appointment this evening.

[ShadowNinjaHamster]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

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.

He's not screaming anymore. I hope he'll pass away peacefully. If not I'll ask about euthanasia tomorrow. I won't see my hamster's vet tomorrow.

I asked my vet what's the best choice and she said it's up to me to decide. There are other hamsters and many of them need a loving home, considering they don't have anything at the store, but then again I don't want to buy my hamster from the store. Bogie had bugs and so many issues from the beginning and when they're not taimed yet I can't bring them to the vet etc. Compared to yesterday and to the morning the situation has gotten worse. Bogie really doesn't want to eat. Before he at least tried and he tried to drink but now when I put food and water closer to him he slapped me with his paw and left.

[ShadowNinjaHamster]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

It's hard but that's what we're all here for. I went through this dilemma the first time as well and I perhaps waited a bit too long as it ended up being an emergency. If you have a vet visit booked for tomorrow then just tell them you've decided you don't want him to suffer any more and to have euthanasia. You could even ring them before you go so they're prepared for it.

But if he gets much worse tonight, don't hesitate to get an emergency appointment. Because he doesn't really have any pain relief. And as sushi says - metacam isn't enough for bad cancer pain (it might help a bit but he's not even getting it down him).

It could be the injection had worn off when he started squeaking. I would think about going this evening if you can.

Unfortunately I can't because I'm at work at night and no one agreed to switch the shifts with me and I cannot leave
He has been quiet for awhile, but I'll just let him be. I don't want to disturb him with lights or anything. I'll just leave him for now.

If he's still alive tomorrow, how do I stay consistent at the vet's office? What if tomorrow he'll run around again?

[ShadowNinjaHamster]

I checked what he's doing. He's building a new nest.
Are you all sure about euthanasia? He won't get any better, right? Even with treatment?

[Pebbles82]

My vet said the same about euthanasia or surgery and more treatment - it's up to you to decide. I said what do you think. She weighed up the pros and cons of both which basically made the decision for me. Which is what I tried to do with you above. I found that very helpful. It's when you realise you don't want them to have a life of ongoing suffering.

I think if I was in your position, I would decide not to go ahead with the chemo and surgery, and if I had Metacam I could give regularly, I would want to wait a bit to see how he goes - ie to keep him comfortable until he was at the point where he looked like he needed help. Because it's hard to decide when they fluctuate and suddenly do something normal and hamstery.

Without Metacam available I wouldn't wait - I'd take him anyway to be pts because although they are little troopers and try to keep going, he will have pain. They are very good at hiding it because they're prey animals.

If the pain injection has worn off, the sedative effect of that has probably worn off as well which may be why he's doing a bit of nest stuff.

I guess you could just keep taking him daily for the pain relief injections, but then that's upheaval for him every day.

[ShadowNinjaHamster]

Originally Posted by Serendipity7000

My vet said the same about euthanasia or surgery and more treatment - it's up to you to decide. I said what do you think. She weighed up the pros and cons of both which basically made the decision for me. Which is what I tried to do with you above. I found that very helpful. It's when you realise you don't want them to have a life of ongoing suffering.

I think if I was in your position, I would decide not to go ahead with the chemo and surgery, and if I had Metacam I could give regularly, I would want to wait a bit to see how he goes - ie to keep him comfortable until he was at the point where he looked like he needed help. Because it's hard to decide when they fluctuate and suddenly do something normal and hamstery.

Without Metacam available I wouldn't wait - I'd take him anyway to be pts because although they are little troopers and try to keep going, he will have pain. They are very good at hiding it because they're prey animals.

If the pain injection has worn off, the sedative effect of that has probably worn off as well which may be why he's doing a bit of nest stuff.

I guess you could just keep taking him daily for the pain relief injections, but then that's upheaval for him every day.

The thing is yesterday I was almost certain about euthanasia as well, but um… I broke down and I just couldn't ask. I was more focused on not starting to cry and every time I think about euthanising my hamster I start crying. I don't know what's wrong with me. I guess that's the reason every parent is supposed to buy pets for their children. I've had cats before, but when one died when I was little it wasn't as painful, even though she greeted me every time I came home from school etc and slept next to me and she died on her own and it was clearly visible that she's going to die soon. With Bogie it was just very sudden.

A couple hours ago Bogie was like a vegetable. For real. He'd be like that even if the surgery was a success? I wouldn't get my old Bogie back, right?

I'll try my best tomorrow to ask about euthanasia. I don't think he'd survive the surgery anyway. At least he drank some water in the evening, but did not eat anything. Ever since he got sick he has been drinking a lot of water, but when he was healthy I rarely saw him drinking water.

I think he must be in a lot of pain when I can see that. I have to try my best to think with my brain, not with my heart I would've never thought I'll love my hamster that much.

[ShadowNinjaHamster]

Yeah, I don't know what to think. Bogie keeps walking around his cage now. Not sure what he's looking for. He still doesn't want any food.
I'll ask tomorrow what they think if I am able to.

[sushi_78]

They can have good days (or hours) and bad days/hours and it makes it much more difficult to know what to do. I think you have to weigh up the bad times and the good times and decide whether the good justifies or makes up for the bad.

Being active and eating in themselves aren't necessarily signs a hamster is feeling better. They will often instinctively try to keep themselves alive even when feeling very bad, and that means trying to eat, keeping themselves safe by making nests and so on.

I always try to determine whether they're doing more than just the bare minimum needed to survive, and when they are that makes it more likely they still have an acceptable quality of life. For example last year I had a gerbil with heart failure and she had times she was tired and ill but she also had times when she would explore her cage and climb around, and ask to come out of the cage, so I decided against having her put to sleep. Then a few months later I had another gerbil who had a seizure leaving lasting brain damage. She was still moving around her cage a lot but I could tell she was no longer getting any enjoyment out of life. The brain damage made her confused and terrified and everything she did was just for survival. So I decided to have her put to sleep.

[Pebbles82]

If he's not even eating baby food then he's just not eating is he?