Vet visit :S

[Mona's Humans]

I've only just caught up with this thread, but i'm glad she is doing well

[Lougarry]

How is Nimh doing today? X

[kiania]

Her wound looks a lot less red and angry. We were worried she was growing another lump, but had a better look today, and it looks more like her ribcage.

She is eating, she's had a mealworm alien and a butterworm. I think she is mostly just bored out of her mind, poor lamb I feel so guilty. I did consider buying one of the mini dunas in P@H, but it was smaller than the plastic box I had at home, and since I hate sawdust, the wheel looked god-awful and small, and the rest of the freebies were things I wouldn't use/already had in bulk, I decided against it. Now I worry about the shelf, and whether it would have at least provided variety. I know it wouldn't, but it is something she hasn't got, and since my pets are treated like spoilt children, they MUST have one of absolutely everything - her not having something is hard, especially when she is ill

On the plus side, hopefully the perspex for her detolf will arrive by next weekend Then we can move her into a better cage than her Perfecto.

[Flamestriker]

I'm so glad she's doing well. I loved the bit about depouching her breakfast and spitting it at the vet! Hilarious!

Get well soon lil one. Squishes to you and Kiania!

[kiania]

She does keep depouching on me as well - immediately after antibiotics time, so I'm not exactly surprised. She's also stopped being willing to be hand-fed, but she is eating, so I'm not very concerned - she's probably got a bit of an icky tummy, and thinks I'm mean at the moment!

Right now, she's in a kitchen roll tube that I put in this morning. Not sure why, since she has half a bag of j-cloth bedding in there with her, but she may want it so she has a 'roof' over her bed.

[kiania]

Subsequent to my last message, Nimh's now back on hand-feeding. She's had three pinhead crickets, and five baby mealworms, as well as two aliens and a butterworm, and a few fingertip-fulls of sesame seeds (her favourite after mealworms).

She seems far more alert and hungry, and willing to be cuddled (climbing onto my hands and up to my wrist out of her cage). Definitely getting back to her normal self.

[Lougarry]

That's really good to hear. Well done, Nimh, keep up the good work.

[Lynternette]

I'm sorry I've only just caught up with this thread. I'm so glad Nihm is make a good recovery. If its any help one of my dwarfies had surgery like Nihm. She made a full and happy recovery. xxx

[kiania]

Back to the vets for her 3 day check up in half an hour.

My main concern is that the growth was cancerous, and because it was fast growing, she'll have another one by the end of the month.

My OH and I did discuss this Saturday night, on when it becomes a welfare issue - because, as the vet said, the concern is that it becomes a lump attached to a hamster, rather than a hamster attached to a lump. He also said that (and this is a horribly brutal thought!) if it came back, and got big enough to became a welfare issue, then he wouldn't consider not buying another hamster - not as a replacement, but because she is so adorable, that even if she was an 'accident' purchase, she's become a staple, and needs a legacy.

Horrible, horrible thought, but I'm volunteering 5 days a week (and therefore not working) so £110+ each month (not sure what my two aftercare appointments are going to cost), combined with the stress on her - money is less the issue, but anesthetic every month can't do her any good.

For the time being, I've told her in no uncertain terms that she's not allowed to grow a lump, and must live for at LEAST two more years. She seemed to be listening - head cocked, ears towards me - so hopefully she's taken my demand on board Not having any back-chat in the ranks

[kyrilliondaemon]

I'm sorry you're in such a potentially horrible situation

I really hope she does manage to not regrow it and last a long, long time yet.

Let us know how the vet visit goes?