Injured Hamster UPDATE and photo- page 4 (amputation)

[wildernesslodgelover]

Oh, if anyone is new to this thread...a few posts were deleted by a mod, so some of my posts might not make 100% sense, or I may seem I am going overboard explaining myself!

1 more thing...my grand total-$250! Even *I* think that is pretty stupid! But I was already $130 invested..I just had to see this through.

I did not choose the surgery, not only due to the price AND the uncertainty...but it would have been a longer recovery and the hamster only has about 1 year left in her 3 year life span. To recover for weeks and possibly have to go thru more medical treatments...that is the equivilant of you and I recovering for 5 years or so.

This hamster BETTER live at least another year!!

 

[Darsa]

Once you bring a pet into your life, I just feel you make a commitment.

And I love your hamster's name

 

[Green Tea]

I took mine to the emergency vet when sick. I don't remember the total cost. The image that sticks in my memory is the vet tech coming in with a lubed up thermometer to get the temperature of my sick pet. She looked in the tiny box. She looked at the bulb end of the thermometer. She turned muttering that maybe the vet could do without the temperature this time.

 

[kangareaux]

I totally understand...we spent about $250 on our RAT at a university pet hospital. (Only hospital in our end of the state that treated rats...go figure) Anyway, it died within an hour of me bringing it home. But do I regret trying? NOT ONE BIT! I couldn't have lived with myself if I hadn't.

 

[lukenick1]

You do not have to justify to us why you made the choice. It is your choice and you did whatever was right for you and your family. Be proud of your decision.

 

[mamamary]

You do not have to justify to us why you made the choice. It is your choice and you did whatever was right for you and your family. Be proud of your decision.

I agree. Good luck with your hamster.

 

[Poohbear123]

You did the RIGHT thing, I don't care what anyone else says. You would NOT believe the amount of Money we have spent on our Dachshunds thru-out the years...the first one had to have back surgery $3,500.00 plus accupuncture $2,000.00 He was able to walk again, and lived to be 16 years of age...second Dachshund paralyzed we believe due to a stroke, and she is in wheels...$1,800.00....3rd Dachshund...the brother to the one in wheels, so far, $191.00..he is being caged for 8 weeks. So, yea, I beileve you did the RIGHT thing!

 

[NeverlandClub23]

He looks so cute! I'm glad everything worked out ok. I agree, I'd rather spend an amount I'm comfortable with spending and not to have it work out than to not try at all.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Awww. Thanks for the update. I would have done the same thing under the circumstances. I'm sure he'll be ok w/ 3 legs (right, Quentina?).

Ohhh, he is sooo handsome! Would your GSD gobble him up if he had the chance?

I don't think so - but not taking any chances, lol. The dog loves watching him and will sit by his cage during the evening when he begins his nightly thing. She wags her tail. If I hold him I let him I let her sniff him and she's been gentle. She did bat his ball with her paw sending him sailing a couple of times, but she'd play with balls 24/7 if you let her, so I think it was more that it was a ball than it was he was in there. At any rate, Gus seems quite happy with his new set up.

I did have a hamster question. Hopefully not TMI but I need to know the answer. Will probably call my vet today too. (Cha Ching!) What color is hamster urine? Should it be clear yellow? Gus peed in his ball last night and it was whitish. I can't imagine that's normal. Hope my little guy's not sick. Spent the rest of the night observing him. He seemed quiet but we moved him downstairs out of the bedroom so I didn't hear him much. Looks ok this morning. I remember when my hamsters died before. Finding them in the cage stinks.

BTW, lol re temperature story Green Tea.

 

[HM]

Hadn't checked up on this thread since the first day. Glad to hear that things are getting to a new normal for your little guy. I think you did the right thing...both times at the vet. It's exactly what I would have done.

I had to take a gerbil to the vet once because she wasn't eating. Found out that she had lost her top teeth and COULDN'T eat. It was heartwrenching. How could we have missed that? I ended up putting her to sleep right then. $42 bill. Our other option was to feed her soft pet foods and see how she did. She was more than 3 yrs old and I just couldn't see her suffer anymore than she had. I cried so hard. Until that moment, I had no idea that I had any deep feelings for the little thing. Her sister was lonely for the next(last) six months though.

 

[horseshowmom]

I'm sure the hamster will do great! I actually had a dog that we went the route of the pin. The pin came out, the bone promptly broke again, and we wound up having to amputate anyway. The amputation was MUCH easier on her than the long recovery period with the pin. Since it was a back leg, she didn't even act like she missed it and lived many, many more years after that.

 

[ncmickeyluvr]

Good for the OP for doing the right thing. I can't believe that some people think it's okay not to. Pet's are NOT DISPOSABLE!!!

Awww. Thanks for the update. I would have done the same thing under the circumstances. I'm sure he'll be ok w/ 3 legs (right, Quentina?).


I don't think so - but not taking any chances, lol. The dog loves watching him and will sit by his cage during the evening when he begins his nightly thing. She wags her tail. If I hold him I let him I let her sniff him and she's been gentle. She did bat his ball with her paw sending him sailing a couple of times, but she'd play with balls 24/7 if you let her, so I think it was more that it was a ball than it was he was in there. At any rate, Gus seems quite happy with his new set up.

I did have a hamster question. Hopefully not TMI but I need to know the answer. Will probably call my vet today too. (Cha Ching!) What color is hamster urine? Should it be clear yellow? Gus peed in his ball last night and it was whitish. I can't imagine that's normal. Hope my little guy's not sick. Spent the rest of the night observing him. He seemed quiet but we moved him downstairs out of the bedroom so I didn't hear him much. Looks ok this morning. I remember when my hamsters died before. Finding them in the cage stinks.

BTW, lol re temperature story Green Tea.

To tell you the truth, I haven't exactly done a study on the subject, but our Bella is the same. Everytime I've noticed it, it's kind of milky looking. She's about a year old and looks very healthy

 

[MickeysMommy]

You did the RIGHT thing, I don't care what anyone else says. You would NOT believe the amount of Money we have spent on our Dachshunds thru-out the years...the first one had to have back surgery $3,500.00 plus accupuncture $2,000.00 He was able to walk again, and lived to be 16 years of age...second Dachshund paralyzed we believe due to a stroke, and she is in wheels...$1,800.00....3rd Dachshund...the brother to the one in wheels, so far, $191.00..he is being caged for 8 weeks. So, yea, I beileve you did the RIGHT thing!

ITA! I would have done the same thing. Glad to see Fergie is doing well!

My beloved cat, Sandy, was 21 when we finally had to put him to sleep but if there was any thing I could have done to help him and he still be fine (quality of life here of course) I would have even if it was thousands of dollars. We got him when he wasn't even 6 weeks old (I was 4) and he died at 21 so I had him my whole life...he'll be gone 10 years this March and I miss him still.

 

[Keira1387]

Glad to see Fergie is doing well! You did the right thing!

 

[funkychunkymonkey]

If anyone needs a good hammy site with some pretty good advice in there fourm http://hamsterhideout.com I use it alot .

 

[TanyaLovesPooh]

So glad to hear that the little guy is on the mend. I think you made wise decisions, OP.

My kids would love to have a hamster, especially my 11 yr. old daughter. However, I can't talk DH into it. He is afraid the cage will make the whole house smell.

 

[Pea-n-Me]

Thanks for the responses.

I did call my vet, who wasn't there today; I called a rodent vet's office that they referred me to; and I googled information about my question.

I got a variety of responses but from what I can tell, hamster urine can sometimes be milky in color. He seems fine but I'll keep an eye on him.

Sharing some of what I found, FYI

Hamster urine is milky white and it is normal to find a white stain on the cage bottom that is very difficult to remove. Washing the area lightly with soap and water is sufficient to eliminate odour. It is not necessary to scrub off the white stain.

my hamsters urine is milky in color with a very strong odor. Normal?

Actually this is very normal for a female hamster. When they go into estrus (usually every 3 to 4 weeks) they can get a whitish, thick, foul smelling ******l discharge and it can then make their urine seem thicker and milky in color. This is nothing to worry about- just something you will need to get to used to with a female. It will probably last 4 or 5 days and then go away until the next heat period. Just make sure she is eating and drinking and acting normal otherwise. Guy at pet shop thought Gus was male.

That is normal. Hamster urine can be anywhere from yellow to milky white. He’s fine, nothing to worry about.

Hamster breeder

 

[Pea-n-Me]

wll, how is the little patient doing today?

 

[CathrynRose]

It has since changed names, but I know its located across from Super Target on the corner of University & Commercial in Lauderhill next to the Pet Supermarket. This was about 5 years ago and I think they've since changed owners but you can try there!! Sorry I can't give you a name or number- I tried googling but can't find it!

I hope your hamster feels better soon...

http://www.banfield.net/

 

[wildernesslodgelover]

Thanks for all the positive vibes, folks.

Pea-YES, Fergie's urine is milky in color, and it is permanently crusted/stained on certain parts of the cage...the plastic parts. I tried to scrub it out once and it just does NOT come out.

She is doing well today. She is MUCH better than when she wore a splint on her leg. *IF* I have another hamster ever, and *IF* this situation ever comes up again, I think I would do the amputation right away.

Tanya-My DD is 11, and she does not really have "chores" ( am really too lax with her, I must say) BUT, her one chore no matter what is CLEAN THE HAMSTER CAGE WEEKLY! I do not touch it, not ever, never, never. Then again, that is how this whole adventure began, my DD did not attach a tube on correctly and the hamster got out. It does NOT smell. Also we keep it in the office because hamsters are indeed nocturnal and downright noisy at night! Hamsters really are low maintenance pets (hmmm, I got a lot of nerve saying that after the ordeal I have been thru, eh?)

Awww, Mickeysmommy-I am sorry about your cat! We have a chihuahua who is 8 and we got her when she was 8 weeks old and my DD was not yet 3. Chihuahuas can live to be 15, or even 18 or 20, so I know my DD will be going thru what you just had to go thru! What a lucky cat, to have had such a long life and to be loved so much!

awww, Poohbear! I know dachsunds are known to have those back/leg problems. Poor little guys!

anyway, thanks again for the support. She seems very happy!