To support surgery for hamster.

[LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood]

DD1 (19) has a female Syrian hamster. Slightly under 2 years old. Much loved pet. In excellent physical condition generally. On Saturday she started bleeding from her “rear”. Took her to vet who diagnosed a uterine infection (older female hamsters are prone to them). Gave antibiotics and painkillers. Advised, on balance, surgery to remove uterus as the infection is very likely to return. Scheduled for 2pm today provisionally. But vet is going to have a conversation with DD1 when she gets there to make final decision as he wasn’t available to talk on phone this morning and the out of hours vet who saw us on Saturday is not the rodent specialist. Hamster quite well in herself. Eating as normal and still enjoying being handled (she is very sociable). Life expectancy for Syrians is up to about 3 years. Vet said if she had been much older than 2 he’d advise low dose antibiotics and painkillers as palliative care essentially. If younger then surgery the best course. She is on the cusp of the age for surgery. Hamster seems really to enjoy her life and is very much loved. The vet is a rodent specialist. But there is a risk she won’t survive surgery. Blood loss can happen quickly and cause death in a matter of a minute. DD1 is quite vulnerable emotionally (is in recovery from serious illness herself) and is looking to me for support/guidance. She and I are veering towards surgery as the best chance of a life free of discomfort for DH (dear hamster!). Even though she might not survive. We just want to do what is best for her.

Am I being unreasonable to support surgery?

Please be kind. Hamster is much loved. And has also provided a source of comfort to DD over some difficult times.

It's a big risk for a small pet. I would be guided by your vets advice. Although maybe the life expectancy is a year, that's a third of the hamsters life, so quality of life is actually really important.
Fingers crossed for you all.

It sounds like the vet is leaning towards surgery and if the hamster seems healthy/happy in all other ways then I think I would support that route too.

I hope it goes well and your DD is coping ok.

I think you have to make your decision based on the very real possibility the hamster may die on the operating table
As long as you and DD accept this risk then I say go for it

I would go for antibiotics and painkillers.

I wouldn't - anaesthetic is a risk for small furries. If they are offering conservative treatment then I'd do that for the long term.

Hope your daughter feels better soon.

If the vet thinks surgery is best then I'd do that. Although their life is short, hamster is about halfway through their life, my dog is about the same, I wouldn't hesitate to do surgery to improve and extend her life.

Thank you for kind replies. It is very hard to know what to do for the best. We are agonising over it.

If vet is happy to do it then I'd go for it, there's risks with every surgery whether animal or human and it could have another decent year or so left.

Yanbu, as long as everyone understands the risks. Pets are family. I know it’s not very mumsnet, but they are. Even small furries. There’s a risk with all surgeries. Your hamster sounds very well cared for.

If it were my hamster, I would be asking about the antibiotics and painkillers and what effect they would have on life expectancy. I would be worried about surgery on such a tiny animal, and whether the vet had performed such a surgery previously.

It’s always hard

I would go for the surgery, hope she's OK

Thing is she is tiny scrap of a thing, but is full of character and seems really to enjoy her life. She loves her food. Loves playing with us. Loves cuddles. Oh dear. It’s very hard.

I think you need to do what’s best for you, your DD & DHamster. I would be led by the conversation with the vet today, and take on board whether they feel the surgery/recovery is going to enable her to have a quality of life. If they think so and you can afford it then go with what’s right for your family, and ignore anyone who says it’s just a hamster.

Unfortunately Pyometra (which from what you’ve described sounds to be like what she’s suffering with?) typically is only able to be fully treated via surgery but she is an older ham which can make it less straight forward of a decision.

We’ve always had rodents (especially hamsters) and have had to make the difficult call before to decide whether we’d be putting our loved pet through surgery more for our benefit than for theirs, so I really don’t envy you at all

I hope the vets appointment goes well today and fingers crossed for you all

Honestly, I wouldn't do it. 2 years is actually a pretty good age for a hamster. Of course I understand a much loved pet, but when you buy a hamster you should be expecting it to die from anytime from 18months to 3 years, they just don't have a long life. Surgery is incredibly traumatic for small furries. Much nicer to tuck him up warm, give him cuddles, and let nature take its course.

Vet has done lots of such surgeries. He’s a rodent specialist. That’s what is making us veer towards it. The out of hours vet said she could do it but she would recommend he did it as he us so quick and precise.

2 years is very good for a Syrian! I have them too. Personally I think it is a lot of pain to put a small creature through who cannot understand what is happening. I would support palliative care, but that's just me. I don't think you are wrong either way.

One of my hamsters had surgery. The vet thought it was big enough and otherwise robust enough to cope but it died under anaesthetic.
A friend's guinea-pig had an operation and survived for 5 months after before the bladdet stones reappeared.
There is no doubt that surgery is very risky with little animals, but some do succeed snd we felt we had to give ours the chance. The option othetwise really ead putting them out of pain, and that is what happened for the hamster under anaesthetic anyway.
I think prepare for the worst, but I would go for the surgery.

You need to know what the risks/benefits of the anaesthetic are and weight those up against the risks/benefits of long term medication.

Ask how effective the pain relief is and how often you'd have to do the medication, it might be many times a day and it might not be easy to get the medication into the hamster.

Then weigh up risk of death v quality of life v impact of the loss of the hamster v impact of the treatment regime on your lives.

Lucky hamster, not everyone is as caring of them.

I would go for the surgery knowing the possibility off her not making it. It doesn't sound like the prognosis is good without it.

Thank you everyone. And for saying our hamster is lucky. We do love her and value her even though she is small!

I’m so sorry OP, how sad.

I think I would consider the risk too great for the sake of another few months, if she can otherwise be made comfortable. But it’s absolutely up to you based on the advice of your vet - if the vet supports surgery then YWNBU to go for it.

I don't think I'd do it. Our guinea pig didn't survive neutering just the other week. And he was considerably larger than a hamster.
Good luck with whatever you decide

I wouldn't put a 2yo hamster through surgery. It won't have long left anyway and likely die under anesthetic.
Ours died at 2. Went from lively young thing to little old man very quickly.

I’ve had two Syrian girls about the same age go through the same surgery! They recovered remarkably.

I highly recommend a little serving of greens each day during recovery (spinach is fantastic). Also Pro-C (you can buy at Pets at Home) is great to give them a boost. Take as far away from antibiotics as possible. Her home may need to be adapted into a hospital setting. Just a nest, accessible food bowl and water for a few days.

I think you and your dd are lovely for caring so much op. Too many hamsters get ignored/neglected. Hope the hamster does well if you go ahead