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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To support surgery for hamster.

97 replies

LadyMacbethWasMisunderstood · 18/01/2021 10:54

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.

OP posts:
WingingItSince1973 · 18/01/2021 14:41

What a tough decision. Sorry no advice really but I just wanted to say what a wonderful person you are to even consider it. The hamster is very lucky to have such caring owners. Because the are small and cheap sadly small pets seem easily disposable. Hope whatever you decide you and your dd will be ok xxx

WingingItSince1973 · 18/01/2021 14:45

@BumbleBiscuit goldfish surgery? Seriously? Xx

BoJoHoNo · 18/01/2021 14:50

Wishing your hamster a speedy recovery OP.

@WingingItSince1973 it's amazing what vets can do nowadays. My exotics vet has performed surgery on our axolotl and given our iguana a life saving hysterectomy!

Xiaoxiong · 18/01/2021 14:52

@SweetPetrichor I don't disagree with you but I'm struggling to think of a household pet that never requires vet treatment? Even fish can need vet care sometimes... just curious what pets you have!

SweetPetrichor · 18/01/2021 15:03

[quote Xiaoxiong]@SweetPetrichor I don't disagree with you but I'm struggling to think of a household pet that never requires vet treatment? Even fish can need vet care sometimes... just curious what pets you have![/quote]
I keep arachnids. Tarantulas and true spiders. :)

Even exotic vets don't really do spiders! Most tarantula owners will actually know more about treating issues than a typical vet would. The only treatable issues with tarantulas is dehydration - where the only solution is to try to either get the tarantula to drink freely, or turn them upside down and drip some water on the mouth parts, or very minor injuries to the skin which can be dusted with a little flour to promote clotting of the fluid but generally a skin injury will kill them. They can lose legs and regrow them fine, but the abdomen is very delicate. They are truly one of the few pets where 'veterinary care' comes down the owner and advice of experienced keepers.

JKW36 · 18/01/2021 15:07

How much is it going to cost? It sounds like quite a painful surgery. We've had lots of hamsters, none of them lived much past 2 :-(

notsorighteousthesedays · 18/01/2021 15:18

We’ve just paid £370 for a 7-year old rabbit to have lumps removed and a hysterectomy! Probably would have thought longer about it but just also spent £1300 on surgery (infected lick granuloma) for our, currently very annoying, 8-year old bulldog girl so it seemed only right to give our lovely little rabbit the same chance - I know I’m lucky to be able afford it but it’s last years unused holiday money and they’re family......

Soubriquet · 18/01/2021 15:21

Small animals don’t do well under anaesthesia. That kills them more than saves them

You could still go ahead but I would prepare for the worst

IMissFrance · 18/01/2021 15:24

Read your update and hoping it doesn't come to it.

But my go to question with difficult vet decisions is always "if this was your pet what would you do?"

I've always found vets to be very honest and I know they must love their pets as much as I love mine. So that's what I tend to fall back on when I'm not confident in my own decision making. Xxx

2021optimist · 18/01/2021 15:25

I used to have other small furries and I know you love your hamster. You should only put DH through surgery if it is really in her best interests. The treatment/ travel/ recuperation etc may be scary/ painful. She has a limited life span, surgical success is not certain and you have another less invasive form of treatment you could try. You have my sympathy, it's always a v hard decision.

twinsguineas · 18/01/2021 16:02

[quote Xiaoxiong]@SweetPetrichor I don't disagree with you but I'm struggling to think of a household pet that never requires vet treatment? Even fish can need vet care sometimes... just curious what pets you have![/quote]
I can't say we ever took our stick insects to the vet.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 18/01/2021 16:20

We had a young guinea-pig boar castrated , it went well and he bonded with two sows . He was in prime condition and looking forward to his new lifestyle .

But any of my pigs that were ill , I'd have thought twice . Only because they have already reached a stage when I'd question if it would work, they hide their illnesses so well.
Our last old lady had an eye ulcer that did heal but if they'd said they had to remove the eye , I'd have had her euthanised .
Anaesthesia is a risk , even for a quick surgery .
Very difficult decision.

twinguineapigs stick insects ? You cannot put a stick insect in your jumper and say "Lets see what's in the fridge eh? " Wink

WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants · 18/01/2021 16:26

That's a potentially good update!

We had a hamster -she looked just like this hamster 🐹 she was brilliant. Not like some of the horrors you read about on here!! When she was about 2.5 she became unwell (losing her hair) the vet gave us cream & antibiotics and she really picked up, but then went downhill again. A lot of vet visits cream/drops/drugs later she died. I wish I'd spared her the last few weeks & pts.

I would probably go with the surgery if he thinks it's necessary & if he thinks it's likely to have a good outcome, BUT I'd be very realistic about the chance of her dying during surgery -as someone else said 'dying under anaesthetic is not a bad way to go!

I hope she's on the mend & you don't have to think about it again!!

Ps. Ours loved dog biscuits. Not many people know that.

HamishDent · 18/01/2021 16:33

I always ask the vet what they would do if it were their pet. Of course there are risks and being such a small animal, they are probably high in a hamster, but what is the alternative?

I had a very young hamster who developed a swollen paw. I thought it was a simple tissue injury, but it turned out to be a tumour. We went to a small furries specialist (that’s what they were referred to at the vets!) and the only option was amputation. We went ahead in his advice and the hamster lived to nearly 4. He had a great life and in the end developed a tumour on his back. Given his age, the vet advised he be put down which was what we did in the end.

Nowisthemonthofmaying · 18/01/2021 16:40

Fingers crossed after your last update! I still miss my Syrian hamster, he was such a little personality and I was devastated when I had to have him pts. They are amazing creatures and it makes me sad how many people keep them in completely unsuitable conditions.

twinsguineas · 18/01/2021 16:47

@70isaLimitNotaTarget

We had a young guinea-pig boar castrated , it went well and he bonded with two sows . He was in prime condition and looking forward to his new lifestyle .

But any of my pigs that were ill , I'd have thought twice . Only because they have already reached a stage when I'd question if it would work, they hide their illnesses so well.
Our last old lady had an eye ulcer that did heal but if they'd said they had to remove the eye , I'd have had her euthanised .
Anaesthesia is a risk , even for a quick surgery .
Very difficult decision.

twinguineapigs stick insects ? You cannot put a stick insect in your jumper and say "Lets see what's in the fridge eh? " Wink

No, you play let's count the eggs instead Confused my son came home with a note saying 'please bring a jam jar and some leaves' to school if you'd like a stick insect.

£15 for a stick insect habitat later and we had the start of a new colony as this ignoramus mother didn't know about parthenogenesis at that pointGrin

isitjustifyable · 18/01/2021 16:55

I wish I saw this sooner. My hamster had this done and survived. It cost me £200, I will always remember everyone being so confused as to why I would do it.

She recovered really well but developed more tumours in her stomach not long after. (I actually thought she had an eye problem because her eyes were bulging but it turned out it was all the pressure of the tumours inside making her eyes bulge 😢) and she had to be put down

I hope your DD Is ok

Time40 · 18/01/2021 20:41

In answer to the question about cost - its £130 for the op

That's not too bad - I somehow thought it would be a lot more than that.

Let's hope it doesn't come to surgery, though, and that DH gets well without it. (I love the fact that we have now created a new meaning for the abbreviation "DH")

dontcrowdthemushrooms · 18/01/2021 21:44

Sending healing vibes for your little one OP.

My mum once had a surgery done on a gerbil to remove an enormous tumour on her aorta. It was (seriously) as big as the gerbil once it was out. She recovered amazingly well, was accepted back into the fold by the rest of the pack, and lived longer than any gerbil we ever had - well over 4 years old. £50 well spent! Shock

FenellaVelour · 18/01/2021 23:15

@WitchesBritchesPumpkinPants

That's a potentially good update!

We had a hamster -she looked just like this hamster 🐹 she was brilliant. Not like some of the horrors you read about on here!! When she was about 2.5 she became unwell (losing her hair) the vet gave us cream & antibiotics and she really picked up, but then went downhill again. A lot of vet visits cream/drops/drugs later she died. I wish I'd spared her the last few weeks & pts.

I would probably go with the surgery if he thinks it's necessary & if he thinks it's likely to have a good outcome, BUT I'd be very realistic about the chance of her dying during surgery -as someone else said 'dying under anaesthetic is not a bad way to go!

I hope she's on the mend & you don't have to think about it again!!

Ps. Ours loved dog biscuits. Not many people know that.

At hamster shows, each hamster is given a dog biscuit to put in their show pen so they have something to nibble on (they also have a piece of fresh veg). I would give my hamsters Milky Bones at home and they were big fans. Farleys Rusks also went down well.

OP, I’m glad to hear your update and I hope the antibiotics do the trick. Your girl is heading into her twilight months so it’s a tough decision at that age, but actually hamsters can recover well from such surgeries if they make it through the initial op, so it’s not something I’d completely write off if it does come to that.

briebuiltthiscity · 18/01/2021 23:21

Hoping the antibiotics work for little hamster OP. Flowers

Wheresmykimchi · 18/01/2021 23:35

The vet sounds like he's leaning towards it . I'd do it.

Wheresmykimchi · 18/01/2021 23:36

Sorry just RTFT . Yayyyyyy!!!

maggienolia · 19/01/2021 18:59

My hammy had the same problem some years ago. We went ahead with the surgery - she recovered and lived another year.
She was called Steve unfortunately. My skills as a hamster sexed were severely lacking.

katy1213 · 19/01/2021 19:09

It'll die in a few months anyway, what's the point? At 19, she needs to grasp that hamsters have a short shelf-life and the next one will be just as cuddly if she wants to replace it. A life lesson usually learned at seven!