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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:
CharlotteRose90 · 19/01/2021 19:14

I think it depends on whether you can afford the surgery. If the hamster only has another year or so life expectancy wise I wouldn’t put her through the trauma. See if you can handle it with antibiotics and pain relief. Anaesthesia is a massive risk to any animal especially tiny ones like your hamster

Lovemusic33 · 19/01/2021 19:18

Our hamster is the same age and I think she won’t be around much longer, if she needed surgery I don’t think I would put her through it as she may die in a month or two anyway. I’m guessing the vet bill will be pretty high too and there’s a big risk she won’t make it.

70isaLimitNotaTarget · 19/01/2021 20:32

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

Fuck ain't you just all heart there katy1213

I bet you wouldn've been the type to tell me how ridiculous I was spending £30 to humanely euthanise my £10 rescue guinea-pig .

Flush it down the toilet or let it die in pain , what d'you think I should do ?

Gingerkittykat · 19/01/2021 20:43

[quote Ihopeyourcakeisshit]@BumbleBiscuit Goldfish surgery?[/quote]
Here's some goldfish surgery

FFSAllTheGoodOnesArereadyTaken · 19/01/2021 20:45

I'd ask the vet for the chances of surviving surgery. On balance I'd probably advise against it and have low dose antibiotics.

MagnoliatheMagnificent · 19/01/2021 21:27

That goldfish surgery is impressive!
Not sure i would put my hamster through surgery at that age but it's such a personal thing. Our eldest hamster is 2 1/4 and becoming quite frail so definitely wouldn't put him through it.
My friend had a 6 month old female with a lump, she had surgery for it, removed a cyst, cleaned out wound etc, cost her £200 but hamster was young and healthy and recovered really well so she was pleased.
Hard to predict really. We lost a healthy young male rabbit last year immediately post neutering surgery, didn't come out of the anaesthesia well and died. Was a big shock.

Suzi888 · 19/01/2021 21:32

If your vet is confident and supports surgery, then I’d have the surgery. A year must be quite along time in hamster years, if they only live for around 3!
Hope all goes well.

twinsguineas · 20/01/2021 01:16

@katy1213

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!
I hope to fuck you never have a pet.

That hamster is clearly much loved and so it should be. Are you jealous because it's much more loveable than you appear to be?

Emeraldshamrock · 20/01/2021 11:24

I hope the antibiotics worked hamster is doing well. You sound like a lovely caring family your hamster is a lucky pet.

Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 20/01/2021 13:19

@katy1213

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!
I'm having a whip round for compassion transplant surgery for katy123, unless anyone thinks it might be in the interests of humanity not to.
Ihopeyourcakeisshit · 20/01/2021 13:21

@Gingerkittykat thanks for that link!

BoJoHoNo · 20/01/2021 13:30

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! What an awful attitude to pet ownership. A pet should be respected as a life and not regarded as a possession that you 'replace' when they die or sell on when you get bored of them. I'm glad my parents taught me to have some respect and compassion for living creatures.

GetOffYourHighHorse · 20/01/2021 13:31

'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'

This. Op it is always sad to lose a pet but you do need a bit of perspective here. You've had 2 lovely years, don't put a hamster through surgery just keep it pain-free and comfortable.

Wheresmykimchi · 21/01/2021 00:12

@katy1213

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!
Shame you've learned zero life lessons.
Ponoka7 · 21/01/2021 00:21

She's at the end of her life expectancy. It's cruel to put an animal that will be very stressed by the op and post op care, because we aren't ready to say goodbye. It's like an elderly person having a DNR, or refusing cancer treatment, as they often do.

Painkillers and antibiotics and letting her die a peaceful, natural death is what's best for her.

user127819 · 21/01/2021 05:28

Syrians don't really live to 3 nowadays. 18 months - 2 years is about average, sometimes a little more. The treatment for pyometra which is what she has is either antibiotics for the rest of her or the surgery. It's up to you but if it were my hamster I would probably go for the antibiotics.

jamesfailedmarshmallows · 21/01/2021 05:40

It's so hard but I would go for the palliative option. We lost our 13 month Netherland dwarf rabbit last year in surgery, the vet said he died with seconds of the GA being administered and he said that wasn't uncommon in small animals.
Your hamster is in good form, eating well etc so I wouldn't put her through surgery until I'd explored the antibiotic route. As a pp pointed out with little tact she does only have one more anticipated year of life expectancy left, my aim would be to keep her as pain free as possible until she departs, and PTS if she showed signs of distress. It's so hard OP, pets really do become part of the family Flowers

midnightstar66 · 21/01/2021 05:54

I wouldn't. 3 is pretty top end for a small hamster and many sadly go before then. As a pp above said they can go any time from 18 months but 2 isn't uncommon. As well as the anaesthetic and surgery it's self, the stress of surgery can kill such a tiny animal.

edenhills · 21/01/2021 07:56

I had a Syrian that lived to 4 and a half! If vet is happy to operate and is experienced with small animals I would go for it. Anesthetic risk is very small and rodents recover very quickly from surgery.

DarceyDashwood · 21/01/2021 07:56

I’d just like to say how lovely and caring the (majority Hmm) of replies to this thread are. How nice to see people taking the time to understand that even the smallest of pets are important to their families. OP - I hope whatever you decide you have a happy outcome Flowers

AlternativePerspective · 21/01/2021 08:08

While @ katy1213 could have put it more tactfully, I do think that realistically this is an animal which is going to die soon.

3 is almost unheard of, 2 is more likely, and as harsh as it sounds, I also think you need to weigh up the cost here. Of corse the vet is going to advise surgery if he thinks you’ll pay it. But the likelihood of the animal surviving is slim and you’ll still be out £££ for an exorbitant vet bill. And if it does survive you’ll still be paying the bill when it’s died I within probably the next 6 months max.

I think sometimes we need to question when we do these things for animals who we’re really doing it for. Is it really for them? If we’re honest it really isn’t.

Wheresmykimchi · 21/01/2021 17:15

@AlternativePerspective

While @ katy1213 could have put it more tactfully, I do think that realistically this is an animal which is going to die soon.

3 is almost unheard of, 2 is more likely, and as harsh as it sounds, I also think you need to weigh up the cost here. Of corse the vet is going to advise surgery if he thinks you’ll pay it. But the likelihood of the animal surviving is slim and you’ll still be out £££ for an exorbitant vet bill. And if it does survive you’ll still be paying the bill when it’s died I within probably the next 6 months max.

I think sometimes we need to question when we do these things for animals who we’re really doing it for. Is it really for them? If we’re honest it really isn’t.

AP, the bill was about 100 and OP has updated to say the hamster doesn't need the op.
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