Please talk to Me..Hamster Death... Very Sudden. Bereft.

[BloomingFlowers]

I hope you can help.

My young Syrian hamster died yesterday; and I can't stop crying.

She was very sweet natured, very friendly; a total joy.

Yesterday morning we got up; as usual, I went into say "Good Morning" to Her; about 5.30 am, she stuffed just her nose out of her little house; sometimes she would get up and stretch and come out of her house to say "hello".

Nothing unusual.

DD went in; about 10am., hamster came out to see her. DD picks her up and hamster bites her on the face/hand. Blackberry hamster has never bitten; ever.

Daughter "let's go of her"; only a short distance, 6 to 8 " ; onto the table, hamster starts to "scream" in pain. Turns on us; hissing and attempting to bite. Constant high pitched "hamster" screaming .

We managed to get her into a travel suite and took her straight to the vets.

He gave her an anti-inflammatory and antibiotic.

It was only when he scruffed her; and turned her on her back, that I noticed that she had "wet tail". Her back end underside was sodden; dark and matted.He diagnosed a right leg injury.

We were advised to remove all high level items from the cage.

We brought her back. I insisted that the cage was disinfected before we put her back, having observed the wet tail; and all the accessories removed until we could disinfect them.

I just let her rest quietly in the travel suite. I was talking to her; but she went on the play wheel attached and started running on the wheel.

Having cleaned the cage; she was transferred back in. She ate some food (actually eaten; not pouched), she went back to her nest; rearranged it; explored/ran around the cage exploring; climbing the bars etc. and then went back to her nest.

Half an hour later, she came out; went to the far end of her cage (no nesting material) and just stayed there.That's when my Husband picked her up.

My husband was working in the room and noticed this. He didn't call me because I am not well myself and am on bed rest; and awaiting emergency admission to hospital.

I came downstairs and he'd got Blackberry(hamster) cupped in his hands; and against his chest. He just said "She's not well xxxxxxxx (my pet name); she's very very cold and very sleepy; I think the antibiotics have knocked her out a bit"

Military manouveres later (the cat sleeps on our bed); I took Blackberry hamster upstairs to bed and kept her warm in the fold of my fluffy dressing-gown and my duvet.

It was like she was in a very deep sleep. I kept her warm, talked to her; and stroked her.

I had called the vet; and he 'phoned back about an hour after this.

He told me to put her back in her cage......
It was a shock, a trauma; being in my dressing gown was a trauma (I knew that wasn't right actually, I take her out to play of an evening after I've showered/bathed). But I did it anyway.

So I put her back in her cage; in her nest.

A half hour later we didn't know whether she was dead or alive; it was hours later; when we knew. My little one sobbed that she was "cold and stiff". I had hoped that she had been somewhat "zonked" by the antibiotics/anti inflammatories.

I'm feeling tremendous grief for this hamster.

It sounds silly, but she was a little friend.

I don't know what went wrong; and I'm thinking
I'm ill; i've been on antibiotics; have I transferred infection.
I fed her fresh produce every day.Very small amounts. Washed cabbage, half a seedless grape, a baby sweetcorn; half a boiled egg .

The vet spoke to me today; he was as dismiisive as he was yesteday when I took Blackberry in.

He just about held his hands up and said "we do bugger all for small animals and don't really give a shit".

Something went badly wrong.

I just need to know what it was; but I don't at this point in time.

I took charge of a brilliant, loving, gorgeous little Hamster..

And Killed it.

I'm amiss as to what went wrong.

Feedback required.

I'm sobbing. I know it's not appropriate.

Umm...

I'm really sorry for your loss. Im not a pet lover but had to respond to this because I feel your pain from when my guinea pig died as a child.

It will get easier.

Hi, I'm a vet and maybe I can try to help. First off, I am sorry that you felt your vet was dismissive and unsympathetic- that's not right. Most of understand that a pet is a pet, regardless of size.

It honestly doesn't sound like you did any one thing that was wrong or could have caused your little hammy's death. These wee guys can go downhill very quickly, for any number of reasons, and often there is nothing you can do We are also limited in our investigative process, as blood samples are often traumatic and difficult for them, and don't necessarily tell us much that we can do much about in creatures this small. Treatment is similarly limited, as few drugs are licensed for small furries.

If she DID have wet tail, the e-coli bacterium can lead to kidney failure and death. there was nothing more you could have done to prevent this if this is what happened- you took her to the vet, and she was on antibiotics. These guys can also become septicaemic and go into shock before finally succumbing to kidney/ other organ failure, ad it sounds like thsi may have possibly happened to your wee girl.

It IS appropriate to be upset- she was your pet and you loved her. Please comfort yourself with the thought that you did everything you could for her, and that unfortunately hamsters aren't terribly hardy- when they get unwell they do often go down very fast, nothing else you could have done. She most probably slept away in the end, it doesn't sound like she was in pain. I know it doesn't make it better, but I hope this at least helps x

I had a hamster. Originally bought it for my son, but he showed no real interest.

I can quite honestly say, hand on heart, that this daft little creature was by far the most loved of any of my pets (including the cat we have now).

She was my little mate, so affectionate and tame, she used to follow me around like a dog. I'd sit on the settee with her, feeding her boiled eggs whilst we watched TV together!!!

I was completely devastated when she died, I was upset for weeks. I know exactly where you're coming from in your grief. Console yourself that she was loved, and that you did as much as you could for her.