Hamster is ill - advice?

[PeteG]

Family hamster, a couple of years old, isn't well at all.

She's had some sort of illness that's made her shed almost all her fur over the last few weeks. Last week or two, she's been very inactive, only coming out every now and again, sleeping most of the day. She's not eaten much the last few days. Now she's come out of her bed-hut-thing, absolutely icy cold, very unsteady, strong smell of urine. I know hamsters live for only a short while, my mum is now very distraught... is it worth going to the vets and knowing she'll probably be put to sleep, do you think? I hate the thought of her suffering, but know precisely nothing about hamsters.

[gilla]

sorry if this sounds harsh... They don't live long - get another one it's probably on it's way out

[Flintstone]

Phone the vet?

As you say, hamsters don't live long. Could be the beginning of the end for the poor thing and putting it out of it's misery might be the kindest. Then again the vet might know exactly what's wrong, rub on some magic oinkment and Hammy will be back to normal. You won't know until you ask though.

Good luck.

[PeteG]

Cheers chaps. Decision is made.

(There was an outside chance that hamsters could catch a cold, wasn't there? )

[Rocksteadyeddie]

Have you checked with Clarkson and May if they have any ideas?

[The Moose]

Surely some modified one of these.

Cheers

The Moose

Obviously not what I would recommend

Edited by The Moose on Monday 7th June 20:01

[mat13]

Then to the pet shop for a similar looking one, but tell your mum youve been to the vets.

[Monkeylegend]

Have you tried contacting Freddie Starr?

[Huntsman]

Deep fry it?

Recession on, budget feeding the family...

[Bill]

My brother's hamster got something similar. Eventually it looked liked a small wrinkly penis, with little legs. And teeth.

Take the poor bd thing to the vet FFS.

[Don1]

HTH.

[paul.deitch]

It's probably just shedding its winter coat with this warm weather we're having.
It's not pining as well is it? Fjords and all that stuff.

[Skylinecrazy]

Put it in the microwave.

[becksW]

Hopefully OP has taken little hammy to vets to be put down. Sounds like tumour/ organ shut down and age. Kinder than watching it die slowly.

2yrs is a good age, many don't live more than 18months (gerbils longer living but no always as sociable)

[mybrainhurts]

[littlegreenfairy]

becksW said:

Hopefully OP has taken little hammy to vets to be put down. Sounds like tumour/ organ shut down and age. Kinder than watching it die slowly.

2yrs is a good age, many don't live more than 18months (gerbils longer living but no always as sociable)

Mine started to lose his fur when the tumour in his ear started showing. He was put down before he could lose weight and get very poorly. Poor Pidge

Take him to the vet and get him put to sleep.

[carmadgaz]

Rocksteadyeddie said:

Have you checked with Clarkson and May if they have any ideas?

my first thought on reading the title. Sorry OP

[Penny-lope]

becksW said:

Hopefully OP has taken little hammy to vets to be put down. Sounds like tumour/ organ shut down and age. Kinder than watching it die slowly.

2yrs is a good age, many don't live more than 18months (gerbils longer living but no always as sociable)

One of my sons gerbils is sill going strong.....2 and a half years after we got her (and she was full grown then) Sadly her sister died 5 months ago

[sadako]

Penny-lope said:

becksW said:

Hopefully OP has taken little hammy to vets to be put down. Sounds like tumour/ organ shut down and age. Kinder than watching it die slowly.

2yrs is a good age, many don't live more than 18months (gerbils longer living but no always as sociable)

One of my sons gerbils is sill going strong.....2 and a half years after we got her (and she was full grown then) Sadly her sister died 5 months ago

Rats live 3 years and are very sociable, but it is still a major downer when they die. We stopped getting them after the second one.

[NDA]