Granger my hamster is sick :(

[Fran101]

It started this morning, usually when I wake up for class she peeks her head out to say goodbye and get her morning treat
but today, she didn't, and she seemed lethargic.

I came back later and she still hadn't eaten breakfast and seemed to be having trouble moving around (she didn't even run off when I lifted up her house she was under, which is VERY weird)

I held her in my hands and her breathing seemed fast and labored, so I packed her up and ran to one of my vet professors.
He doesn't specialize in small animals but our lab has an x-ray machine for the mice and all so he helped me out and called in a favor to one of the professors who works more with the mice/rodents

They took blood and x-rays, and they can't seem to find anything wrong but we can all see that something is wrong

I got her in october of last year for my birthday, I've only had her a year and I'm just really worried

She made living in a dorm less lonely, she is a friendly, sweet, nice little hamster and I know she isn't a dog but she was a great pet just the same


I am waiting for them to get the "better" x-ray machine to maybe see if they are missing a blockage but they aren't sure what we can do if we DO find something.
Surgery on an animal her size... it's just.. not plausible. Especially with no small animal vets around, our classrooms don't really have all it takes.

They gave her something via IV to hydrate her and I'm just hoping she gets better

They are going to fax the x-ray to a small veterinarian and they will let us know if it is operable. If so, I'm going to go from there... If it's best for her, I will have the operation. but I don't want her to suffer.

I just..don't know.

Vibes please?

 

[JessLough]

Poor Granger I hope she gets feeling better!

 

[Backward_Cinderella]

(((((((((((((((HUGS))))))))))))))))))))) Tons of vibes for you AND Granger. <3

 

[SarahHound]

I hope the vet can help her

 

[~Dixie's_Mom~]

Vibes for you and Granger!

I'll let you know though, a year old is very old for a Syrian hamster. I've had Syrians live to 3 years, but that's not necessarily the norm. It's pretty average for a syrian, even with good care, to live like 8 months to a year.

 

[poodlesmom]

Vibes for Granger & (((((hugs))))) for you.

 

[skittledoo]

Lots and lots of hugs. Seems like today is just a sick pet day on Chaz. Sending lots of get well vibes for Granger. I hope she pulls through.

 

[SarahHound]

Vibes for you and Granger!

I'll let you know though, a year old is very old for a Syrian hamster. I've had Syrians live to 3 years, but that's not necessarily the norm. It's pretty average for a syrian, even with good care, to live like 8 months to a year.

The average for a Syrian is 2.5 years or at least it has been in all the books I have read and on hamster forums I am on. So she is young really compared.

 

[MaloreyAnimal]

Vibes for you and Granger!

I'll let you know though, a year old is very old for a Syrian hamster. I've had Syrians live to 3 years, but that's not necessarily the norm. It's pretty average for a syrian, even with good care, to live like 8 months to a year.

8 Months to 1 year old? :rofl1: :rofl1: If you're only getting hamsters to live that long, I wouldn't say they were in good care since that isn't old at all!

Anyways, hope Granger feels better - though if you keep your hamster on newspaper like that, it may be best if she passed on. Sad to see an animal that burrows stuck in an enclosure like that!

 

[Zoom]

Ok, that was really a rather terrible thing to say, especially with only being able to see ONE LITTLE CORNER of the tank. Did you miss the fiber bedding under the newspaper?

How about something constructive, like "Hamsters enjoy burrowing. After she gets better, maybe give her something like __________ to satisfy that instinct."

Fran, I hope Granger feels better soon.

 

[Dakotah]

The average for a Syrian is 2.5 years or at least it has been in all the books I have read and on hamster forums I am on. So she is young really compared.

I agree. I had one and he lived to be a little over 2 years.

Vibes for you and your baby girl I hope she gets better asap.

 

[Fran101]

Thanks guys, she seems to be doing better they couldn't find anything wrong in the x-rays so right now it's just a waiting game... They think it might have been some kind of blockage but it seems to have passed and she is eating! Which is spectacular news!
She might of also just been dehydrated, I double checked her water bottle and it seems fine but I'm thinking the ball mechanism thing might have stopped working..

I know she's "just a hamster" but thank you all for the vibes and everything anyway I'm so glad to see her back to her old self!

Anyways, hope Granger feels better - though if you keep your hamster on newspaper like that, it may be best if she passed on. Sad to see an animal that burrows stuck in an enclosure like that!

Seriously..where on earth do you get the nerve? It might be BETTER if she died because she WAS on newspaper?
Seriously??

What the hell is the matter with you?

First of all, it's an old picture. I was cleaning her tank/out of carefresh at the time so newspaper was mixed in. It's hardly abusive. She lives on carefresh and burrows plenty. She has quite a big enclosure, plenty of out of cage time, and is a happy, well cared for pet.

I RAN AROUND like a crazy woman today trying to get her to a vet. but Oh she MUST be abused.

And I sure hope that god forbid one of your animals get sick, nobody comes along and tells you they are better off dead because of something tiny you did, that they perceived by looking at a picture.
Like Gee.. I dunno.. Letting your overweight dog jump over agility jumps that are way to high?

 

[AllieMackie]

Lots of vibes for Granger! She's a cutie patoot. Keep us posted.

 

[katielou]

Hugs and vibes!

So cute. I love having hamsters such fun little buddies.

 

[Backward_Cinderella]

8 Months to 1 year old? :rofl1: :rofl1: If you're only getting hamsters to live that long, I wouldn't say they were in good care since that isn't old at all!

Anyways, hope Granger feels better - though if you keep your hamster on newspaper like that, it may be best if she passed on. Sad to see an animal that burrows stuck in an enclosure like that!

Douchecanoe alert, and I don't even care if I get banned for "name calling" because anyone who's insensitive enough say things like this to someone who has a sick pet freaking deserves it. Get a life, loser.

Fran, I'm so glad she's doing better. <3

 

[PlottMom]

YAYYYY! So glad she's feeling better, and man you have AWESOME profs

 

[oakash]

Aw yay! I'm so glad she's feeling better!

And don't take it to heart Fran, we all know you're a wonderful caring person, who loves her pets, don't let anyone tell you different

 

[Dakotah]

And don't take it to heart Fran, we all know you're a wonderful caring person, who loves her pets, don't let anyone tell you different

Ditto.
Your hammy is doing better and eating, and that's all that matters.
Sending vibes that Granger continues to eat well and that she continues to show improvement <3

 

[Southpaw]

Anyways, hope Granger feels better - though if you keep your hamster on newspaper like that, it may be best if she passed on. Sad to see an animal that burrows stuck in an enclosure like that!

Normally I would never waste my time replying to a comment like this, but I really am appalled that a person could seriously tell someone their pet would be better off dead. It's newspaper for God's sake, with Carefresh underneath. It's not a urine and feces mountain.

Fran I hope Granger continues improving. I wish more people provided their hamsters with the same level of care!

 

[skittledoo]

Wow.... I can't believe what I just read. How can anyone tell someone their pet is better off dead? I'm actually completely baffled that I actually read that remark correctly. You cannot judge an animal's care based off this single picture. What if she put Granger in that cage on the newspaper temporarily while she's getting tests done? How can you assume that she isn't doing right by Granger? The fact that she spent the day trying to find out what's wrong and make her hamster feel better speaks absolute volumes of her love for the little Granger. This type of assumption from people really strikes a nerve in me. When I got my snake she was on newspaper for a whole day and I happened to snap a quick photo of her at the time. She was only on the newspaper temporarily until I could get her aspen bedding that she could burrow in. Yet someone (not on this forum) made an assumption that I must be keeping her on newspaper and reamed me for it. It's not cool at all and its a real ass move.