Rocky The Hamster Is Very Ill
[ Tuesday March 28th 2023 at 5:39 pm ]
I have bad news about Rocky The Hamster: He is critically ill.
I was offered a vet appointment tomorrow for 1 PM. I have decided against taking him to the vet. This has been the most miserable decision I've made in a long time.
I went to the pet store to talk to their small animal associate in equal parts to ask what are good questions to put to a vet, where the value of money falls (such as I was doubting paying for a biopsy since it wouldn't add value) and in general what I needed to know. The upshot is that small animals are extremely difficult to sedate for treatment. Chances are sedating Rocky would kill him. At which point I've not helped him.
The 2 possibilities are either cancer or a burst blood vessel. I asked the pet store what the typical pathway is for both understanding that he isn't a vet. The prognosis for treatment isn't good. There is extreme risk in sedating hamsters and small animals. There is a razer thin margin between sedation and unintentional euthanasia.
What has pushed me into not taking him to the vet is last night's CCTV. Rocky is now only eating and then sleeping. He is clearly very unwell. He didn't run on his wheel at all last night. Two weeks ago he was running on his wheel for 2½ hours a night.
My overall impression is that it was already too late to help Rocky when I found the tumor and that it is best to keep him comfortable and continue to show him unconditional love. Essentially hospice for a pet.
Given the severe riskiness that treating Rocky represents a visit to the vet doesn't represent the possibility of a different outcome.