I hate to ask

[LoriAnne]

Just joined forum yesterday 'cause my dwarf, "Bernie" has conjunctivitis. First time I've been to vet & was shocked at cost - $60 for 10 minute checkup & ointment. (Had I known in advance I would have taken him anyway - NO QUESTION ABOUT IT - which is why I didn't ask in advance what it would cost.

However vet said that since Bernie is 1 1/2, this is likely to be the first of many illnesses that will come on back-to-back because his lifespan is only 2 years. I can't bear to watch him endure illness after illness. I love him too much to watch that. So, if he comes down with something more threatening (pneumonia, etc) how do you "put down" your little friend so he'll go painlessly in his sleep?

I just can't see paying a vet God knows what to do it when there must be humane, painless ways to send him off by myself. I am sorry to ask such an unpleasant question, but I will be more comfortable if I know what my options are when the time comes. Thank you in advance for your kind help.

[PyscoFalcon]

The only humane way is by a vet.

[LoriAnne]

What, exactly, would the vet do to him? The only way I can think of is an injection & I hate that idea.

[qazwsxedc]

so if an injection isn't humane what do you want?? electric shock?
? you can't get more humane than the injection unless you don't listen to that vet coz even though a hammys imune system looses power he won't pick up illnesses from no where:angel5: :agree: :D

[Mitchandozzie]

thats the only humane way to do it.

[MagnoliaFly]

I had to have one of my hamsters put to sleep. I did have the vet do it, and yes they do do it with an injection. I had it done at a Spay and Neuter clinic and just donated money because they wernt going to charge me for it (they'd never put a hamster to sleep before).
See if there is a pound nearby and tell them of your problem, they may offer to do it for a small donation. It really is the only humane way to end the small animal's suffering.

[Left Paw]

The vet will give your pet two injections. the first one is a sedative/pain killer so he cannot feel the effects the second/lethal shot has on his body. If it is NOT two shots, it is NOT humane, whether it is done by a vet or not. :bawling:

[LoriAnne]

No I wasn't thinking about electric shock.
I thought there MIGHT be something that the critter could inhale and then doze off. Clearly I know nothing about this & I'll take your word(s) for it, but the thought of my little animal feeling the pain of a needle as his last conscious sensation fills me with tears.

[PyscoFalcon]

If they have to be put down then chances are there far too gone to feel anything anyway.

[Mitchandozzie]

ya just take him/her to the vet and after the first shot, he/she wont feel the second needle..................

[stonedangel]

I am so sorry you have to be going through this, although I cant really give you any advise since i havent ever had to have a hamster put down, i have had them die on their own, and know that is terrble, of course. And I have had to have a cat with cancer who was in great pain put down. t is SO awful, but if the animal s going to be suffering, it is a nce good thing to do, i feel, becouse i sure dont want something i love to be in pain, and you obviosley dont either,

But again, am very sorry about your pet!!! :bawling:

Remember he is going to a place where the sufferning will be gone.

[Mitchandozzie]

im sorry but the best way is to rake him to the vet. and i think they usually do it for free.

[Flutterby21782]

If the time comes that you do decide that your hammie has to be put to sleep, first tell the vet you want a seditive administered first, then the hammie will be sound asleep and numb. The lethal injection is put into the heart, but sometimes the tiny heart is missed and the vet accidently puntures the lung, they unfortunatly drown to death, that is why I and others have said to have a seditive used first. I hope that you never have to put your little one down, I hope that your hammie can die at home without help.

[LoriAnne]

:bawling: This is all too dreary for words. I'm emotionally drained after having read all of this. Having said that, I do appreciate all of your sound advice and technical information. Now that I know exactly what happens (if necessary) I'll no longer have that abstract/frantic fear of the unknown, which is much worse than knowing the truth.
Thank you all for taking the time to educate me.

[qazwsxedc]

ok now this is coz i had two dogs put down (one was very very unwell and the other was blind deaf and had a leathle deessies) so this is from me DON'T PUT YOU HAMMY DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!:bawling:

[Mitchandozzie]

i had maxi( my dog put down) but it was all for the better. he was blind, deaf and had artritis but thats not y. he was happy until he ate our x-mas turkey. bones and all. it punctured his stomach and his organs were shutting down.........................................

i miss him so much!!!!!!!!:bawling: :bawling: :bawling: :bawling:


but if ur hamster is suffering it would be best to put him/ her down. then they wont be in pain.

[LoriAnne]

Mitchandozzi: What a sadness. I'm so sorry. I can't imagine what it must be like to have a dog for so many years and then to have to go through that. This is one benefit of having an animal with a 2-year lifespan. It's not like we're not attached to him, because we are! It's our first pet, and while we've only had him 1 1/2 years I can't tell you how wrenching this is for me, and at this point it's just an eye infection!

With any luck at all, the ointment will cure it & he'll be perfectly fine for many more months. But I agree with you completely; if you TRULY love your pet you send him off to the clouds when his life is not worth living, no matter how much it hurts you to do it.

[Mitchandozzie]

i no what u mean. ive had ozzie for 8 months and im soo attached to him. hes my baby!

ya maxi was my first freind and veryone we knew was said about his death. but now he can see and hear( like i said he was blind/deaf) and he can run without any pains.

im glad i6ts just an eye infection for now.

[2468Sandy2468]

What is conjunctivitis!?!?!?!?!:agree:

[LoriAnne]

The name sounds awful, doesn't it? It's a common eye infection in humans - known as "pink-eye." I've had it once & I have a child in elementary school who's come down with it twice because it's incredibly contageous. Once a kid gets it, half the class has it in 24 hours.

It's not painful, but what happens is . . . (if you're eating anything, come back to this thread later) yellow puss starts coming out of one of your tear ducts. (GROSS!) As I said, no pain, but you're suddenly aware that your vision is blurred in that eye & you look in the mirror & try not to throw up when you see your eye. It comes on VERY SUDDENLY. When my daughter was about 4 we were out at a mall when I happened to notice this gunk coming out of her eye. I freaked out (tho she wasn't bothered) and I kept dabbing it away w/a Kleenex, but as soon as I wiped it away another drop would come out.

I called her pediatrician and the nurse said she'd call in a prescription right away. I said - "How do you know what she has without seeing her?" & she said there's only one type of eye infection & that's conjunctivitis. You dab a speck of ointment in the eye for 5 or 6 days - tho it clears it up in 24 hours. The bummer is that you've got to wash everything that you come in contact with instantly because the germs spread so quickly. So for 5 days you're replacing your pillowcase & hand towels & washcloths as soon as you've used them so no one else in the family will get it.

With my furry friend, it was just that one eye was tearing a bit & it also appeared to be bulging out a bit. Wow - more than you wanted to know about this, huh?

[Mitchandozzie]

ive had it happen to me to and it was HORRIBLE! it dint hurt but i hate having something in my eye so it annoyed me !!!!!!!!!!!!!!lol:D